The ‘teachable moment’ finally arrived today when Sgt. James Crowley of the Cambridge Massachusetts police department met with President Barack Obama, Vice-President Joe Biden, and Harvard University Professor Henry Gates at the Whitehouse.
Crowley arrested Gates last week for “loud and tumultuous conduct in a public space”, a charge often called disorderly conduct.
Gates was lawfully in his home and was understandably annoyed at Crowley’s attitude, which Gates described as having racist overtones. Crowley had responded to a possible breaking and entering incident. When questioned about the event during a press conference, President Obama described the incident as “stupid” under the circumstances.
In fact, Professor Gates was right to question the violation of his 4th Amendment right to freedom from search and seizure and his 1st Amendment right to freedom of speech, constitutional rights which Crowley either did not understand or had not learned in the police academy.
In an effort to placate everyone involved, President Obama invited Crowley and Gates to meet with him at the Whitehouse for a beer. Joe Biden joined in at the last moment.
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