Racial Discrimination: Obama, Gates and the Police
EmailAfrican-Americans long have reported unequal treatment in society at large and in the criminal justice system specifically – the latter echoing President Obama’s comments last night on the Henry Louis Gates Jr. incident in Cambridge, Mass.
Most broadly, as recently as January, 74 percent of blacks in an ABC/Post poll said they personally have experienced racial discrimination. Most said it’s happened occasionally or even often, rather than rarely. And it’s not an issue among blacks alone: Sixty-eight percent of other non-whites also report experiences of racially based discrimination. That compares to 30 percent of whites.
Specific to the Gates case, 76 percent of African-Americans in our poll said blacks in their community do not receive equal treatment as whites from the police. (Fewer than half as many whites, 34 percent, shared that view.) And yet more germane is this: Thirty-seven percent of blacks said they feel they personally have been stopped by the police solely because of their race – soaring to 59 percent of black men, compared with 22 percent of black women. (It’s 20 percent among other non-whites.)
That result supports Obama’s position: “What I think we know separate and apart from this incident is that there's a long history in this country of African-Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately. That's just a fact."
There are reports of discrimination beyond police stops. In the most common, 60 percent of blacks report experiences in which they felt a shopkeeper or store clerk tried to make them feel unwelcome because of their race. Thirty-five percent think they were denied a job because of their race; 20 percent, denied housing. Taking these together, three-quarters of blacks report personal experience of discrimination in at least one of these categories, and 44 percent, in two or more of them.
That’s personal experience; perceptions tell a similar tale. Beyond relations with the police, 60 percent of African-Americans say blacks in their community don’t have as good a chance as whites to get a job for which they’re qualified, 54 percent say they don’t receive equal treatment when they visit local businesses and half say they don’t have as good a chance as whites to get housing they can afford. Whites are far less likely to perceive discrimination against blacks in any of these cases.
Given all this, it’s perhaps no wonder that just 20 percent of blacks think African-Americans have achieved racial equality in this country; indeed just 38 percent of whites think so as well. But there are brighter notes. An additional nearly four in 10 Americans, blacks and whites alike, told us they think blacks “will soon” achieve racial equality. And celebrating the inauguration of the first black president, 26 percent of Americans in January called racism a “big problem” in this country, half of what it was in a 1996 poll – down sharply among blacks and whites alike.
A last point: While these results cover experiences of racial discrimination, we do not have survey data on the other side of the debate – that is, among police who encounter what they regard as obstreperous behavior worthy of a disorderly conduct charge.
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What sane person, having entered his home through an alternate entrance, returns to the offending door and breaks it down?
Answer: someone in serious need of anger management sessions; and, someone who doesn’t own the home. Notice, most stories included that he called Harvard’s real-estate office to have someone come over immediately to fix his door. I’m sure that person got an earful from the professor.
Posted by: s. valenti | July 23, 2009, 10:45 am 10:45 am
From what I have read and seen on the news since the incident occurred, had Mr. Gates not had a racist chip on his shoulder this would have never happened. I am 53 years old and a white male. The only words I have ever said to a law enforcement officer when being questioned is “yes sir or no sir, or maam”. I don’t care what race the officer is, I respect the law and the folks with impossible and thankless task of trying to enforce it. President Obama said in his press conference that the harrassment of blacks and hispanics is disproportionate to whites. Based on population, this may be true, but based on the percentage of crimes committed by blacks and hispanics compared to whites, it is right on the money. I’m sure that comment just guaranteed my being labelled as a racist, because we all know that only white people can be racists, right?
Posted by: Robert Weathers | July 23, 2009, 11:20 am 11:20 am
Most white people have had a bad experience with the police too! They can be jerks. This whole notion that white people are not harassed, roughed up or treated unfairly by the police is rubbish. However that doesn’t mean THIS officer deserved to be yelled at and called a racist. Gates was abusive to him. He is an individual who was doing his job not a target for everyone’s grievance against the police.
