They got him...

[detbuch]

Originally Posted by Pete F.

Robert Bowers specifically murdered Jews for supporting immigrant hordes sent to invade the country-the problem the President constantly mentions.

The President is not the only one who constantly mentions the "problem." The media does a more than adequate amount of mentioning it. Politicians, commentators of all sorts have been mentioning this "problem" for a long time. Should the "problem" not be mentioned because a Bowers might kill people? How many "problems" should not be mentioned because it might set off a nut?

“I can’t sit by and watch my people get slaughtered,” the alleged assailant wrote, moments before the murders. “Screw your optics, I’m going in.”
Trump missed his opportunity to silence his critics again by attacking.
He refuses to speak to all, only his victimized base is important.
One week to go

He spoke a strong message about the slaughter. His critics, including you, will not be silenced. You are free to speak, even if you, and the rest of his critics, are free to continuously say things that can stir up leftist hatred which might lead to violence. Your freedom to speak your anti-Trump mind should not be curtailed.

[Cool Beans]

"If I had a son, he would look like Trevon Martin".

next day riots and protests.

*Crickets* here from these same people crying about every word Trump says.

[spence]

Originally Posted by Cool Beans

"If I had a son, he would look like Trevon Martin".

next day riots and protests.

*Crickets* here from these same people crying about every word Trump says.

People didn't protest because of what Obama said, they protested because an innocent black kid got killed. I'd note the protests were planned in advance of Obama's remark.

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by spence

People didn't protest because of what Obama said, they protested because an innocent black kid got killed. I'd note the protests were planned in advance of Obama's remark.

Right. Only republican words can inspire violence.

"People didn't protest because of what Obama said"

Oh, I see, you polled them all.

[Pete F.]

Originally Posted by Jim in CT

Right. Only republican words can inspire violence.

"People didn't protest because of what Obama said"

Oh, I see, you polled them all.

Spin this

Obama on Trevon Martin
THE PRESIDENT: I wanted to come out here, first of all, to tell you that Jay is prepared for all your questions and is very much looking forward to the session. The second thing is I want to let you know that over the next couple of weeks, there’s going to obviously be a whole range of issues -- immigration, economics, et cetera -- we'll try to arrange a fuller press conference to address your questions.

The reason I actually wanted to come out today is not to take questions, but to speak to an issue that obviously has gotten a lot of attention over the course of the last week -- the issue of the Trayvon Martin ruling. I gave a preliminary statement right after the ruling on Sunday. But watching the debate over the course of the last week, I thought it might be useful for me to expand on my thoughts a little bit.

First of all, I want to make sure that, once again, I send my thoughts and prayers, as well as Michelle’s, to the family of Trayvon Martin, and to remark on the incredible grace and dignity with which they’ve dealt with the entire situation. I can only imagine what they’re going through, and it’s remarkable how they’ve handled it.

The second thing I want to say is to reiterate what I said on Sunday, which is there’s going to be a lot of arguments about the legal issues in the case -- I'll let all the legal analysts and talking heads address those issues. The judge conducted the trial in a professional manner. The prosecution and the defense made their arguments. The juries were properly instructed that in a case such as this reasonable doubt was relevant, and they rendered a verdict. And once the jury has spoken, that's how our system works. But I did want to just talk a little bit about context and how people have responded to it and how people are feeling.

You know, when Trayvon Martin was first shot I said that this could have been my son. Another way of saying that is Trayvon Martin could have been me 35 years ago. And when you think about why, in the African American community at least, there’s a lot of pain around what happened here, I think it’s important to recognize that the African American community is looking at this issue through a set of experiences and a history that doesn’t go away.

There are very few African American men in this country who haven't had the experience of being followed when they were shopping in a department store. That includes me. There are very few African American men who haven't had the experience of walking across the street and hearing the locks click on the doors of cars. That happens to me -- at least before I was a senator. There are very few African Americans who haven't had the experience of getting on an elevator and a woman clutching her purse nervously and holding her breath until she had a chance to get off. That happens often.

And I don't want to exaggerate this, but those sets of experiences inform how the African American community interprets what happened one night in Florida. And it’s inescapable for people to bring those experiences to bear. The African American community is also knowledgeable that there is a history of racial disparities in the application of our criminal laws -- everything from the death penalty to enforcement of our drug laws. And that ends up having an impact in terms of how people interpret the case.

