F*ck the Police? Naw...f*ck YOU

Why do I say "fuck you"? Cuz when somebody breaks in my house, steals my car or tries to jakk me for my money...I don't see any of ya'll rushing out to stop the perpetrator. And you wanna talk that "fuck the police" noise? Whatever...I like the police.

I'm gonna tell you like this, for all the "bad blood" between blacks and cops in the history of this nation, I'd still much rather have them around than not. When cops are around, people (even the ones without home training) tend to ack rite. You know it's true. The thing is, cops are also one of the most hated entities on the planet. Your job is to confront grown people who who think they are too grown to have you all in their business. And you never know which "grown person" may violently oppose you trying to do your job. How many of you have a job where being shot at is a reasonable expectation? Being a cop is a thankless job. It's at times life-threatening and often their duties are performed without receiving gratitude.

So, here it comes. "Racial profiling", "racist cops", all the familiar stories of freedom fighters and peaceful demonstrators who were sprayed with hoses and attacked by dogs and billy clubs. Don't get me wrong, I know that racism exists. It always has and always will. Sorry to shatter your utopian dreams, but people have been looking for ways to subjugate, marginalize and devalue others since...well, hell since Cain and Abel. There will always be groups of people who feel they are better than another. We can hope to limit the political and social influence of these people, but they will always be among us. Sometimes these people are politicians, sometimes they bag your groceries. And sometimes they are police officers...

But does this event count? Sorry, I don't see it...and I'm not really sorry, either. Now this isn't my usual skepticism of overly sensitive people screaming racism. This is looking at how this thing is playing out. Gates cried "racial profiling", but he hasn't disputed any portion of the police report that's on file. Hasn't said anything to make us think the cop was trying to cover his tracks or anything like that. Gates is just out there demanding an apology. Crowley, and I respect him for this, says that apology is not coming.

Now, maybe Gates has had some run-ins with 5-0 that went poorly. Maybe in his studies to become such a profound African-American scholar, he has internalized the pain and plight of all black people in this country. Or maybe he was just an uppity black man mouthin' off to a cop. I wasn't there. But I know this, black people don't like being lied on, even if it's true. Accuse a black people of something unfavorable and we will deny it with amazing vigor. (Think about all those episodes of Maury you watch. "That ain't my baby, I swear, yo!!!" Or for the ladies, "You was the only one I was wit for like 2 months before and after I found out I was pregnant.") Gates hasn't denied anything from what I hear.

So why are we having this problem? I nosey ass neighbor. A neighbor called the cops cuz s/he thought somebody was breaking into the house. (Gates was having trouble with his door, which had apparently jammed.) The cop came to clear up the issue, asking for ID and whatnot.

Here is where the story takes a turn. (Dave Chappelle calls it "When Keeping It Real Goes Wrong". The Boondocks call it a "Nigga Moment".) Gates decides to mouth off to the cop, "You don't know who you're dealing with" and the like. (Am I saying that the cop said nothing in response? No. I'm just going off the same info we all have, the police report that Gates has not bothered to refute.)

Dr. Gates, you are, in the words of Redd Foxx, a BIG DUMMY!!! For such an educated individual, don't you know the rules? When the cops are involved, SHUT UP! They give you the right to remain silent. USE IT!!! They have these "disorderly conduct" laws for the exact purpose of arresting people who are raising hell. You raised hell and we see where that landed you. And if you wanted to "say your piece", say it in the house and not out in public. Why are you tryin to front on a cop on the street? Did that really make sense to you? Nobody likes gettin chastised and all that in the street. Cops are people, too.

Now, before you go trying to revoke my black card, listen. I'm not justifying all cops. (As much as I like cops who do their job, I hate dirty cops.) I'm not necessarily defending the cop in this case. I'm not sayin that he isn't racist. For all I know, he throws darts at a portrait of Dr. King and burns crosses on the weekends. What I'm saying is that in this case, the isolated incident of Gates' arrest, I see nothing that screams racism. Was Gates being arrested excessive? Yeah, I'll give you that. You don't have to arrest him, just tell him you were following up on a report, thank him for his time and cooperation...then drive away. Did Gates get arrested for being an "uppity black man"? No, but being a stupid, uppity black man led to him running his mouth too much and in turn being arrested.