Sorry Gates, I Think I am With the Cambridge Police On This One

read the police report, via the smoking gun.

from this report, which verifies other reports, it seems that gates was totally out of line. the officer had every right to figure our what was going on, as a neighbor had reported seeing two men with backpacks attempting to force their way through a door. OK, they were both black, but so what?

gates' reaction was totally unnecesary and over the line. sure, i can imagine his instinctual reaction might be to automatically assume the police were targeting him because he is black, but cooler heads should have prevailed. if gates had simply stepped out onto the porch and talked to the officer calmly and rationally, he would have realized what was going on and that his initial reaction, that he was being profiled, was off base.

but that didn't happen. everyone knows that when you press a cop, it will be you who loses. gates should know this. could the cop have turned his back and just walked away? sure. but gates was 100% uncooperative the entire time and refused to let the issue die.

i also think it was a mistake for pres. obama to wade into this issue. i understand that gates is his friend, but his presence in this issue will only exacerbate things, not make them better. he should learn a lesson on this issue and next time not wade into a controversy that is this parocial.