Now, this isn't to say that the African American community is naïve about the fact that African American young men are disproportionately involved in the criminal justice system; that they’re disproportionately both victims and perpetrators of violence. It’s not to make excuses for that fact -- although black folks do interpret the reasons for that in a historical context. They understand that some of the violence that takes place in poor black neighborhoods around the country is born out of a very violent past in this country, and that the poverty and dysfunction that we see in those communities can be traced to a very difficult history.

And so the fact that sometimes that’s unacknowledged adds to the frustration. And the fact that a lot of African American boys are painted with a broad brush and the excuse is given, well, there are these statistics out there that show that African American boys are more violent -- using that as an excuse to then see sons treated differently causes pain.

I think the African American community is also not naïve in understanding that, statistically, somebody like Trayvon Martin was statistically more likely to be shot by a peer than he was by somebody else. So folks understand the challenges that exist for African American boys. But they get frustrated, I think, if they feel that there’s no context for it and that context is being denied. And that all contributes I think to a sense that if a white male teen was involved in the same kind of scenario, that, from top to bottom, both the outcome and the aftermath might have been different.

Now, the question for me at least, and I think for a lot of folks, is where do we take this? How do we learn some lessons from this and move in a positive direction? I think it’s understandable that there have been demonstrations and vigils and protests, and some of that stuff is just going to have to work its way through, as long as it remains nonviolent. If I see any violence, then I will remind folks that that dishonors what happened to Trayvon Martin and his family. But beyond protests or vigils, the question is, are there some concrete things that we might be able to do.

I know that Eric Holder is reviewing what happened down there, but I think it’s important for people to have some clear expectations here. Traditionally, these are issues of state and local government, the criminal code. And law enforcement is traditionally done at the state and local levels, not at the federal levels.

That doesn’t mean, though, that as a nation we can’t do some things that I think would be productive. So let me just give a couple of specifics that I’m still bouncing around with my staff, so we’re not rolling out some five-point plan, but some areas where I think all of us could potentially focus.

Number one, precisely because law enforcement is often determined at the state and local level, I think it would be productive for the Justice Department, governors, mayors to work with law enforcement about training at the state and local levels in order to reduce the kind of mistrust in the system that sometimes currently exists.

When I was in Illinois, I passed racial profiling legislation, and it actually did just two simple things. One, it collected data on traffic stops and the race of the person who was stopped. But the other thing was it resourced us training police departments across the state on how to think about potential racial bias and ways to further professionalize what they were doing.

And initially, the police departments across the state were resistant, but actually they came to recognize that if it was done in a fair, straightforward way that it would allow them to do their jobs better and communities would have more confidence in them and, in turn, be more helpful in applying the law. And obviously, law enforcement has got a very tough job.

So that’s one area where I think there are a lot of resources and best practices that could be brought to bear if state and local governments are receptive. And I think a lot of them would be. And let's figure out are there ways for us to push out that kind of training.

Along the same lines, I think it would be useful for us to examine some state and local laws to see if it -- if they are designed in such a way that they may encourage the kinds of altercations and confrontations and tragedies that we saw in the Florida case, rather than diffuse potential altercations.

I know that there's been commentary about the fact that the "stand your ground" laws in Florida were not used as a defense in the case. On the other hand, if we're sending a message as a society in our communities that someone who is armed potentially has the right to use those firearms even if there's a way for them to exit from a situation, is that really going to be contributing to the kind of peace and security and order that we'd like to see?

And for those who resist that idea that we should think about something like these "stand your ground" laws, I'd just ask people to consider, if Trayvon Martin was of age and armed, could he have stood his ground on that sidewalk? And do we actually think that he would have been justified in shooting Mr. Zimmerman who had followed him in a car because he felt threatened? And if the answer to that question is at least ambiguous, then it seems to me that we might want to examine those kinds of laws.

Number three -- and this is a long-term project -- we need to spend some time in thinking about how do we bolster and reinforce our African American boys. And this is something that Michelle and I talk a lot about. There are a lot of kids out there who need help who are getting a lot of negative reinforcement. And is there more that we can do to give them the sense that their country cares about them and values them and is willing to invest in them?