Posted by: Elmo | July 23, 2009, 11:27 am 11:27 am
Here we go again, a loud mouth aggresive black man is crying foul because he was arrested for behaving like a low life. Anyone that aggravates a police officer, of any color, like this clown did deserves to be arrested. As for the blacks feeling disenfranchised when dealing with shopkeepers etc, how about those non-blacks that must put up with BET, Black Entertainment Television, Miss Black America, Congressional Black Caucus, Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton? Enough is enough. Obama speaking about the police being wrong is ridiculous, too. He knows little of what is going on around this country, yet speaks up for a black friend of his and condemns the police. Why? If this country is to be truly color blind let’s start by getting rid of the articles trumpetting “Black Oppression” and just describe people as Male or female. African-American, Asian-American, Hispanic-American and Native-American all lead to these racial/ethnic divisions among us. Why not say just plain American, since I have never heard or seen an article in any U.S. newspaper saying “White American”.
Posted by: Tom Gonzalez | July 23, 2009, 11:27 am 11:27 am
Mr. Gates apparently has a monster chip on his shoulder, and vilifies the arresting officer, and all police departments across the country. The cop was just doing his job. All Mr. Gates had to do is explain he was the lawful occupant of the house and thank the officer for protecting his domicile, and that would have been that. According to news reports, a Hispanic and Black officer were also on the scene. Has anyone gotten their story to hear their version? Or is Mr. Gates version the only one that counts?
Posted by: Marty K | July 23, 2009, 11:49 am 11:49 am
Obama was just repeating what the chief of police said “it was a stupid arrest” before dropping the charges.
Are you going to accuse him of playing the race card?
Posted by: chinese officer | July 23, 2009, 12:03 pm 12:03 pm
Here we go again, with the media inflating a very common situation that happens across THIS country ALL OF THE TIME, I might add, yet it goes unreported. So when it hits the news that a prominent professor was not only accused of breaking into his own home, but arrested for BECOMING AGITATED with being questioned in his own home…. its a headliner. Lets be clear, the majority of this nation didnt even know who this little man on a cane was until this story broke. This happens all of the time. I believe in respecting the police and authority and respecting the sacrifices that they make in the career that THEY chose. My father was a police officer. But I do know that this incident really has been blown out of proportion on both sides and lets be clear it will continue to happen here in America. The media puts images of African American’s out there bubbling over with bitterness, agitation,and as people that are eager to hurt the “white man and his family”…so its embedded in every nationality’s brains that African-American’s are a threat, off the top, until they can prove that they are not. Not everyone buys into that type of foolishness, but it cant be denied that the media does their fair share of putting the images out there. Examples of that is when I am watching my local evening news. When a crime is committed by a white suspect that is in custody, the news station is so slow about posting pictures of the perpetrator, yet when its a crime committed by African American suspect that is in custody, they show the pictures 3-4 times while speaking about the crime, to ensure we see this face behind the crime. Its just ridiculous and its presumed that we dont pick up on it! Well, we do, even when we arent tryin to pick up on it. And that has been made out to be perfectly ok in this Country. So we have along way to go as average citizens and as well as the police officers who work to secure this country. Because we are all human beings FIRST then all the fluff, bells, whistles and the junk that comes with our life experiences will seep out when we are confronted with conflict. Everyone wants to think that they are correct and accurate on this matter and that this racism creature in America is some kind of myth like the Loch Ness Monster or something.
Posted by: Muffin | July 23, 2009, 12:18 pm 12:18 pm
Why is Obama stoking the race fire? We went through this two years before Obama was born. I have black co executives who have been my best friends for years. Most think Obama has no clue but to others, there seems to be a racial shift of entitlement when not even a whiff of this was present before Obama was elected and we are all remunerated equally. Our owners are seeing this by the lack of productivity and they will be fired, white, yellow and/or black and after an untimely dismissal sets the stage perfectly for screaming DESCRIMINATION! If Obama doesn’t want to start a race war, how else would one describe this when he threw law enforcement under his bus in the last 24 hours on National TV no less? I know this would have been absolutely unthinkable during Clinton or Bush but its here, on our laps.
