Racial Profiling in America

July 24, 2009 — I am an early riser and I do mean early. I like the quite calm of the early mornings or as people say "the middle of the night." I sit at my computer and like to read through news accounts of the day that are in a number of online media. It then may drive me to the topic I want to discuss in this blog and that has certainly been the case over the last few days.

Henry Louis Gates Jr., and the President of the United States are making a big hullabaloo over Mr. Gates arrest by an officer of the Cambridge, Mass police department. Calling this a case of racial profiling and demanding an apology is what Mr. Gates is doing and asking for. This is coming from supposedly a learned man held in high regard at the university where he teaches. To the President he is a personal friend and a black man like himself.

Now I, and like the President admitted for himself, was not present when this incident occurred, so we only would have the facts to go on as discovered in the course of an investigation. But wait, the President isn't waiting for those facts and is already hollering, as Mr. Gates is doing, that this is a case of racial profiling. What utter nonsense that is! How absurd! This is getting to be another case of a black man in this country finding himself on a world stage and having the opportunity to raise the racial issue between blacks and law enforcement. Is this what an "intelligent" person would do? I think not.

From the accounts that I have read so far, the police officer in question was only doing his job and following his departments procedures. This is backed up by statements of his superior in the Cambridge Police Department. The officer feels he has nothing to apologize for and I believe he is right. Furthermore, police organizations across the country have basically denounced the President's comments on this issue and feel that his statement is going to make it even more difficult for them to do their job especially when confronted and dealing with those persons of color. I would certainly agree with that also.

I know I should not say this, but I am going to anyway...I wonder when the Rev. Jesse Jackson is going to show up and muddle this picture even further. I hope that does not happen. They don't need any help...they are doing a good job of muddling the picture already. Mr. Gates and the President of the United States are already dangerously close to setting back race relations in this country, and this from a man sworn to uphold the Constitution and to serve all people.

The head of the Cambridge Police Department, Commissioner Robert Haas, is going to convene a "a panel of "independent, notable professionals" to provide an analysis of the incident..." and hopefully this panel will disclose a full account of the facts in this case. The facts and the truth are important to say the least. Mr. Gates and the President need to just flat shut up and let the facts in this case speak for themselves. It's what really matters!