I'm not naïve about the prospects of some grand, new federal program. I'm not sure that that’s what we're talking about here. But I do recognize that as President, I've got some convening power, and there are a lot of good programs that are being done across the country on this front. And for us to be able to gather together business leaders and local elected officials and clergy and celebrities and athletes, and figure out how are we doing a better job helping young African American men feel that they're a full part of this society and that they've got pathways and avenues to succeed -- I think that would be a pretty good outcome from what was obviously a tragic situation. And we're going to spend some time working on that and thinking about that.

And then, finally, I think it's going to be important for all of us to do some soul-searching. There has been talk about should we convene a conversation on race. I haven't seen that be particularly productive when politicians try to organize conversations. They end up being stilted and politicized, and folks are locked into the positions they already have. On the other hand, in families and churches and workplaces, there's the possibility that people are a little bit more honest, and at least you ask yourself your own questions about, am I wringing as much bias out of myself as I can? Am I judging people as much as I can, based on not the color of their skin, but the content of their character? That would, I think, be an appropriate exercise in the wake of this tragedy.

And let me just leave you with a final thought that, as difficult and challenging as this whole episode has been for a lot of people, I don’t want us to lose sight that things are getting better. Each successive generation seems to be making progress in changing attitudes when it comes to race. It doesn’t mean we’re in a post-racial society. It doesn’t mean that racism is eliminated. But when I talk to Malia and Sasha, and I listen to their friends and I seem them interact, they’re better than we are -- they’re better than we were -- on these issues. And that’s true in every community that I’ve visited all across the country.

And so we have to be vigilant and we have to work on these issues. And those of us in authority should be doing everything we can to encourage the better angels of our nature, as opposed to using these episodes to heighten divisions. But we should also have confidence that kids these days, I think, have more sense than we did back then, and certainly more than our parents did or our grandparents did; and that along this long, difficult journey, we’re becoming a more perfect union -- not a perfect union, but a more perfect union.

Thank you, guys.

[spence]

Originally Posted by Jim in CT

Oh, I see, you polled them all.

OK, so over 100 protests were planned in less than 24 hours...right.

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by Pete F.

Spin this

Obama on Trevon Martin
THE PRESIDENT: I wanted to come out here, first of all, to tell you that Jay is prepared for all your questions and is very much looking forward to the session. The second thing is I want to let you know that over the next couple of weeks, there’s going to obviously be a whole range of issues -- immigration, economics, et cetera -- we'll try to arrange a fuller press conference to address your questions.

The reason I actually wanted to come out today is not to take questions, but to speak to an issue that obviously has gotten a lot of attention over the course of the last week -- the issue of the Trayvon Martin ruling. I gave a preliminary statement right after the ruling on Sunday. But watching the debate over the course of the last week, I thought it might be useful for me to expand on my thoughts a little bit.

First of all, I want to make sure that, once again, I send my thoughts and prayers, as well as Michelle’s, to the family of Trayvon Martin, and to remark on the incredible grace and dignity with which they’ve dealt with the entire situation. I can only imagine what they’re going through, and it’s remarkable how they’ve handled it.

The second thing I want to say is to reiterate what I said on Sunday, which is there’s going to be a lot of arguments about the legal issues in the case -- I'll let all the legal analysts and talking heads address those issues. The judge conducted the trial in a professional manner. The prosecution and the defense made their arguments. The juries were properly instructed that in a case such as this reasonable doubt was relevant, and they rendered a verdict. And once the jury has spoken, that's how our system works. But I did want to just talk a little bit about context and how people have responded to it and how people are feeling.

You know, when Trayvon Martin was first shot I said that this could have been my son. Another way of saying that is Trayvon Martin could have been me 35 years ago. And when you think about why, in the African American community at least, there’s a lot of pain around what happened here, I think it’s important to recognize that the African American community is looking at this issue through a set of experiences and a history that doesn’t go away.

