Daily Kos Is On The Side Of Sgt Crowley

I have worked in Cambridge for over 17 years now (...one of the universities, semiconductors, and now Biotech). I see the Cambridge police every day. I have had 3 run-ins with them over that time (all pretty mild). I know Sgt Crowley by sight but have not met him. I know the street where Gates lives in his Harvard-subsidized housing. I know this town and let me tell you...it is as liberal as Berkeley. So what happened?

• Minute Man's diary :: ::

The cops here in Cambridge have a dedicated officer who is only responsible gay, lesbian, and transgendered community matters...that's pretty progressive. The Sargent in the middle of this dust-up was hand selected by his black superior to head up the racial sensitivity training for the city and has been teaching it at the Academy for 5 years. He is described as a sterling example of what a cop should be. In his patrolman days he was the first on the scene to try to resuscitate Reggie Lewis of the Celtics, as he lay dying of heart failure.

The professor was returning from China to go to Martha's Vineyard for vacation. In China he was investigating the family heritage of the cello virtuoso Yoyo Ma (its nice to be tenured). The Harvard housing that Mr Gates uses, was burgled in his absence, and the front door was jimmied and jammed closed. Gates and his personal driver, both black, and both with backpacks were observed by a passerby to be shouldering open a door, a 911 call was made and the cops responded.

The police reports are very clear (they are on-line and excerpts have been in the papers). The police are going to release the radio traffic tapes that will show who said what and when (and how loud!)

I understand Gates' frustration with dealing with police. But by all accounts Gates acted 'stupidly' and the situation escalated into 'tumultuously disturbing the peace'. University and Cambridge police were there for the arrest and all are saying that Gates was apoplectic.

The President and the Governor both waded into this misdemeanor and turned it into a mud sling.

The cops have a tough job, calling their actions stupid and taking the PC side, especially with a buddy, is not leadership. A 'no comment until I have all the facts' was that only thing Obama should have said. The president injected race into this with his presidential mighty megaphone... for no good reason.