# The Henry L Gates Case **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 30, 2018, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-henry-l-gates-case/826947 "2018-12-30T23:27:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2018, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-henry-l-gates-case/826947/21 "2018-12-31T19:37:12Z")
This thread is about Gates, Obama, and the police response. Leave aside discussion about middle names and personal comments aabout the OP. [/moderating] ---
**Author:** ![CHealy7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3ab097/32.png) [@CHealy7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CHealy7)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2018, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-henry-l-gates-case/826947/22 "2018-12-31T20:28:01Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Of course it was stupid. > What do _you_ think, O.P.? While I believe Obama acted in good faith, I tend to agree with his later comment that he could have “calibrated his words differently”. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2019, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-henry-l-gates-case/826947/23 "2019-01-01T00:03:21Z")
> [@CHealy7](#): > > While I believe Obama acted in good faith, I tend to agree with his later comment that he could have “calibrated his words differently”. I’m sure he would appreciate a note from you letting him know. It’s probably been a major concern of his these last ten years. ---
**Author:** ![CHealy7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3ab097/32.png) [@CHealy7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CHealy7)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2019, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-henry-l-gates-case/826947/24 "2019-01-01T01:46:39Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > I’m sure he would appreciate a note from you letting him know. It’s probably been a major concern of his these last ten years. Hey, don’t blow a gasket on me, baby. I’m just posing a question on an internet forum. Happy New Year:cool: ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2019, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-henry-l-gates-case/826947/25 "2019-01-01T05:59:59Z")
I really don’t think the President should get involved in small, local cases at all. I admit I mostly ignore politics but I do recall Obama doing this several times. Each time I wondered why the President is making it his business. Did other Presidents do this? I’m not trying to vilify Obama, it’s a real question. Dennis ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2019, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-henry-l-gates-case/826947/26 "2019-01-01T11:06:46Z")
> [@mixdenny](#): > > I really don’t think the President should get involved in small, local cases at all. I admit I mostly ignore politics but I do recall Obama doing this several times. Each time I wondered why the President is making it his business. > > Did other Presidents do this? I’m not trying to vilify Obama, it’s a real question. > > Dennis I’d say that the fact that you think an entirely disproportionate police response to a black man being in his own home is a “small, local case” confirms that you mostly ignore politics. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2019, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-henry-l-gates-case/826947/27 "2019-01-01T16:39:21Z")
> [@MEBuckner](#): > > OK, _just for the sake of argument_ I’m going to accept the “police side” of the encounter, as reported in the Wikipedia article, as being true. > > The initial decision to investigate a couple of guys reportedly forcing open the door of a house strikes me (as a Middle-Class White Guy) as being one of the less egregious cases of “\_\_\_\_\_-ing While Black” that I’ve heard of. And, just going strictly by the police-reported side of things, maybe Professor Gates was being a little unreasonable and/or full of himself. > > So fucking what? Once you, the Law Enforcement Officer, have determined that the “male suspect” reportedly breaking into the private residence at XYZ Ware Street is, in fact, the homeowner (again going strictly by the “police side” of that article, Gates had at that point shown the cop some kind of photo ID), you swiftly terminate the encounter. “OK, Professor, sorry for the mix-up there. Yes, sir, I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you”–insert inward :rolleyes: for the Entitled Celebrity, if you like–“My name is Sgt. James Crowley; my badge number is blah-blah-blah; my supervisor’s name is yadda-yadda-yadda; OK, sir, you have a nice day, sir, I’m leaving now, sir, buh-bye”; and then you make like a baby and you fucking split. You can have a good laugh and a jeer at these fucking snooty Hahvahd Celebrity Professor-types (“Don’t you know who I am?”) down at the cop bar after your shift is over. > > So, yes, not so much the initial police investigation of the suspected break-in at XYZ Ware Street; but the arrest of someone from his own front porch for what amounted to “contempt of cop” was not merely stupid but was also bullying and downright thuggish behavior on the part of the police. I agree with all of this. The initial investigation was fine, and Gates was WAAY out of line and likely a complete asshole. But this is the United States of America. A person has a right to be an asshole. I think it was criminal that he was arrested. Crowley should have been fired and prosecuted for what he did, not invited to the White House. Police officer or not, you cannot use physical force on someone because they hurt your feelings. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2019, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-henry-l-gates-case/826947/28 "2019-01-02T02:57:07Z")