There are very few African American men in this country who haven't had the experience of being followed when they were shopping in a department store. That includes me. There are very few African American men who haven't had the experience of walking across the street and hearing the locks click on the doors of cars. That happens to me -- at least before I was a senator. There are very few African Americans who haven't had the experience of getting on an elevator and a woman clutching her purse nervously and holding her breath until she had a chance to get off. That happens often.

And I don't want to exaggerate this, but those sets of experiences inform how the African American community interprets what happened one night in Florida. And it’s inescapable for people to bring those experiences to bear. The African American community is also knowledgeable that there is a history of racial disparities in the application of our criminal laws -- everything from the death penalty to enforcement of our drug laws. And that ends up having an impact in terms of how people interpret the case.

Now, this isn't to say that the African American community is naïve about the fact that African American young men are disproportionately involved in the criminal justice system; that they’re disproportionately both victims and perpetrators of violence. It’s not to make excuses for that fact -- although black folks do interpret the reasons for that in a historical context. They understand that some of the violence that takes place in poor black neighborhoods around the country is born out of a very violent past in this country, and that the poverty and dysfunction that we see in those communities can be traced to a very difficult history.

And so the fact that sometimes that’s unacknowledged adds to the frustration. And the fact that a lot of African American boys are painted with a broad brush and the excuse is given, well, there are these statistics out there that show that African American boys are more violent -- using that as an excuse to then see sons treated differently causes pain.

I think the African American community is also not naïve in understanding that, statistically, somebody like Trayvon Martin was statistically more likely to be shot by a peer than he was by somebody else. So folks understand the challenges that exist for African American boys. But they get frustrated, I think, if they feel that there’s no context for it and that context is being denied. And that all contributes I think to a sense that if a white male teen was involved in the same kind of scenario, that, from top to bottom, both the outcome and the aftermath might have been different.

Now, the question for me at least, and I think for a lot of folks, is where do we take this? How do we learn some lessons from this and move in a positive direction? I think it’s understandable that there have been demonstrations and vigils and protests, and some of that stuff is just going to have to work its way through, as long as it remains nonviolent. If I see any violence, then I will remind folks that that dishonors what happened to Trayvon Martin and his family. But beyond protests or vigils, the question is, are there some concrete things that we might be able to do.

I know that Eric Holder is reviewing what happened down there, but I think it’s important for people to have some clear expectations here. Traditionally, these are issues of state and local government, the criminal code. And law enforcement is traditionally done at the state and local levels, not at the federal levels.

That doesn’t mean, though, that as a nation we can’t do some things that I think would be productive. So let me just give a couple of specifics that I’m still bouncing around with my staff, so we’re not rolling out some five-point plan, but some areas where I think all of us could potentially focus.

Number one, precisely because law enforcement is often determined at the state and local level, I think it would be productive for the Justice Department, governors, mayors to work with law enforcement about training at the state and local levels in order to reduce the kind of mistrust in the system that sometimes currently exists.

When I was in Illinois, I passed racial profiling legislation, and it actually did just two simple things. One, it collected data on traffic stops and the race of the person who was stopped. But the other thing was it resourced us training police departments across the state on how to think about potential racial bias and ways to further professionalize what they were doing.

And initially, the police departments across the state were resistant, but actually they came to recognize that if it was done in a fair, straightforward way that it would allow them to do their jobs better and communities would have more confidence in them and, in turn, be more helpful in applying the law. And obviously, law enforcement has got a very tough job.

So that’s one area where I think there are a lot of resources and best practices that could be brought to bear if state and local governments are receptive. And I think a lot of them would be. And let's figure out are there ways for us to push out that kind of training.

Along the same lines, I think it would be useful for us to examine some state and local laws to see if it -- if they are designed in such a way that they may encourage the kinds of altercations and confrontations and tragedies that we saw in the Florida case, rather than diffuse potential altercations.

I know that there's been commentary about the fact that the "stand your ground" laws in Florida were not used as a defense in the case. On the other hand, if we're sending a message as a society in our communities that someone who is armed potentially has the right to use those firearms even if there's a way for them to exit from a situation, is that really going to be contributing to the kind of peace and security and order that we'd like to see?

And for those who resist that idea that we should think about something like these "stand your ground" laws, I'd just ask people to consider, if Trayvon Martin was of age and armed, could he have stood his ground on that sidewalk? And do we actually think that he would have been justified in shooting Mr. Zimmerman who had followed him in a car because he felt threatened? And if the answer to that question is at least ambiguous, then it seems to me that we might want to examine those kinds of laws.