Posted by: Seymour | July 23, 2009, 12:19 pm 12:19 pm
We have all heard this same story a thousand times. The “minorities” scream unfairness and racism whenever it suits their needs. In the mean time they do things that seperate themselves from other races and expect it to be okay? Case in point… B.E.T. and/or The Untied Negro College Fund, among others. The very people who scream racism are the same people who promote it from within their own self created organizations. I AM SICK OF IT!!!!! Most of the “African Americans” were born in this country, they are simply AMERICANS. My ancestory is French and I don’t call myself a French-American… They are the ones keeping racism alive and racism will not go away so long as they continue this behavior. IMO
Posted by: bob | July 23, 2009, 12:46 pm 12:46 pm
Not that it means anything but i find it ironic the officers name is… Jim Crow-ley
Posted by: watching | July 23, 2009, 1:04 pm 1:04 pm
And what are you trying to prove by your poll…it indicates that most African Americans feel inferior to whites …it doesn’t indicate wide spread discrimination just the perception….the only people that can change that are the blacks that feel that way…its not an excuse to be treated specially by police…it simply means that blacks will teach their kids to be victims… that whites are the enemy…the poll is a gauge of how blacks feel not a testemnt on reality collectively I believe they need a psychiatrist to deal with their inferiority complex america has done as much as it can to level the playing feild
Posted by: phillysmart | July 23, 2009, 1:38 pm 1:38 pm
For all you those who want to make this a race issue would bother to READ the police report you will see that the reporting officer was Carlos Figueroa. His statement says Gates refused to provide his information to Officer Crowley and was calling Crowley a racist and also said “you don’t know who you’re dealing with”.
So, let’s just look at the facts. The neighbors see someone attempting to break into a home. They call the police. The police arrive and question the suspect. The suspect refuses to provide information of who he is and begin to shouting. He continues to shout and then when people gather, he continues to shout and begins to play to the group of onlookers. He refuses to understand that the police are just there doing there job on a call about a possible crime in progress.
If his nut had simply provided his ID to the officers and explained what had happened, this would have gone done as a funny story he could have told on the speaking circuit some day.
The fact that HE was so eager to create a situation where the focus would be about race is what really should be looked at here.
As far as the President goes, the only thing STUPID was his going off on this, after ADMITTING he did not know the facts!!!!
++
President Obama, weighing in on the arrest of Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr., said last night that Cambridge police “acted stupidly’’ when they handcuffed Gates even after he showed proof that he lived in the house.
Calling Gates “a friend,’’ and acknowledging he didn’t “know all the facts,’’ Obama said during a nationally televised press conference otherwise devoted to healthcare that he didn’t know whether race played a role in the arrest of Gates, who is black and a noted authority on race relations, by a white Cambridge police officer investigating a burglary report.
++
Since the reporting officer was Hispanic, and certainly had a full grasp of what was going on, I see no evidence of “race” being an issue here…except upon the part of Gates himself.
Most NORMAL people would be damn grateful that they had neighbors alert enough to pick up on the fact that someone maybe breaking in, and that the police responded quickly. The police did not make ANY assumption based on race about Gates, the officer asked him to show his information which would prove he was in his own home and it was Gates who started the whole race tirade.
It is in fact the President who owes the police officers in Cambridge an apology. He admitted he was ignorant of the facts, yet called the arrest stupid.
I guess its not surprising given the fact he “was not familiar” with section 102 of the Healthcare bill passed by the House when asked about it by a caller from Maine earlier this week in regards to whether that section could outlaw private insurance.
Posted by: Mike_C | July 23, 2009, 2:52 pm 2:52 pm
Why is the President of the United States even commenting on this?
As if Obama isn’t involved in every other facet of our lives, now he has to weigh-in on the validity of a two-bit police arrest?
The fact that he is even commenting on this is revealing.
Posted by: AnnaLillian009 | July 23, 2009, 7:22 pm 7:22 pm
what kind of “professor” is this friend of Obama? No spare key? No key at neighbor’s house? No call to owner, university, or landlord to gain access to house? Instead break in? And then berate, curse at, and threaten the police? A great example for students everywhere, professor!
If he were a student and acted this way (damaging university property, refusal to obey officers, and then cursing abusively at police) he would likely have some charges or fines. If he was a member of a fraternity or sports team he would likely be kicked out of school in addition to charges.
But I guess having your friend mr.President defend you and bad-mouth the police helps a lot in these situations!
Posted by: Ed | July 23, 2009, 7:38 pm 7:38 pm
I can see racism is alive and well in the White house
Posted by: bettynelson | July 23, 2009, 10:11 pm 10:11 pm
Ask the police officers in Pittsburgh who approached a domestic dispute that was called in to 911 without any caution because they made assumptions and were not on their gaurd. Oh, that’s right, you can’t because they are dead. These men and women put their lives on the line for us everyday. What would have done in the situation? Be careful, not being ready for the situation you don’t know about could get you killed.
