OK...does being a friend of Obama, make/put you above the law, even in a disorderly charge?

Reference:
Prof Gates, in the recent arrest in Cambridge, Ma.

What is your opinion?

It's not who you know, it's who you blow

The man showed his id, with his address on it.
I think the cops screwed up.

Does being a friend of Bush, and shooting your friend with a shotgun at close range keep you out of trouble?

But...he was arrested for being disorderly, after showing ID! He should have thanked the officers for being so quick to respond to a "might have been" incident. He of all people, should have not made the racial remarks to start with. I feel as if he, somewhere deep down inside...still had an "axe to grind" with the race issue. JMO

The Prof was probably frustrated, had to struggle to enter his home, as per article the police were not invited in they entered without his consent (that alone would frustrate the heck out of me).

Words are just that words, doubt the officer felt threatened and I believe should have diffused the incident instead of arresting a man in his own home.

Certainly being a friend of D-I-C-K- Chaney helps. Can't even spell the name of the mother#@#@$# without being Censored

Say what you will/think! Until you've walked in an officer's shoes(and I have)and experienced this type of behavior from the public...you can never truly understand.

It's always been known, that an officer never receives the respect of his job, till he's needed! If he ain't needed, to h*ll with'em! Why is that?

The general public is "innocent till proven guilty", and the officer is "guilty till proven innocent" Why is that?

OK...these are JMO... enjoy the thread!

I'm with the cops on this one. The President screwed up by commenting on the situation the way he did. In the polls,his numbers will drop. be seeing you

ahh so you've worn a badge, and because of that you feel I don't understand, can it be that I just think differently?

I respect everyone - esp those in uniform whose job is to protect and serve, this is not a personal attack just my opinion on this specific matter. By what I have read in the newspapers, I came to this conclusion. Am I right? Am I wrong? Are you right or wrong? No one but those present will ever know.

As a former cop, proper procedure is this:

#1. Upon arriving on scene, detain and question any subject/suspect, search them and ask for ID.

#2. Look for additional suspects or victims. If two officers or more, one left with suspect to do #1 while the rest search.

#3. Obtain witness information, and determine if suspects story matches witnesses statement.

#4. Make any arrests, or release anyone from custody.


If this was a call for a breaking and entering/burglary, which can easily also be a home invasion, which is a class x felony, weapons are drawn, and tempers are high due to the pucker factor.

“No. 2, that the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home."

Obama acted "stupidly" by saying they were arrested because they were in their own home. I don't believe that was the charge....

So much for the general public being innocent until proven guilty

Elwood - Isn't there a warrant needed to search?

not if there is probable cause

neighbor called in a break-in

officer responded

both handled it improperly

gates should have been more co-operative (and shown his ID this would not be an issue had he done so) and the profiler and police should have been less harsh

but hey...............

but hey...............
Yeah, yeah, yeah, what do you know

I personally like Obama, though I won't stand up for him if I think he is wrong, I also won't abandoned him just because he has an opinion that might be different than mine. I doubt his poll numbers drop over such a petty incident. But I bet those that don't like Obama will not let this end.

I don't think less of him for this. It's not that big of deal to me.

The reporter asked the question and he answered it. He said that the man was his friend. He brought up important points about racial profiling.

I don't think it put Gates above the law. The Professor was in his own home and had identification.

I also think that a man of his position at a prestigious college was not used to being treated that way.

The guy got arrested for being in his own home