No Good Turn Shall Go Unpunished

Why is anyone surprised? The entire election of Barack Obama was focused on his race and the historical nature of America's First Black President. All we ever heard was how "cool" how 'historical" it all was. Now people are shocked that the President who has based his entire Presidency to this point on the principle of divide and conquer, would make a divisive, race baiting remark. To quote a role model of our President's I guess, "America's chickens have come home to roost."

As a military police officer and hopefully a civilian one very soon this whole incident disgusts me. I have made countless traffic stops. I have responded to many, many homes for calls for service. I can say without doubt or reservation, the President has exactly no idea what the hell he is talking about.

During the aforementioned stops and calls for service I can assure you the first thing on my mind was am I prepared for what I might see and what I may have to deal with when I arrive. IT IS NOT whether or not I would get the opportunity to be racist. Cops, even military ones on a military installation, are not the most loved folks around. Yet to hear the President tell it, cops
are looking for fire hoses with hopes of reenacting the protests of the 1960s.

The police are always accused of not knowing the facts and jumping to conclusions based on the suspect's race or where he or she lives. The constant barrage of racial profiling has become endemic, plaguing police community relations. Even when the suspect is guilty, so too are the officers that apprehended him, as the focus of the incident is changed from the criminal act of the offender to the assumed racist tendencies of the police. This is exactly what happened in the incident of Sgt. Crowley and Prof Gates.

Crowley was professionally and racially profiled. Because of his color and his profession he is instantly deemed a racist. This profile then serves as the excuse for the offender in question to behave in whatever inane capacity they desire because it it justified by the oppression of the racist officer.

The President is not sorry for his words. He is sorry that they caused him a problem. He should be sorry and apologize for being guilty of the exact offense he acccused Sgt. Crowley of.... stupidity and racism.

The saddest part of this whole affair is that despite the bigotry shown by the President and the contempt leveled towards police in general, Sgt. Crowley by his own admission still supports the President 100%. Just what is it that he is supporting............