Whoops. Forgot that I joined this conversation without clarifying my position first.
They both over reacted. If the cop hadn't over reacted, Gates wouldn't have been hauled in, with the charge later dropped.
But- he's a cop. They routinely do that when people yell at them. Why? Some of it's abuse of power. And some of it is that they never know who will escalate to the next level of violence.
He's at someone else's home, he doesn't know how the person is going to react, he doesn't know what weapons are there, he has no knowledge of the space, and a person yelling means that the situation is Not under control. By moving the person, he can get better control the situation.
I read taking someone downtown as a tool they can use to cool off when they're pissed at the person and need someone calmer to judge the situation. Arrest them all and let the law sort them out.
I'd be pissed as hell if I got home from a long trip, my door malfunctioned thanks to a burglary a month or so ago, and I get a cop knocking on my door to see if I'M a burglar.
But, by virtue of their good standing with the police force, as evidenced by them being on duty, they are- in fact- an authority figure. They are underpaid to deal with people who are having the worst day of their lives. They are underpaid when they never know if they'll get shot at the next time they pull over someone for speeding.
no subject
They both over reacted. If the cop hadn't over reacted, Gates wouldn't have been hauled in, with the charge later dropped.
But- he's a cop. They routinely do that when people yell at them. Why? Some of it's abuse of power. And some of it is that they never know who will escalate to the next level of violence.
He's at someone else's home, he doesn't know how the person is going to react, he doesn't know what weapons are there, he has no knowledge of the space, and a person yelling means that the situation is Not under control. By moving the person, he can get better control the situation.
I read taking someone downtown as a tool they can use to cool off when they're pissed at the person and need someone calmer to judge the situation. Arrest them all and let the law sort them out.
I'd be pissed as hell if I got home from a long trip, my door malfunctioned thanks to a burglary a month or so ago, and I get a cop knocking on my door to see if I'M a burglar.
But, by virtue of their good standing with the police force, as evidenced by them being on duty, they are- in fact- an authority figure. They are underpaid to deal with people who are having the worst day of their lives. They are underpaid when they never know if they'll get shot at the next time they pull over someone for speeding.