Obama Doesn't Back the Police

I watched intently to this evening's presidential press conference to learn about the future of health care. After about 10 minutes, the only thing I learned is that I wasn't going to learn anything of substance from the president on this issue.


What did catch my ear was the last question focusing on a Harvard professor that was arrested last week after he forgot his house keys. As the Boston Globe reported, a passerby saw the man struggling with the apartment door and called the cops. As the police arrived, Prof. Henry Gates was already in his house. He showed the police his ID and, as the conversation escalated, the police arrested him for disorderly conduct.


When asked, President Obama said few things that were striking: 1) that he didn't know if race played a role in this. 2) that the police acted 'stupidly' for arresting him after he showed his ID (of course, he wasn't arrested for burglary, but disorderly conduct). and 3) that he didn't know all of the facts in the case.


So, if you don't know the facts, why insult the police who put their lives on the line every day to defend you and me? Racism is not dead for two reasons. 1) Some people hate others for no good reason. 2) People of all color perpetuate racism by screaming racism when none exists.

We could use a lot less of both.