Posted by: Robb | July 24, 2009, 7:20 am 7:20 am
Obama and Gates = Race Hustlers.
Posted by: Joe | July 24, 2009, 7:30 am 7:30 am
There is no doubt in my mnd that the cop (Crowly}, was wrong.As a general rule (cops) they are cocky,officious,and love the power that the badge and gun give them. I am a white 61 year old male. Although there are times when the blacks cry foul too much this isnt one of them
Posted by: Rich | July 24, 2009, 12:46 pm 12:46 pm
It seems that WOLF was called, and the presedid’nt just got wmd’d, and from my point of view he used to be half white..and represented all americans..not anymore
Posted by: gasyusblast | July 25, 2009, 12:38 pm 12:38 pm
Rich,
I stereotyping police more politically correct than racism?
Posted by: Charlie C | July 25, 2009, 7:00 pm 7:00 pm
“President Obama’s improvised handling of a racial debate underscored the challenges facing a leader who has tried to emphasize similarities”
-CBS
Notice whenever Obama screws up it’s this unuuuusual “challenge”? pffft
“Oh that poor dear man.. accidently…. stirring up racial hatred, not backing down a bit, and then everyone getting all mean to him!
It just makes both my wrists just go limp, I tell ya.”
How can ANYONE remain a libiot loon these days when they’re slipping completely out of party, out of country and out of HUMAN RACE.
Posted by: zak | July 26, 2009, 11:26 am 11:26 am
While watching GMA today once again it was mentioned that the 911 caller did not mention race. While race was not mentioned she did state she saw the men carrying luggage. One would think after the Officer verified that the occupant lived at the address he would have surmised the owner had retunred from a trip; thus the luggage. We are all human and prone to make mistakes but the oneous was on the Officer to prevail with a calmer head. Lets suppose race was not a factor; would a officer request to keep the cars coming for one yelling Gentlemen walking with a cane seem reasonable? I think not.
Posted by: Trudy | July 30, 2009, 8:13 am 8:13 am
The President is elected to be a leader, not to show personal sidings especially when he does not have the facts; even if he does, the best leaders refrains from taking the bait, simply smiles, no comment other than he does not have the facts, and it is inappropriate for him to pass judgment: he goofed, stupidly ignoring common sense and not showing intelligence by the taunt meant to trip him into bollixing publically. Leaders lead by example, not partisan bungling. You don’t defend “friends” when they are part of the error. Gates is overly verbose and rude, politely called arrogance.
Posted by: Linda | July 30, 2009, 7:01 pm 7:01 pm
I voted for Obama…His plans and platforms sounded ideal. Watching his handling of things started me doubting. Realizing that he was unrealistic about Guantanamo had me shaking my head. Pushing his healthcare reform quickly without thinking it through or doing a cost/benefit on its long-term consequences started my opinion of him slipping.
Then Gates/ Crowley. Obama used his authority and power here so wrongly, so egregiously to the nation..he used his power as a person of privilege to try to influence a municipal level incident and get his ‘friend’ off the hook. Obama reacted with a racist mentality, without hearing the facts or understanding the matter. And after his mistakes in knee-jerk reaction and after using his power as a person of privilege to affect the outcome for his ‘friend’, he made no apologies. No retractions. He abused his authority publicly, but didn’t apologize publicly. (Where are his PR people?!!) In this incident, the two persons of privilege are Obama and Gates and they abused their privilege. Either way, it was racism or elitism behind their actions. You can’t hide either one, it comes out just like this, in jumping to preconceived conclusions and pointing fingers and assigning blame and trying to use your power to get your friend out of trouble. Person of privilege has a new meaning, since the highest person of privilege in our country is black. And he tried to use that inappropriately, in the ways that we have always hated WHITE people of privilege to abuse their power and privilege!
If we have a racist in the white house, especially one lacking ethical balance in that he would try to use his power for personal reasons no matter the cost to the country’s well-being, what hope is there for the country?
Posted by: damone | August 5, 2009, 3:07 pm 3:07 pm
When someone is constantly being stopped by police because of their appearance, how can one file a formal complaint? What is the best source for filing a complaint? Much appreciated!!!
Posted by: RubyCancer | October 26, 2010, 7:23 pm 7:23 pm