July 23, 2009 : Gates and Race in America

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>> Emily: TONIGHT ON "GREATER
BOSTON" RACE IN AMERICA, THE
PRESIDENT CRITICIZES CAMBRIDGE
POLICE IN THE ARREST ARE OF
HENRY LEWIS GATES.
PLUS, THE CONTROVERSIAL BOOK
ALLEGING AN AFFAIR BETWEEN
RFK
AND JACKIE.
AND WE GO ON STAGE WITH "RENT."
>> Emily: GOOD EVENING, TONIGHT,
THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE
COMMISSIONER?
DEFENDING HIS DEPARTMENT AFTER
HARSH CRITICISM FROM PRESIDENT
BARACK OBAMA LAST NIGHT.
THE PRESIDENT SAID THAT
CAMBRIDGE POLICE ACTED STUPIDLY
WHEN THEY ARRESTED HARVARD
PROFESSOR HENRY LEWIS GATES AT+++ATH0
>> NUMBER ONE, ANY OF US WOULD
BE PRETTY ANGRY.
NUMBER TWO, THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE
ACTED STUPIDLY IN ARRESTING
SOMEONE WHEN THERE WAS ALREADY
PROOF THEY WERE IN THEIR OWN
HOME.
>> LATE THIS AFTERNOON, THE
CAMBRIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT
RESPONDED, FIRST DEFENDING
ARRESTING OFFICER SERGEANT JAMES
CROWLEY.
>> SERGEANT CROWLEY IS A STELLAR
MEMBER OF THIS DEPARTMENT.
I RELY ON HIS JUDGMENT EVERY
DAY.
>> COMMISSIONER ROBERT HAAS T
THEN REACTS TO THE PRESIDENT .
>> DEEPLY HURTS THE PRIDE AND
THAT WE TAKE OUR PROFESSIONAL
CAREERS SERIOUSLY.
>> THE NATURE OF LAST THURSDAY'S
ARREST REMAINS IN QUESTION THAT
CROWLEY FOLLOWING IN HIS POLICE
REPORT THAT GATES'S BEHAVIOR WAS
TUMULTUOUS.
>> I SAID WHY ARE YOU NOT
RESPONDING TO ME?
ARE YOU NOT RESPONDING TO ME
BECAUSE I'M A WHITE POLICE
OFFICER AND YOU'RE A BLACK MAN.
>> THE CHARGES AGAINST GATES
HAVE BEEN DROPPED.
THE PROFESSOR IS DEMANDING AN
APOLOGY.
CROWLEY TOLD CARL STEVENS TODAY,
HE WON'T GET IT.
>> THE APOLOGY WON'T COME FROM
ME.
I DID NOTHING WRONG.
>> IN RESPONSE TO THE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES, THE LOCAL
ISSUE BALLOONED INTO A NATIONAL
ONE AS CONVERSATION RAGES ABOUT
THE RACE RELATIONS IN AMERICA
WITH TWO VOICES HEARD LOUD AND
CLEAR.
>> THERE'S A LONG HISTORY IN
THIS COUNTRY OF A
AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND LATINOS
BEING STOPPED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT
DISPROPORTIONATELY.
THAT'S JUST A FACT.
>> WHAT IT MADE ME REALIZE WAS
HOW VULERABLE ALL BLACK MEN ARE.
HOW VULNERABLE ALL PEOPLE OF
COLOR ARE AND ALL POOR PEOPLE TO
CAPRICIOUS FORCES LIKE A ROGUE
POLICE MAN.
>> ALL RIGHT, WITH ME NOW ARE
FORMER BOSTON CITY COUNSELOR
BRUCE BOMBING AND -- BRUCE
BOLLING AND MICHAEL GRAHAM OF
KTKK RADIO.
WELCOME TO BOTH OF YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>> Emily: BRUCE, PRESIDENT OBAMA
ACKNOWLEDGED HE'S A FRIEND,
COLLEAGUE, REALLY HAS KNOWN
GATES A LONG TIME.
WAS IT AN EMOTIONAL REACTION TO
GO ONE STEP FURTHER TO SAY
CAMBRIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT
ACTED STUPIDLY AND HE DIDN'T
KNOW WHAT HAPPENED IN THE CASE
AND PUTTING HIMSELF IN THE SHOES
OF MR. GATES INSTEAD OF LOOKING
BACK AT IT+++ATH0
SIDES OF THIS BUT THE
CREDIBILITY OF THAT DEPARTMENT
IS AT STAKE.
THE CREDIBILITY OF MR. GATES IS
AT STAKE.
PEOPLE ARE BELIEVING AND
CHOOSING TO BELIEVE WHO THEY
WANT TO BASED ON HOW THEY FEEL
ABOUT THE SITUATION.
