By Bobby Lopez
I think President Obama got it right, just not right away.
Last week, he made some negative comments about the arrest of Harvard Professor Henry Gates by Cambridge Police. This week, Mr. Obama corrected himself, and he deserves credit for that.
Unless you’ve been on a desert island, you know Prof. Gates was apprehended at his home after Sgt. James Crowley and others responded to a reported break-in there. Prof. Gates refused to provide his identification, which is all the cops needed to see it was actually his house.
If Prof. Gates had simply shown the officers his driver’s license, he could have avoided this mess. Instead, he got angry and accused the cops of racial bias. (I can speak from personal experience this happens a lot – even when a Latino officer, like myself, questions a Latino citizen).
Mr. Obama got caught up in the moment and rushed to judgment without knowing all the facts. At a press conference, he said the officers “acted stupidly."
When I heard Mr. Obama’s statement, it was like deja vu. It reminded me of the reaction of our city leaders to recent news reports of arrest data.
Without waiting for a complete analysis of the facts, some city leaders looked at one set of numbers and decided we have a problem. In general, the City Council allowed itself to be intimidated by vocal activists pounding the podium.
They created a task force to examine the “problem” and had numerous council discussions on the topic. Finally, they brought in an independent group of academics to study the numbers.
As I’ve said before, we welcome any fair and unbiased study of our work. If the academics come back in a year’s time and clearly prove that we do have a problem, then I’ll be the first to admit it, right here on this blog.
But what if they don’t? What if the study finds that the men and women of SJPD acted professionally and fairly? Will our city leaders follow President Obama’s lead and admit a rush to judgment?
And will I get a beer out of it?
Bobby Lopez is President of the San Jose Police Officers' Association.
Friday, July 31, 2009
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Great point, Bobby. Even the President can jump the gun on hot-button issues. The real test is whether or not you can be big enough to reserve judgment until all the facts are in.
ReplyDeleteBobby,
ReplyDeleteYou're right about Obama. He's a smart guy and good politician. Our local folks could learn a lot from him. But they may not even be smart enough to figure it out.
In my opinion, one of the signs of a great leader is the ability to admit when you are wrong. I too am proud of President Obama for stepping back and looking at his own bias. More importantly, I admire him for going even one step further and that is bringing these two professionals together to try and facilitate a resolution. Our own Mayor, and Council should take a page from that book, and follow Obama’s example by making it clear that they will go by the facts, not by pressure from one group to discriminate against another.
ReplyDeleteOne of the reasons I love being a mediator is because I understand that 100% of all conflict, hatred, hurt feelings, etc. comes from lack of communication and differing perceptions, and that if both parties are willing, there is no obstacle that can't be over come with a little give and take and good will on both parts.
Most people rushed to judgment on this because they were blinded by their OWN personal experience/bias. Few took the time to see why the Police Officer didn’t just take Grant’s word that the home belonged to him, and why by simply providing his ID this whole mess would never have happened. If a criminal broke into my house and told the Police he was me, and if the Police blindly believed him and left, I’d be pissed. It is about understanding the true motivation behind the Police Officer’s request that we can see that he was just doing his job.
I don’t care what race a Police Officer is, if you are brought up to fear, and hate the Police you become blind to their race, and see only a uniform and a profession you fear and despise. Parents and relatives need to be very careful about passing down their prejudice, our children’s future depends on it. As they say, “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”
And Bobby, I’ll buy you a beer anytime! Stay safe out there!
De Bug is still out at City Hall protesting the Police and putting stories on their website. Why? Because when Liccardo and Kalra sent that letter out bashing the cops for posting the video about Raj, which I thought was pretty funny. They took the same “stupid” stance Obama did when he said the Police acted stupidly. They gave Raj and his brain washed bunch more power and press then they deserve.
ReplyDeleteThat group is out of control at City Hall. I'd get busted if I did one 10th of what they do! I say stop being so afraid of these thugs and throw em in jail when they break the law at CH. You notice the press isn't writing about Raj and how he acts. It is a bunch of BS how the Council gives these thugs so much attention. I’ll remember come election time and I hope you guys out there do too.
No doubt Obama rushed to judgment, as have many of our local leaders on issues past, but what distinguishes Obama's blunder from the others is that as a Harvard Law School graduate, presumably steeped in the concept of due process, one would expect him to display sound legal reasoning and a respect for the law when addressing any legal dispute, let alone one so sensitive. Trouble is, that didn't happen. In fact, based on his comments and subsequent reaction to the stir thus created, it appears that Obama's law school education didn't take; that he somehow managed to emerge from one of the best legal programs in the world still reacting to hot-button issues as would the commonest, least-educated of men. During the press conference the president seemed to be under the impression that once he acknowledged his bias and ignorance about the case he was free to use his platform and charisma to unfairly defame an entire police department.
ReplyDeleteSomething he now believes can be undone by having a beer with the boys. I can only hope America is not so stupid.
A police academy would never knowingly put on the street an officer who would so recklessly arbitrate a dispute as did the president. Schooled in fairness and the responsibility that comes with authority, rookie police officers understand the caution and care necessary in making official decisions and pronouncements. Not so, Mr. Obama, who apparently believes his high office entitles him to wield power in a manner that constitutes, according to any definition, racial profiling. Be assured, the "profiling" evidence was there for all America to see, as the president deployed the power of his office based solely on stereotype (of the white, racist cop), preconceived notions (historic, unfair treatment), and personal bias (of his black friend's status as victim). Talk about the pot calling the kettle...
I have no doubt that Sgt. Crowley has, as have all police officers, been personally targeted with racist insults, threats, and allegations many times during the course of his duties. The assumptions and exaggerations of the racist, lowlife cop-haters with whom police disproportionately deal has become an ugly, everyday part of police work, a never-ending challenge to those committed to providing fair policing to an unfair public. Impressively, in this challenging, most public of controversies, it was Sgt. Crowley -- and the fine officers of Cambridge PD, who came into the incident as professionals, and came away standing tall, proud, and for justice. Bravo!
Trained Observer,
ReplyDeleteYou make an excellent point, an attorney should understand due process and the Police Officers need to verify who lived there. The point I want to add is just how powerful personal bias is, even to a professional like Obama. Personal bias is a blinding thing~