Like the old saw goes "...vas you there charlie?" I am sure there are a lot of shades of gray in this incident that could have come out at a judicial hearing. This will not happen since the charges have been dropped.

Think about this though:
1) The neighbor did the right thing---saw someone who "appeared" to be breaking into a home and she called the police.

2) The police arrived---everyone agrees on that.

3) They ask HL Gates to step outside and he refuses and shows ID.
    a) Now suppose that he had broken in and got some ID together or, worse, had committed murder and got hold of the ID. No way for the police to know that in advance.

4) The police demur and leave---all agree that at this point Gates went outside and was loud and verbally abusive. The police then, apparantely, started taking things personally and everything escalated into a confrontation and arrest.

On a personal note I do have to say that I usually don't agree with the police---especially suburban ones who think (as a general rule) they own the streets. I have found NYC police to --as a rule--to be professional and courteous. I speak from personal experience there. YET--just last week I was pulled over on Long Island for changing lanes without signalling---it was a pre-text to see if I had been drinking. In fact I was lost and was trying to find my way but the officer used to stop to subtly find out if I had been drinking (he thought I was weaving---actually I was looking for a road sign) and the stop was a legit one. He spoke with me and made conversation to satisfy himself that I was sober (I was) at which point he just gave me a warning about signalling and directions to my destination.

SO--would the same have occurred had I been of a different skin color? I don't know. I have seen police in that area of all shades and, frankly, do not believe---as a general rule--they profile.

As to Gates---an escalation of misunderstandings after a legit call from a neighbor. Plenty of blame to go around---but do not blame the good samaritan neighbor.


Bill Hahn