>> AND WHAT IS SAD IS THAT THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
ON A NATIONAL FOREST -- FOR
UM -- FORUM CHOSE TO WEIGH IN ON
IT.
IT WAS STUPID POLITICALLY.
HERE IS A COP THAT GETS A CALL
TO HIS HOUSE.
HE RESPONDS IN SOME MANNER.
MAYBE THE RESTA REST SHOULDN'T
HAVE BEEN MADE.
THAT'S DEBATABLE.
HE'S JUST TRYING TO DO HIS JOB.
THEN THERE'S THE PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES SAYING HIS
STUPIDLY IS INSPIRED BY
ATTITUDES OF RACE.
RACISM AND STUPIDLY BY THE
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
BY SOME POOR, WORKING SCHLUB
THAT COULDN'T AFFORD TO SPEND A
WEEKEND IN MARTHA'S VINEYARD 'EM
THIS IS NOT A QUESTION HERE.
IT'S ONE OF VERACITY.
IT'S ABOUT WHO IS TELLING THE
TRUTH.
WE'VE BEEN IN HIGHLY-CHARGED
SITUATIONS WHERE YOUR IMPRESSION
OF SOMETHING IS GOING TO DIFFER
FROM SOMEONE ELSE'S.
WE'VE ALL READ THE POLICE
REPORT.
THAT'S ONE PERSON'S ACCOUNT.
NOW MR. GATES IS SAYING HE
DIDN'T RAISE HIS VOICE ALTHOUGH
THAT PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN BY THE
NEIGHBOR, BILL CARTER, WOULD
CERTAINLY LOOK LIKE HE'S
SHOUTING AT SOMEONE BUT, I MEAN
IS THIS A CASE WHERE, ONCE AGAIN
WE'RE CHOOSING TO BELIEVE?
ARE WE EVER GOING TO FIND OUT
WHAT THE REAL STORY WAS?
>> I THINK IN A SITUATION LIKE
THAT, IT GETS EMOTIONAL AND
OFTENTIMES WHEN YOUR EMOTIONS
ARE RUNNING HIGH, YOUR LOGICAL,
RATIONALE SELF IS NOT DOMINATING
THE SITUATION.
>> Emily: DO YOU THINK IT'S
PLAUSIBLE MR. GATES DID GET OUT
OF CONTROL AND WAS YELLING?
>> I DON'T KNOW ABOUT OUT OF
CONTROL BUT I DO THINK THERE WAS
PROBABLY FAULT ON BOTH SIDES.
THE POLICE RESPONDED IN A MANER
THEY HAVEN'T HAVE -- THEY
SHOULDN'T HAVE RESPOND.
THAT'S NOT THE ISSUE.
THE FACT IS THAT THE POINT THAT
THE POLICE OFFICER THEN
DETERMINED THAT MR. GATES WAS
THE OWNER OF THAT HOME, WHAT DO
YOU DO AT THAT POINT?
>> .
>> Emily: NOT SURE HE EVER DID
GET TO THAT BECAUSE THERE WAS
YELLING OFF ABOUT IDs.
WHO KNEW? --.
>> WE DO KNOW SOME THINGS.
ONE THING WE DO KNOW IS HE WAS
SO LOUD, HE DREW THE NEIGHBORS.
AN EYEWITNESS SAID,
YOU'RE -- THIS IS RACIAL
PROFILING.
IT ALL TENDS TO BOLSTER
FUNDAMENTALLY THE POLICE SIDE OF
THE STORY THAT DOESN'T
LEGITIMIZE THE ARREST AT THE
END.
WE DO KNOW THAT.
I'M JUST BOTHERED, HERE'S A GUY
THAT LIVED A GREAT LIFE.
HE'S BEEN IN ACADEMIA SINCE THE
EARLY 70'S.
HE'S NOT FACED -- THIS ISN'T
SOME GUY THAT FOUGHT HIS WAY UP
FROM THE COAL MINES OF WEST
VIRGINIA TO GET HERE AND HE'S
GOT ALL THE CARDS IN HIS HANDS
AND THE FIRST PLACE HE GOES IS
RACE.
BY HIS OWN ACCOUNT, HE SAID HIS
CONFRONTATION WITH THE POLICE
OFFICER IS, ARE YOU DOING THIS
BECAUSE I'M A BLACK MAN AND
YOU'RE A WHITE POLICE OFFICER?
IMPLYING HIS WHITENESS WAS A
PROBLEM FOR MR. GATES FROM THE
BEGINNING.
THAT'S TRAGIC.
>> YOU HAVE A SITUATION HERE
WHERE THERE ARE RACIAL
IMPLICATIONS.
THE FACT OF THE MANNER
IS -- MATTER IS BLACK AND
LATINOS DISPROPORTIONATELY ARE
ARRESTED IN SITUATIONS LIKE
THIS.
