chris_gerrib (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
chris_gerrib) wrote2009-07-24 07:48 am
chris_gerrib) wrote2009-07-24 07:48 am
Entry tags:
Two Wrongs Don't Make A Right
I watch (and frequently get irritated at) Morning Joe on MSNBC. (It at least tries to be serious news.) At any rate, they were talking this morning about the Henry Louis Gates arrest.
As I understand the case, Harvard professor Gates, who is black, returns from a long overseas flight to find that the door lock at his house is stuck. He jimmies the lock and gets in. Meanwhile a passer-by calls the police, who show up and find Gates inside.
Gates pops wise at the cops. Stupid, but I suspect that, were it me in Gate's situation, my temper would not be very good either.
Well, the cop decides to take the insults personally, and arrests Gates for disorderly conduct. Stupid action #2.
Of course, this being America, home of the silly, we have to discuss this at length on TV, blogs and whatever.
I frequently disagree with Mika Brzezinski, the co-host on Morning Joe, but I think today she hit the nail on the head. To paraphrase, she said "we have two men who are both used to getting their own way. They butted heads, got their backs up, and the situation escalated."
As I understand the case, Harvard professor Gates, who is black, returns from a long overseas flight to find that the door lock at his house is stuck. He jimmies the lock and gets in. Meanwhile a passer-by calls the police, who show up and find Gates inside.
Gates pops wise at the cops. Stupid, but I suspect that, were it me in Gate's situation, my temper would not be very good either.
Well, the cop decides to take the insults personally, and arrests Gates for disorderly conduct. Stupid action #2.
Of course, this being America, home of the silly, we have to discuss this at length on TV, blogs and whatever.
I frequently disagree with Mika Brzezinski, the co-host on Morning Joe, but I think today she hit the nail on the head. To paraphrase, she said "we have two men who are both used to getting their own way. They butted heads, got their backs up, and the situation escalated."
Re: Heh, Chris Rock has this one figured out!
Neither of these events make it legal to arrest somebody in the USA. (Something about the Constitution and freedom and all that jazz.)
I stand by my original point - two hardheaded men got in a pissing match. Both got wet.
Heh, Chris Rock has this one figured out!