"Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny." -- unknown

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results - Albert Einstein

Cop and Professor
July 23, 2009 - 9:17 pm

With the caveats that I wasn't there and have only read the various reports (including the police report thanks to TSG)... I'm left to conclude the Cop was in the right.

A person calls in a possible crime.. a lone cop responds and asks the man in the house for ID. The man doesn't produce ID, but accuses the cop of being racist... and things tumble out of control. By all accounts, the man grows more belligerent and well you just don't get to yell and scream as much as one would like I guess.

Was an arresting in order? Probably not.. but the Professor sure sounds like a real dick.

The part of the story that bothers me... the part that no article seems to talk about is that Professor, when faced with a white cop asking him for ID, accuses the white cop of being racist.

The Professor is making the assumption that because Cop is white, Cop is hassling him.

Doesn't that make the Professor the racist one?

You see, that's my problem. Anytime something happens a person doesn't like, they look for a reason to blame someone else. They say, there must be a personal reason why this person is doing X, Y, or Z. I know, it's because they see my skin color, so they must be racist.

And very few terms annoy me more than "reverse racism". The reverse of racism would be a good thing -- it would mean equality for races. But no, everyone has to be special so if a white person is disadvantaged in some way it's "reverse"... because real racism is only done by whites, not to whites.

I wonder what the standard will be when folks of Hispanic decent are the majority?

What really makes me sad is Obama making reference to the situation. Sure he admits he wasn't there.. and, of course I'm doing the same thing in a way, but.. there's a huge difference between me making a comment about news stories and the President making a comment. Obama should have kept his mouth shut... but sure, he's a friend of the Professor, which actually makes it worse. Of all the various and sundry bad racial things that have happened (and no doubt there's been more than anyoen would care to count) since he's been President, why is it this one he chooses to comment on in public?

I suppose part of my point is that yes, racism is alive and well in this country and all around the world. But all too often the people make racist assumptions and don't even realize it.

The Professor needs to take a long hard look in the mirror and ponder why he didn't just show his ID and put an end to it.

He needs to take a long hard look in the mirror and say, "Why did I make such an accusation... was it really just based on the cop's skin color?"

The Cop had every right to ask for it.. a person called in a possible crime, even spoke with the Cop before he went inside to talk the 'stranger'. What's a Cop to do, just take who's ever word is in the house that they belong there at face value? No, you show idea.. and life goes on. You have a nice story to tell at dinner.

Speaking of stories, the I'd really like to read is that of the witness who called in the supposed crime... she was outside the whole time. If she backs up the Cop's version, well... the Cop best be getting a trip to the White House for an apology.

Of course.. if the witness's version doesn't match, well.. then it's a whole different ball of wax.