Actually, never mind. I just looked at the OP’s other threads. This isn’t worth the effort. ---
**Author:** ![CHealy7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3ab097/32.png) [@CHealy7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CHealy7)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2019, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-henry-l-gates-case/826947/29 "2019-01-02T20:01:52Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Actually, never mind. I just looked at the OP’s other threads. This isn’t worth the effort. Care to explain this? ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2019, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-henry-l-gates-case/826947/30 "2019-01-02T21:45:32Z")
from the OP’s linked article - \*On July 22, President Barack Obama said about the incident, “I don’t know, not having been there and not seeing all the facts, what role race played in that. But I think it’s fair to say, number one, any of us would be pretty angry; number two, that the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home, and, number three, what I think we know separate and apart from this incident is that there’s a long history in this country of African Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately.” Law enforcement organizations and members objected to Obama’s comments and criticized his handling of the issue. In the aftermath, Obama stated that he regretted his comments and hoped that the situation could become a “teachable moment”. Gates could have tried to understand Crowley’s view of the situation and could have spoken respectfully to Crowley.\* Even Barack Hussein Obama (that’s his real/full his name) realized that he spoken without knowing the facts, and he, himself, claims that he regrets having done so. O’bama may have even come to understand that the charge against Gates was not that he was in his own home, but one of disorderly conduct. “Thanks for checking on my home in response to a citizen’s 9-1-1 call. I appreciate the job you are doing, and I’m grateful for the protection you provide.” Said no Henry Louis Gates ever. ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2019, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-henry-l-gates-case/826947/31 "2019-01-02T22:11:01Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > O’bama may have even come to understand that the charge against Gates was not that he was in his own home, but one of disorderly conduct. And what a bullshit charge it was. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2019, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-henry-l-gates-case/826947/32 "2019-01-03T00:18:13Z")
So would it not have been possible to arrest him for Disorderly Conduct inside his own home ? (as opposed to on his porch) If so, the cop “lets continue this outside” is the cop saying “please come outside so I can arrest you”. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2019, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-henry-l-gates-case/826947/33 "2019-01-03T04:32:27Z")
My thoughts: a) H L Gates was understandably pissed off at having been reported by neighbors; b) Gates, like most black men, have probably had to deal with this shit before and get tired of it. c) There’s no evidence that the officer involved acted with malice or racial bias in responding to the call and in his initial handling the incident d) There is (some) evidence that H L Gates was acting in a manner that might have irritated Officer Crowley e) Officer Crowley should have walked away, but he’s human and doesn’t like being yelled at and threatened with “Do you know who I am” (I don’t either, and I doubt you all do). f) Gates continued to troll Officer Crowley, who probably would have left had he just shut his fucking mouth and gone back inside. g) That said, I wasn’t there. Maybe Officer Crowley could have said “Shit, I’m sorry. It’s a misunderstanding.” Maybe he did say it and it wasn’t reported. In short, both Gates and Crowley could have handled this better. h) Obama didn’t need to comment on it so frankly as he did, when he did. But the reaction was waaaaaaay over the top. Actually, I think Obama’s comment in many ways was truly the beginning of his presidency, because while Obama passed the stimulus and TARP and a few other things, let’s be real: everyone in this country was waiting with baited breath to see just how this country would handle it the first time that Barack H Obama decided to step out of the conventional suit-and-tie president and asserted his blackness. It was that day when America, for real, had its first black president. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2019, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-henry-l-gates-case/826947/34 "2019-01-03T14:26:33Z")