THIS HAS HAPPENED IN SITUATIONS
LIKE THIS BEFORE.
SEVERAL YEARS AGO, I HAD A
SITUATION WITH A TAXI DRIVER.
THIS KIND OF THING IS
COMMONPLACE.
IF YOU'RE A PERSON OF COLOR,
MANY, MANY OF US HAVE
EXPERIENCED THAT.
>> Emily: I'M SURE THAT TRUE.
I'VE NO PROBLEM WITH THE
ORIGINAL PART OF THIS STORY THAT
WAS THAT WHITE WOMAN WAS THE ONE
WHO WAS FIGURING THAT THIS
WAS -- SHE WAS THE ONE IF ANYONE
WHO WAS MAKING A RACIAL
ASSUMPTION THERE BUT ONCE
IF -- IF THE POLICE OFFICER
ARRIVING HAD BEEN A BLACK MAN,
WOULD IT HAVE COME DOWN THE SAME
WAY?
>> I MEAN, I -- I -- I DON'T
KNOW IF IT WOULD HAVE COME DOWN
THE SAME WAY.
WHAT WAS CLEAR TO ME WAS WHAT
DROVE THE POLICE OFFICER THERE
WAS A REPORTS OF A POSSIBLE
BREAKING AND ENTERING.
ONCE THE POLICE OFFICER
DETERMINED THAT THE SKIP GATES
WAS IN HIS OWN HOME, AT THAT
POINT, THERE WAS NO ISSUE.
THERE WAS NO ISSUE.
I BELIEVE THAT THAT -- AT THAT
POINT THE POLICE OFFICER SHOULD
HAVE DISENGAGED AND THAT WAS IT.
WHETHER SKIP GATES WAS YELLING
OR SCREAMING IS REALLY NOT THE
ISSUE.
>> Emily: I AGREE WITH THAT.
>> IS REALLY NOT THE ISSUE.
ONCE THEY DETERMINED THERE WAS
NO BREAKING OR ENTERING TAKING
PLACE, THERE WAS NO CRIME, THE
POLICE OFFICERS SHOULD HAVE
DISENGAGED AT THAT POINT.
>> Emily: IT ALREADY ESCALATED
TO NAME CALLING.
COPS DON'T LIKE THAT WHEN YOU
YELL AT THEM.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> IF IT WAS A BLACK OFFICER!
>> IT WAS ALSO A POWER AUTHORITY
DYNAMIC THAT WAS GOING ON.
>> Emily: TRUE.
>> AND, UM, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT
AN ARREST WAS WARRANTED WHICH IS
THE MAJOR REASON WHY -- .
>> Emily: I DON'T THINK ANYONE
THINKS THAT.+++ATH0
I WANT TO SAY SOMETHING.
I WAS ARRESTED EARLIER THIS YEAR
ON WHAT TURNED OUT TO BE A BOGUS
CHARGE.
AT NO POINT DID I EVER SAY, I'M
NOT SHOWING YOU MY I.D. OR WHY
ARE YOU ARRESTING ME OR DO YOU
KNOW WHO I AM OR YO MAMMA!
I SAID OFFICER,SIS SIR, YES, S
SIR.
>> Emily: NOT ME.
I'VE HAD A FEW INCIDENTS WHERE I
LIPPED OFF IT DOESN'T WORK OUT.
>> THE QUESTION OF ARRESTING AT
THE END HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH
THE RACE OF PROFESSOR GATES IN
MY OPINION.
NO ONE MADE THAT POINT.
I THINK THE ARREST HAD TO DO
WITH MAYBE THE OFFICER WAS ANGRY
OR ANNOYED OR LOOKING AT THE
NEIGHBORS THINKING, I BETTER DO
THIS BECAUSE I'LL LOOK LIKE A
SUBMISSIVE DOG TO THE BIG DOG.
>> I THINK THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT
WAS GOING ON.
THE DYNAMIC OF THE
BACK-AND-FORTH WAS REALLY THE
INSTIGATOR, IF YOU WILL, OF THE
DEINVOLVING OF THAT SITUATION
WHERE THE -- DEVOLVING OF THE
SITUATION WHERE THE POLICE
OFFICER FELT HE HAD TO ENGAGE IN
AN ARREST.
>> WHAT ABOUT PRESIDENT
OBAMA DECISION LAST NIGHT TO
TALK ABOUT RACE?
'EM ALL RIGHT, GO TO GO -- GOT
TO GO.
MICHAEL -- .
>> Emily: ALL RIGHT.
GOT TO GO.
MICHAEL GRAHAM AND BRUCE
BOLLING.
WHEN WE CONTINUE, SEE DAVID
HEYMANNN WITH BOBBY AND JACKIE,
A LOVE STORY.