Ya think? Here’s the final report by the Cambridge Review Committee. I haven’t read it yet, but this may be the key sentence: “But instead of de-escalting, both men continued to escalate the encounter.” And the key insight may be here: “To say that the arrest of Professor Gates was avoidable is not to say…
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In comments, Jack left a great link to this piece by Ruth Wisse, another Harvard professor. It is her “letter” to Skip Gates. Bold and very well written. Dear Skip, My first thought on hearing of your arrest was for your welfare, so I was relieved to learn that the case against you had been…
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Bob Herbert, a very good columnist has a powerful op-ed attacking the police sergeant and defending Gates’ behavior. It is worth a read even if–especially if–you don’t agree with it. By saying that Herbert is a good columnist doesn’t mean I agree with everything or even most of what he says. But whatever Herbert has…
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This one I wrote. Careful readers of this blog will have come across many of these points. Every police/public confrontation ends up in one of three ways: the suspect 1) leaves the scene, 2) defers to police authority, or 3) gets locked up. Mr. Gates couldn’t do the first option, he refused to do the…
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Mike O’Neil has a good article in the Huffington Post. What he hopes three well intentioned men will say in the White House. I would write more. And respond to comments. But I’m in Chiapas, Mexico, on the Pacific Coast with what must be the world’s worst internet connection. On the plus side, all is…
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The 911 call is here: Part of the 911 tape is here: Here is my take on the matter. Only the first three points are new. 1) The 911 call was excellent. A woman saw something suspicious and reported it. Race was not mentioned. In fact, the caller specifically said she could not determine race…
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Should being an a-hole to police get you locked up? Seriously. Remember, being an a-hole isn’t technically a crime. But many people have talked their way into handcuffs. Police can always get you for something. I ask this because my wife seemed vaguely bothered by this concept. But it doesn’t bother me. John Van Maanen…
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Leave it to me to have to read another blog to find out about stuff that I’ve already written. See, there’s this book I wrote, Cop in the Hood. I hear it’s pretty good. It’s also, uh, for sale. Anyway, on pp. 117-118 I describe how officers can invite a person outside in order to…
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Apparently for pissing off a Cambridge cop who responded to a burglary call. Gates had sort of broken into his own house because the key didn’t work. A witness called police. Words are exchanged and Gates gets cuffed for dis con. It’s hard to overstate just how esteemed of an intellectual Harvard Professor Gates is.…
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