Comments in cyberspqace on the Gates arrest reveal that a sizable majority believe that Sgt. Crowley is a "racist" cop who had no right to arrest anyone in their own house and that Professor Gates was a victim of racial profiling.
The truth is that the Gates arrest was not a case of racial profiling. And contrary to President Obama’s public accusation, the Cambridge Police Department did not "act stupidly."
Crowley did not arrest Gates for "contempt of cop" as some commentators have charged. As Crowley was leaving the scene, Gates followed Crowley out to the front porch where he created a public disturbance by continuing to shout racist accusations at the officer, thus attracting a crowd of onlookers.
In the Gates case, the only person among Crowley, Gates and Obama who did not act badly was the much maligned Cambridge police sergeant. Crowley gave Gates every opportunity to stop his racial ranting and raving before finally arresting the Harvard professor.
Obama, in trying to extricate himself from his own act of stupidity for making his public statement without knowing the facts, called for a "beer summit" at the White House between Crowley, Gates and himself. The White House, seizing at the photo-op, released several pictures of the trio at the summit.
The following picture is far more telling than the other pictures showing Crowley, Gates, Obama and Vice-President Biden clinking their beer mugs together in the Rose Garden.
A decent and caring Sgt. Crowley helps a handicapped Professor Gates down the steps while the President strides ahead self-absorbed and oblivious of the professor’s infirmities.
Since he has announced that Gates was his friend, you would think the President would have cared enough to join Crowley in helping the professor negotiate those steps. I’ll bet, in retrospect, the White House now wishes it had never released that photo.
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