Citizens' Petition To Congress

[steve762]

If you think it's disgraceful for the President of The United States to say police acted "stupidly" in the arrest of Henry Gates at Harvard when he wasn't there, here's an online petition to sign:

http://www.petitiononline.com/PB072309/petition.html
Thanks!

[Morel42]

Ironically. I enjoy when the president (Any president) goes off messsage and you see whats really going on inside their head..

Though what it is may scare me in some cases (cough.. Bush Dictator Comment.. Cough..)

[archangel689]

I see we are considering royal pardons from the king in addition to our socialized health care.

[dlclarkii]

I made a post here last night about this incident and posted the police report and claimed Obama played the race card but for some reason the mods deleted it.

[autotech6506]

I made a post here last night about this incident and posted the police report and claimed Obama played the race card but for some reason the mods deleted it.

they most likely merged the thread since there was already several other threads on the topic.

[Conglomeration Al]

Obama may have made a poor choice in words by saying "Stupidly" (is that even an actual word?), but no one seems to know the full story here. If the professor did in fact show his ID to the officer, well then yes the officer not only did something that was stupid, but should be punished as a violation of official procedure.

If no ID was shown well then what was the officer supposed to do? Say "Stay safe" and move along?

What the problem is here is that the race card keeps getting thrown in. I personally believe race had nothing to do with the arrest, if the professor didn't show his ID. If the professor did show his ID and the arrest was made could someone claim that race was a factor? Possibly, but, wouldn't the media and the president love for race to be a factor!?

[ThomasJ]

I'm curious if the officer asked for or demanded id. RAS often comes up on the open carry forum and a call of "man with a gun" does not alone justify RAS. Massachusetts Supreme Court even has a ruling about anonymous tips not meeting the burden for 'man with a gun' stops. Obviously some details differ with that case but the principles are the same. Granted, the professor showed id so this may be trivial, but it's something i'd like to know.

[1861]

Ironically. I enjoy when the president (Any president) goes off messsage and you see whats really going on inside their head..

Though what it is may scare me in some cases (cough.. Bush Dictator Comment.. Cough..)

Yep , and who can ever forget President Nixon declaring Charles Manson guilty during the trial . It is still mentioned from time to time today .

[stephpd]

I'm curious if the officer asked for or demanded id. RAS often comes up on the open carry forum and a call of "man with a gun" does not alone justify RAS. Massachusetts Supreme Court even has a ruling about anonymous tips not meeting the burden for 'man with a gun' stops. Obviously some details differ with that case but the principles are the same. Granted, the professor showed id so this may be trivial, but it's something i'd like to know.

I'd think that a call for 'burglary in progress' would warrant asking for ID. Not sure of the laws nationwide but in my area I'd think a gun in the face might even occur. As the first on the scene you have know idea what's going on. Talking to the caller, who met the officer outside the house, and being informed they were still inside, I'd be cautious.

[ThomasJ]

I'd think that a call for 'burglary in progress' would warrant asking for ID. Not sure of the laws nationwide but in my area I'd think a gun in the face might even occur. As the first on the scene you have know idea what's going on. Talking to the caller, who met the officer outside the house, and being informed they were still inside, I'd be cautious.

We don't know if he was asked for id or if he was demanded to show id. Whether you did it on purpose or not, whether it was conscious or not, you defaulted to "would warrant asking for ID." I agree. The officer can ask, I'm not sure he can demand. I'm curious as to whether he asked or demanded.

As mentioned, there was a Mass SC ruling about tips and RAS. Also as mentioned, while the two incidents are not similar, I think the principles are:

"An anonymous tip that someone is carrying a gun does not, without more, constitute reasonable suspicion to conduct a stop and frisk of that individual, " Justice Francis S. Spina wrote in Commonwealth v Barros, SJC-08445.

http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-90825791.html

I think by logical extension, a tip (anonymous or otherwise) that someone is breaking into a house, without more, does not constitute reasonable suspicion to demand id. Just as a cop can't stop you on the street and demand to see a license to carry or pull you over and demand to see your drivers license unless he has RAS that a crime/misdemeanor was/is/will be committed.