You know, the current president frequently comments on legal cases that involve associates of his , and his lawyer, Giuliania, has even compared the FBI to Nazis. Why is this singular incident from the Obama presidency relevant? ---
**Author:** ![Gerald\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Gerald\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gerald_II)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2019, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-henry-l-gates-case/826947/35 "2019-01-04T06:45:21Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > Actually, I think Obama’s comment in many ways was truly the beginning of his presidency, because while Obama passed the stimulus and TARP and a few other things, let’s be real: everyone in this country was waiting with baited breath to see just how this country would handle it the first time that Barack H Obama decided to step out of the conventional suit-and-tie president and asserted his blackness. It was that day when America, for real, had its first black president. I see that was the least he should have done, that and other times with situations involving African-Americans and the police. If he doesn’t say anything at all, things could get worse. The frustrations a community might feel when we finally get a black President, and still nothing changes, and worse, he stays quiet as if he doesn’t care? And if he’s perceived as doing too much it’s like he’s biased to everyone else. He was in a tough position. And I also agree, that the reaction to Obama was way over the top. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-henry-l-gates-case/826947/36 "2019-01-07T16:57:42Z")
> [@Gerald\_II](#): > > And I also agree, that the reaction to Obama was way over the top. Me three. There is nothing that should be considered controversial about what he said. The word “stupidly” stood out the first time I read this. But, upon reflection, I think it’s fair. A police officer is supposed to be trained in diffusing conflict and reducing tensions. The homeowner was pissed off and a non-stupid police officer could have recognized that and resolved the situation without arrest. Regardless, sometimes regrettable things happen. It’s not fire hoses and dogs on peaceful protesters. We can discuss and move on. Obama’s comments, as usual, were measured, thoughtful and helpful. > [@](#): > > “I don’t know, not having been there and not seeing all the facts, what role race played in that. But I think it’s fair to say, number one, any of us would be pretty angry; number two, that the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home, and, number three, what I think we know separate and apart from this incident is that there’s a long history in this country of African Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately.” ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-henry-l-gates-case/826947/37 "2019-01-07T18:08:48Z")
If it’s “separate and apart” from this incident, why bring it up? If it’s not “separate and apart”, why did he say it was? "I don’t know what factor race played in this, so I will mention it anyway.’ :rolleyes: Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-henry-l-gates-case/826947/38 "2019-01-07T18:18:52Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > If it’s “separate and apart” from this incident, why bring it up? If it’s not “separate and apart”, why did he say it was? It was separate and apart. What’s wrong with saying “I don’t know if this was a racial incident, but we must recognize that there are a lot of racial problems facing our nation and this could be one example.” > [@](#): > > "I don’t know what factor race played in this, so I will mention it anyway.’ :rolleyes: See above. A lot of Americans want to deny or minimize the existence of improper treatment of people of color, especially when law enforcement is involved. I think it was appropriate and important for the President to push back on that idea. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-henry-l-gates-case/826947/39 "2019-01-07T18:22:00Z")
Gates clearly believed from the outset that he was being treated differently due to his race. You can argue that Obama shouldn’t have said anything at all, but to ask why he had to go and mention race is just being obtuse. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-henry-l-gates-case/826947/40 "2019-01-07T18:30:17Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > It was separate and apart. What’s wrong with saying “I don’t know if this was a racial incident, but we must recognize that there are a lot of racial problems facing our nation and this could be one example.” Black-on-black crime is a serious issue in the US as well, but Obama didn’t mention it. What would be wrong with saying “A lot of black people who are arrested in the US richly deserve it. Maybe this is another case where that is true. But it’s fair to say that Mr. Gates acted just as stupidly as the police. But of course, I don’t know all the facts.” Regards, Shodan [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-henry-l-gates-case/826947.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-henry-l-gates-case/826947.md?page=3)