Meet the Professor

Meet Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. Dr. Gates is Director of the W. E. B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research.

The other day he returned home to Cambridge from China where he was working on a film about "Racial Profiling." Apparently the doctor had trouble getting into his rented home. He had a problem with the front door and after trying to get into his house, he and his driver went around to the back where he was able to gain entry.

Someone called the police when they noticed two black men with backpacks on, one using his shoulder to try and push the front door opened and called the police. The police came after Dr. Gates had gained entry to his house and turned off the alarm.

Here's where it becomes "messy." The police say that they asked the good doctor to show them some identification that he lived there. According to the police, the doctor became agitated and started claiming the white police were "targeting" blacks and using racial profiling. When the doctor would not calm down and cooperate with the police, the police placed him in handcuffs and gave him a free ride to the police station where they took some nice pictures, played in ink and gave him his own room complete with bars to keep the bad men away from him.

Dr. Gates was charged with Disorderly Conduct.

Of course the good doctor did not see it that way. He claimed that he was another black man being abused by the white policemen and the system. He placed the race card saying that he was profiled and that the police rousted him because he was black. Because of the cry of prejudice, the charges were dropped.

Never mind that there was a call saying that a man was trying to push open the front door. No, the neighbor that was being vigilant and called the police was raked over the coals by the doctor and every black writer who had access to a computer. For trying to look out for her neighborhood and the doctor's own home, she is the bad guy.

If the award winning doctor had just stopped for a second, showed the police some ID and thanked them for doing their job, the incident would have been over in less than two minutes and we never would have heard about this.

Here comes "whitey" with his insensitive and outrageous views.

I will admit that I am not black. I have never lived life as a black man. I have never been singled out by the police because of the color of my skin. Anyone who has gone through that has a right to be upset and has a right to want to fight against action like that.

The fact of the matter is a call was made by a citizen looking out for their neighborhood. Two men that she did not recognize and yes, they were black in a predominately white neighborhood, looked like they were trying to force their way into a house. The police arrived and had every right to ask for identification of two men they do not know, in a house that has just been reported to be a possible break in. The doctor had the obligation to show his ID and then if he wanted, rake the Cops over the coals for "profiling" him. Just show your freaking ID and quit playing the race card.

I have a hot flash for the doctor. If you are WHITE and you give a Cop a hard time, you get placed in handcuffs, get a free ride to the police station, have some nice pictures taken, get to play in ink and get your own room too!

Being an A-Hole knows no racial boundary.

The police should remember Dr. Gates' address and the next time they get a call about a break in, robbery, shooting or fire, they should just drive by and wave on their way to the next call.