Number three -- and this is a long-term project -- we need to spend some time in thinking about how do we bolster and reinforce our African American boys. And this is something that Michelle and I talk a lot about. There are a lot of kids out there who need help who are getting a lot of negative reinforcement. And is there more that we can do to give them the sense that their country cares about them and values them and is willing to invest in them?

I'm not naïve about the prospects of some grand, new federal program. I'm not sure that that’s what we're talking about here. But I do recognize that as President, I've got some convening power, and there are a lot of good programs that are being done across the country on this front. And for us to be able to gather together business leaders and local elected officials and clergy and celebrities and athletes, and figure out how are we doing a better job helping young African American men feel that they're a full part of this society and that they've got pathways and avenues to succeed -- I think that would be a pretty good outcome from what was obviously a tragic situation. And we're going to spend some time working on that and thinking about that.

And then, finally, I think it's going to be important for all of us to do some soul-searching. There has been talk about should we convene a conversation on race. I haven't seen that be particularly productive when politicians try to organize conversations. They end up being stilted and politicized, and folks are locked into the positions they already have. On the other hand, in families and churches and workplaces, there's the possibility that people are a little bit more honest, and at least you ask yourself your own questions about, am I wringing as much bias out of myself as I can? Am I judging people as much as I can, based on not the color of their skin, but the content of their character? That would, I think, be an appropriate exercise in the wake of this tragedy.

And let me just leave you with a final thought that, as difficult and challenging as this whole episode has been for a lot of people, I don’t want us to lose sight that things are getting better. Each successive generation seems to be making progress in changing attitudes when it comes to race. It doesn’t mean we’re in a post-racial society. It doesn’t mean that racism is eliminated. But when I talk to Malia and Sasha, and I listen to their friends and I seem them interact, they’re better than we are -- they’re better than we were -- on these issues. And that’s true in every community that I’ve visited all across the country.

And so we have to be vigilant and we have to work on these issues. And those of us in authority should be doing everything we can to encourage the better angels of our nature, as opposed to using these episodes to heighten divisions. But we should also have confidence that kids these days, I think, have more sense than we did back then, and certainly more than our parents did or our grandparents did; and that along this long, difficult journey, we’re becoming a more perfect union -- not a perfect union, but a more perfect union.

Thank you, guys.

My spin is this...it's grossly irresponsible for any president, of any party, to speak this way until the investigations are complete. But Obama is above all that, he doesn't have to wait for silly things like facts to come in, which is why he could say that the Cambridge police acted stupidly (before he knew what had taken place), when what they did was put themselves potentially at risk to protect homeowners in that area.

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by spence

OK, so over 100 protests were planned in less than 24 hours...right.

How do you know that more people didn't show up, maybe the most violent ones, because of what Obama said? You don't. So you are speculating, and as a shock to all of us, your speculation clears Obama of any wrongdoing.

[spence]

Originally Posted by Jim in CT

My spin is this...it's grossly irresponsible for any president, of any party, to speak this way until the investigations are complete. But Obama is above all that, he doesn't have to wait for silly things like facts to come in, which is why he could say that the Cambridge police acted stupidly (before he knew what had taken place), when what they did was put themselves potentially at risk to protect homeowners in that area.

What Obama said was

"I don't know, not having been there and not seeing all the facts, what role race played in that. But I think it's fair to say, number one, any of us would be pretty angry; number two, that the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home, and, number three, what I think we know separate and apart from this incident is that there's a long history in this country of African Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately."

Not sure how any rational person could disagree with that.

[spence]

Originally Posted by Jim in CT

How do you know that more people didn't show up, maybe the most violent ones, because of what Obama said? You don't. So you are speculating, and as a shock to all of us, your speculation clears Obama of any wrongdoing.

Yes, that free wheeling incendiary rant that Pete posted.

How you can even think to find parity with Trump's bigoted, dishonest and utterly amoral vitriol he spews daily to thunderous applause is mind boggling. Note to Jim, if white nationalists and anti-Semites are routinely praising what the president is saying, maybe there's a little fire under all that smoke.

