In a brilliant community organizing “X” moment.. The president opened his gaping yaw and let the truth out. Not the actual words being the truth, but the overriding antipathy he has for the Law, Law enforcement and those who would uphold it.
Now mind you, I have taken a literary shot or two at police before who have abused the responsibilities given to them by their communities. We have certainly witnessed abuses particularly in the fight against drugs and related issues. But those shots are merely to keep them aware we are watching, and that that no responsibility they hold, gives them the rights to abuse the citizens white or black, rich or poor. Does this make their jobs more difficult? It might, but that hardly excuses the occasional screw up, and I’ll still try to keep it to the facts and individual rights issues.
Even though I have had my disagreements with the manner in which (SOME) police have raided the wrong homes, hurt the wrong people and then attempted to cover up mistakes, I have never suggested such a regrettably deep dislike for the police and their obviously tough positions given the increasingly hardened atmosphere in their work, as Obama did when he said they were STUPID.
Well.. they were not called Stupid.. at least according to the white house..
Gibbs was asked if the president regretted his use of words last night and he said no, but wanted to clarify his remarks.
Gibbs said the president was talking about how there was a point in the incident where both parties (Gates and the Cambridge police) realized that the situation was not what the police were originally called for and cooler heads should have prevailed. Gibbs said he was not aware of the president speaking to Gates.
But when we look at what was really said?
“The Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home,” Obama said in his press conference on Wednesday night.”
Stupid is as stupid does. But of course that very statement above was prefaced by the “I don’t have all the facts of the case” comment as well.
Now a couple of days after the event occurred, we find out what this president’s truest feelings on race relations are about. When he says he doesn’t KNOW the facts, yet makes an offhand slight of the police, it reveals a predisposition and distrust of the police. A preconceived notion that the police “profile” blacks and assume an automatic hostility towards them.
So much for race relations being helped by this “bigot” winning. Yes.. I said Bigot. His DECISION to use the race card has not only been seen in this instance but also at other times during his “community organizing,” and during the election as pointed out by Bill Clinton. Clinton said in 2008:
“This is almost like once you accuse someone of racism and bigotry, the facts become irrelevant.”
But.. he is the President. This is not a position which allows the casual “toss off” of reasonability like one would find in a church that has a minister “ginning up the flock.” This is hardly a Jesse Jackson moment where most of us can roll our eyes, and say “there he goes again..” This is the presumed leader of the free world, and now he has made it clear his disrespect for men in uniform, and a suggestive attitude that people of color might well consider themselves above a standard that needs to respect authority.
How many youth in this nation were so proud, seeing the first black elected president assume the position that was only a generation before, an impossible thought? How many of them now have a greater distrust for the police, whom so OBVIOUSLY target blacks? How well will that assist in the relations, attitudes, and efforts to move further away from clearly defined differences between blacks and whites?
I have opined before, that the only good thing I saw to come out of the Obama win of the presidency, was that race relations should never be so bad as before. We may have a growing state that I disagree with but, while we are waiting for leadership that will return us to values that have made this country the greatest on earth, our personal distrust for those whom look different should go away. That “WE HAVE OVERCOME” the obstacles necessary to turn a color blind eye and pursue justice equally for all.
Now I am not so sure. Even now, I wonder if that will ever be possible, particularly given the predilection of our current president to “dis the man.”
