Officer Crowley is, to all accounts, a good cop. He is also a lower middle class guy working for the man in one of the most expensive neighborhoods in the USA. Leaving Gates albedo aside, he is a very wealthy and powerful guy. He certainly would not be the first big shot to be pissed at not getting special treatment. For that matter, he just got off of a 10 hour flight. What did he drink on that flight? I usually have some wine esp if like Gates I am flying in the front cabin.
Leaving skin color aside, Professor Gates is an extra ordinary and very rational guy. It would be a great treat to know him . He stands in the first class of our society. Still, as a black man, I would be very surprised if the Prof has not been offered tips to carry some white dude's bags (as friends of mine have happen in front of me). It is entirely possible that Officer Cowley does not watch PBS and did not recognize Dr. Gates.
So maybe the issue is class and race? Upper class people DO treat cops badly. White folks do presume they are "better" than black folks. Either way, I suspect neither man needs to be talked down to by anyone. Officer Crowley, for one, certainly deserved a lot more respect from Mr.Obama.
On other hand, the effin media needs to grow up. Our president is a human, he surely makes a lot fewer faux pas then his predecessor.
Hell, if I were Prof. Gates I would invite the Officer to do some teaching to my elite students! In trade, Officer Crowley might invite the Prof to hang around the station for a day or two. Then ol Barack can join both of them for a dinner of corn beef and cabbage at Pat's Tavern in Southie!
Update:
Gates and Crowley accepted Obama's invitation to visit at the White House.
Obama said Crowley "wanted to find out if there was a way of getting the press off his lawn."
"I informed him that I can't get the press off my lawn," Obama joked.
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