Reply #124: I am white also and I think Obama was correct - the officer acted stupidly. [View All]

[yellowcanine]

And I am basing that on the cop's version of events in the WP this morning. He talks about Gates getting loud, disrespectful, etc. I am sorry but police are supposed to be able to deal with people who are being loud and disrespectful in their own homes without arresting them. That is what community policing is all about. Nowhere is there even a hint that the officer thought that Gates was a threat to anybody - the officer, neighbors, or Gates himself. So why take him into custody? If he really felt that Gates was being disorderly, why couldn't he just have left? The only possible harm would have been that Gates might have busted up some stuff in his own house. I think the officer lost his temper and let it influence his judgment. It happens. Other officers there should have intervened (I assume there were other officers there).