This may not be what it seems ...

I find it deeply disturbing that the President of the United States finds it necessary to continue to interfere in a local police affair – which has caused charges of racism to be leveled on both sides of the controversy.

No, not on the racial issue -- but on a scheme to distract the mainstream media from the fact that Obama has just been handed a major defeat on his deeply flawed healthcare initiative which will not be passed as fast as the democrats might want. This looks like a Rahm Emanuel moment; possibly complete with some overnight polling and a little spin-testing before Obama decided to interrupt the daily press briefing? 

Imagine the duplicity of the White House to actually use racial stereotypes to drive attention from their enormous failure?

The Machiavellian distraction: in Obama’s own words …

Defusing a major problem: the President of the United States defended a self-described “victim of racism” against the police, who appeared to be professional and acting in the best interests of the community and who he originally described as acting stupidly.

A teachable moment …

Civilians should be respectful of police officers at all times – saving their anger for the official complaint which they are entitled to file – and trying to do everything in their power to provide a quick resolution to the matter at hand.

In the present case, we know that the eyewitness described that there were two alleged perpetrators of a potential crime. One man answers the door and allegedly refuses to answer when the officer asks if there is someone else present in the residence. How does the officer know that there is not a perpetrator holding a gun on the person being interviewed? He doesn’t and needs to proceed accordingly to insure his safety and that of the interviewee.

Additionally, the officer was well within his rights to have the interviewee step outside of the house. Who knows what weapons may have been concealed or cached in the residence; potentially putting the officer’s life at risk.

For those who claim that even a blind man could have seen that the professor represented no danger due to his age, appearance and his background; one should consider that many a con man have portrayed themselves as innocent victims when being questioned by the police and that others “of that certain age” have pulled weapons and fired at officers.

The lesson is simple – shut up, comply and then file a grievance after the fact, if you are so inclined. Trying to pull rank, demonstrate your importance or to do otherwise, for a person of any color – be it white, black, blue, orange – is to invite trouble. That is the teachable moment.

Obama: maybe I didn’t explain it correctly …

“The fact that this has garnered so much attention I think is a testimony to the fact that these are issues that are still very sensitive here in America. And to the extent that my choice of words didn’t illuminate, but rather contributed to more media frenzy, I think that is unfortunate.”

Excusing his own behavior …

Referring to those of us who have complained about Obama’s insertion into this troubling matter.

“The fact this has become such a big issue I think is indicative of the fact that race is still a troubling aspect of our society. Whether I were black or white, I think that me commenting on this, and hopefully contributing to constructive as opposed to negative understandings about the issue, is part of my portfolio.”

 Gates: inherent racial bias or the arrogance of a self-important professor?

Professors, especially those who teach at prestigious schools often have an arrogance born of  a combination of elitism, superior intellect and conditioned by the deference shown to them by their students and others on campus. Perhaps the professor was just being an elitist who resented questioning by someone in authority who did not defer to his “higher standing” in the community?

Or perhaps, as with Reverends Jackson and Sharpton, Gates’ entire professional career has been associated with black victimhood and racial matters and is pre-conditioned to believe that any questioning on his own property by a white police officer is offensive and must be racially motivated.

Given the exact duties of the professor as the “Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and the Director of the W. E. B. Du Bois Institute for African and African American Research at Harvard University,” perhaps charges of an arrogant and condescending demeanor are not so far from the truth.

Capitalizing and commercializing this unfortunate encounter is abhorrent to me …

Reinforced by the professor’s continued charges of “racially-motivated” police actions on the talk show circuit where he claims to be contemplating a civil lawsuit and the creation of a documentary on the incident. To me, this is a form of crass commercialism and attempt to promote his private agenda through the media. Which leads me to, once again ask ..

Is it any wonder that I think he views everything through the prism of race?

And is it any wonder that I think he may try to capitalize on his newfound notoriety: appearing on program after program repeating his charge of racism against the police officer who appears to be doing his sworn duty in a competent and professional matter. 

Obama: distraction from his Administration’s failures?

Obama did not need this grief in his life. Unfortunately, I believe that underneath his polished, well-spoken exterior, lies a cauldron of repressed rage at a system who he believes is racist. Never once have I heard him claim that our America is great. Never once have I heard him claim that our healthcare system, as flawed as it may be, is the best in the world. Perhaps he mirrors the sentiments of his wife, Michelle, who claimed in a Milwaukee speech, “"for the first time in my adult life I am proud of my country because it feels like hope is finally making a comeback."

With all of the problems with the failing banks, failing corporations, rising unemployment, a deeply troubled economy and a lack of a coherent energy and foreign affairs policy, one would think that Obama would concentrate on his own duties and leave local matters to local politicians. But then again, considering the duplicitous and devious nature of the Obama White House, I would not put it past him to attempt to manipulate the news media to distract the public from the cratering economy, rising unemployment and the damage he has wrought with his toxic healthcare and economy-busting global warming cap-and-trade legislation. Or the fact that his "historic" healthcare initiative has hit the shoals of public understanding.

Bottom line: a masterful "head fake" ...

Professor Gates appears to be an extremely well-educated and scholarly man who knows his subject matter well. It should also be noted that the police officer seems to represent himself in a professional and competent manner. Were it not for the President of the United States playing the race card, the matter might have been settled with little or no drama in a court of law or left to die without further comment. To conflate this matter into a national media storm speaks of other motives. Distraction from the healthcare debacle and the internal dissention within the ranks of democrats for one.

Obama refuses to let it die …

The Boston Globe is reporting that Professor Gates has accepted Obama’s offer to share a beer at the White House with Officer Crowley…

“Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. said this evening that he would accept President Obama's invitation to meet with him and Cambridge Police Sergeant James M. Crowley at the White House.”

“Gates said in an email to the Globe that he was pleased to talk to the president today and to be asked to meet with Crowley, adding, ‘I said I would.’"

"’My entire academic career had been based on improving race relations, not exacerbating them. I am hopeful that my experience will lead to greater sensitivity to issues of racial profiling in the criminal justice system. If so, then this will be a blessing for our society. It is time for all of us to move on, and to assess what we can learn from this experience,’ he said.

“Obama extended the invitation today in phone calls to the two men as he sought to calm a national debate over racial profiling that reached a fever pitch after news broke of the white officer's arrest of the black scholar at his home last week.”

“Crowley and the president discussed ‘he and I and professor Gates having a beer here in the White House,’ Obama said in a White House news conference. ‘We don't know if that's scheduled yet -- but we may put that together.’ The White House issued a statement later, noting that Obama had also called Gates.”

You may ask yourself what message is being sent to the world – that the police were, at the very least, partially wrong and insensitive when they arrested Professor Gates. I think that Officer Crowley has been placed in a compromising position which undercuts his authority and the authority of the police department in Cambridge, MA.

But most of all, I think that the mainstream media has been masterfully conned into almost ingoring Obama's healthcare debacle while this racial garbage plays out. And I am extremely pissed that Obama's involvement in this matter has held the United States of America up before the international community as still being racist and that the President is needed to redress the grievance.

-- steve

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OneCitizenSpeaking: Saying out loud what you may be thinking …

Quote of the day: "When you respond to a 911 call of a potential burglar in process, it is not racial profiling -- it is good police work." -- steve

Reference Links …

Obama Holds Impromptu Briefing: He, Sgt. Crowley and Gates May Have a Beer Together | Online | Mediaite

Gates accepts White House meeting offer - Local News Updates - The Boston Globe