[The Dad Fisherman]

Originally Posted by spence

What Obama said was

"I don't know, not having been there and not seeing all the facts, what role race played in that. But I think it's fair to say, number one, any of us would be pretty angry; number two, that the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home, and, number three, what I think we know separate and apart from this incident is that there's a long history in this country of African Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately."

Not sure how any rational person could disagree with that.

You do know that Not Commenting at all is also an option.

[Pete F.]

Originally Posted by The Dad Fisherman

You do know that Not Commenting at all is also an option.

Yes, he could have been more presidential like Trump was when John McCain passed.
Nobody is asking for perfection, a little empathy and compassion for others is all that is needed.
But a bully can never show any weakness for fear that it will reveal his inner being to all.
There is a little baby under that facade and he's scared.

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by spence

What Obama said was

"I don't know, not having been there and not seeing all the facts, what role race played in that. But I think it's fair to say, number one, any of us would be pretty angry; number two, that the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home, and, number three, what I think we know separate and apart from this incident is that there's a long history in this country of African Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately."

Not sure how any rational person could disagree with that.

"But I think it's fair to say, number one, any of us would be pretty angry"

If one of my kids refused to cooperate with a police officer who was trying to help them, I'd expect my kid to get a negative response, and I'd be angry at my kid, not at the police, who are trying to help.

"the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home"

People get arrested every day while inside their own home.

Not a syllable form Obama to suggest that the cops were trying to help, and that his pal Skip contributed to it.

"Not sure how any rational person could disagree with that"

Of course not, you get goosebumps at everything he says.

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by Pete F.

Yes, he could have been more presidential like Trump .

Hey, NOW LOOK at who is engaging in whataboutism!!

How about we have one set of standards that we apply to both Obama and to Trump? How about we honestly admit when either one of them screwed up, and we honestly admit when either does something that helps the country? Too much to ask?

I'll start...Obama did a good job helping the economy recover, he did a poor job at easing racial tensions and respecting religious freedoms when he didn't like the situation (he tried forcing Little Sisters of the Poor to provide recreational contraception as part of healthcare, they had to go to the SCOTUS to prevail).

Trump is also helping the economy, but does an awful job at not offending people with his mannerisms and his tweets and his vindictiveness.

Both of them added large amounts to the debt.

Spence, WDMSO, Pete - you should try it. I can compliment Obama and I can criticize Trump, and neither one causes my head to explode. It's called honesty. You might like it if you give it a try. You seem terrified, absolutely terrified, of even attempting it.

[The Dad Fisherman]

Originally Posted by Pete F.

Yes, he could have been more presidential like Trump was when John McCain passed.
Nobody is asking for perfection, a little empathy and compassion for others is all that is needed.
But a bully can never show any weakness for fear that it will reveal his inner being to all.
There is a little baby under that facade and he's scared.

Pretty amazing leap you made there.

From Obama, 2 cambridge cops, and a professor right to Trump.

Living rent free in your head since 2016

[spence]

Originally Posted by Jim in CT

If one of my kids refused to cooperate with a police officer who was trying to help them, I'd expect my kid to get a negative response, and I'd be angry at my kid, not at the police, who are trying to help.

If the police came to my door and demanded I get out of my own house the first thing I'm going to do is ask what it's about. He then proved he was the occupant and was arrested anyway.

People get arrested every day while inside their own home.

Not ones who haven't broken any laws.

[Raider Ronnie]

Originally Posted by spence

People didn't protest because of what Obama said, they protested because an innocent black kid got killed. I'd note the protests were planned in advance of Obama's remark.

Innocent ???
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[Pete F.]

Originally Posted by The Dad Fisherman

Pretty amazing leap you made there.

From Obama, 2 cambridge cops, and a professor right to Trump.

Living rent free in your head since 2016

Not my leap
It started with trevon Jim brought up Cambridge and I responded to your post
Meanwhile Jim’s head is exploding
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by spence

If the police came to my door and demanded I get out of my own house the first thing I'm going to do is ask what it's about. He then proved he was the occupant and was arrested anyway.


Not ones who haven't broken any laws.

why was he arrested? why wasn’t the cop punished? this is a state with a black governor, in a country with a black president at the time,,town might have had a black mayor. was it all racism?
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by spence

Note to Jim, if white nationalists and anti-Semites are routinely praising what the president is saying, maybe there's a little fire under all that smoke.

using that logic, i can say that antifa and black lives matter most certainly like what obama has to say, so do you hildnibama accountable for what these groups do?

lowest black unemployment and poverty ever. if he’s a racist, he’s not a very good racist.

Your side also said McCain and his supporters were racist. so it kind of falls on deaf ears at some point.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[Jim in CT]

Originally Posted by spence

If the police came to my door and demanded I get out of my own house the first thing I'm going to do is ask what it's about. He then proved he was the occupant and was arrested anyway.


Not ones who haven't broken any laws.

he was arrested for disorderly conduct. is there a law that says you can’t be guilty of that crime at your own address?
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[Jim in CT]

Spence, here’s how an honest person processes the Gates attest, given neither of us was there.

The charges against Gates were dropped, so his conduct wasn’t that disorderly. The officer wasn’t disciplined, so presumably it was concluded he acted in good faith.

Yet Obama didn’t put any of the blame on his friend, and pointed to centuries of racism. And as always, you get the tingle in your leg at the brilliance of his words, you get weak in the knees like a kid at a New Kids On The Block concert.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[Pete F.]

On Henry Louis Gates arrest
Apparently Obama in order to be more divisive organized a meeting between the two men, and after the Beer Garden Summit both parties involved issued statements.
Both Crowley and Gates issued post-meeting statements. Crowley commented that he and Gates discussed the topic "like two gentlemen, instead of fighting it out either in the physical sense or in the mental sense, in the court of public opinion." Gates commented that he hoped "that this experience will prove an occasion for education, not recrimination. I know that Sergeant Crowley shares this goal." In an interview with The New York Times, Gates further commented on the meeting, "I don't think anybody but Barack Obama would have thought about bringing us together [...] the president was great – he was very wise, very sage, very Solomonic." When asked for his impression of Crowley, Gates joked: "We hit it off right from the very beginning [...] when he's not arresting you, Sergeant Crowley is a really likable guy."

[JohnR]

Originally Posted by The Dad Fisherman

You do know that Not Commenting at all is also an option.

Or more properly, "We are waiting for Law Enforcement to gather the facts, if necessary with the assistance of Federal Resources"

[The Dad Fisherman]

Originally Posted by JohnR

Or more properly, "We are waiting for Law Enforcement to gather the facts, if necessary with the assistance of Federal Resources"

It's not like somebody died

Cambridge cops arrested a Cambridge man, then let him go, Nothingburger. Is the President of the USA supposed to comment on these things whenever they happen in this country

Unless of course there was a great Photo Op at the end of the rainbow

[Pete F.]

Originally Posted by The Dad Fisherman

It's not like somebody died

Cambridge cops arrested a Cambridge man, then let him go, Nothingburger. Is the President of the USA supposed to comment on these things whenever they happen in this country

Unless of course there was a great Photo Op at the end of the rainbow

There are a lot of What about opportunities there

[spence]

Originally Posted by Jim in CT

why was he arrested? why wasn’t the cop punished? this is a state with a black governor, in a country with a black president at the time,,town might have had a black mayor. was it all racism?
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Apparently he kept asking for the officer's name and badge number and the cop didn't want to give it to him. He just few in from China, can't get his door open and maybe he's a little cranky. Not worthy of arrest in your own home when you've done nothing wrong.

[spence]

Originally Posted by Jim in CT

Yet Obama didn’t put any of the blame on his friend, and pointed to centuries of racism.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Actually Obama was saying that just because of a history of racism we don't know enough to claim it was a factor here. And getting arrested in your own home unless there's a damn good reason is pretty stupid.

[detbuch]

Originally Posted by spence

Actually Obama was saying that just because of a history of racism we don't know enough to claim it was a factor here. And getting arrested in your own home unless there's a damn good reason is pretty stupid.

Interesting . . . so damned good reasons are not required for getting arrested outside of your home.

[detbuch]

Originally Posted by Pete F.

There are a lot of What about opportunities there

Which all the more validates what TDF said.