I hope Gates rots in debtors prison for what he has done to this country.

Why do black men automatically hate cops?

"she implied did not say"?? Missing a word here maybe? Bit annoying when EVERY post has a typo.

And I hope Gates feels bad for her too, Elie. He's the one who threw the race card and hit her with it too. Without his histrionics, she'd be someone doing a good deed.

Sue her under MA Good Samaritan laws!

I am black, and from day one I was raised to distrust cops and hate whitey. Its all that I know.

Gary Coleman's Twin sister Mary

6/7 - Actually, I think Whalen could use MA's Good Samaritan Sword law to sue Crowley. He attempted to come to her aid and thwart a robbery, but ended up recklessly causing damage to her character. It might work, but I'd have to consult Elie first.

Elie, it is spelled sergeant, not sargent. We're talking about a police officer, not a great American painter.

Elie can't apologize without being an idiot.

What does Crowley have to feel bad for, that there are race-baiters like you out there?

Every single post of yours on this has been a disaster.

"I totally apologize for jumping to conclusions about this woman based on the police report. "

Your "Good Samaritan liability" argument is that her 911 call was racist. Show me one line in the police report that described the supposedly racist contents of her 911 call. Show me how you could have jumped to any conclusions about the 911 call "based on the police report."
Fire MysTTTal.

So is Crowley covering his ass by misrepresenting and/or lying in his police report or is Ms. Whalen the one lying?

The world may never know.

Proof that Gates/Obama/Crowley are SEXIST! The only person that didn't get invited for beer = the sweet old lady.

Does anyone care how Elie feels? How is that relevant? Because he is an expert on race?

Elie, just resign and salvage any career you might have left. You're racism is overwhelming every discussion on this board.

Do the police have nothing better to do than engage in pissing contests? It is not against the law to throw a fit and give police sh*t. Taking verbal abuse from whiny black elitists is part of be being in officer in a democratic society.

Police Officer Crowley: don't waste societies time and resources by arresting people because they threatened your manhood. Grow a pair and be a professional.

Whether Gates improperly injected race or not is inapposite. The arrest should not have occurred under any of the circumstances that have been discussed. Yes, I regret that Gates jumped the gun and said race was THE reason he was arrested. But, based on all of the evidence that has been made public, Gates acted like an ass, and yes, the Cambridge Police acted improperly or, more precisely, stupidly. People, including Gates, sometimes make bad decisions. By all accounts, Crowley is a person and evidently capable of making mistakes as well. He should have walked away, regardless of Gates' race.

An while we're feeling sorry for the 911-caller and poor officer Crowley, let's remember that a man was arrested on his front porch for giving a cop some lip about asking whether he had the right to be there.

Dude, you guys need to get over this whole "off with Elie's head" thing. It's getting really old fast.

Mystal,

What, in your opinion, did Crowley do wrong?

Gates is a race pimp...joining the ranks of Jackson and Sharpton.

Is it racist that I always cross to the other side of the street if I see a Black person walking towards me?

Second #5 as Gates was the first one operating under the assumption that he was targeted based on racial animus.

Even without this information, your comments against her were ridiculous. You see someone trying to break down a door, of course your going to call the cops.

You assumed that because she was white, she was a racist. For someone who often gets on a soapbox decrying discrimination, ATL sure does make a lot of discriminatroy comments.

does anyone know what Dr. Thio's racist aunt had to say about Gates?

Elie:

If she had reported there were "two black men with backpacks" on the porch, would that have been objectionable to you? Why?

"I just hope that Crowley feels bad for her too. "

Huh? WTF does this have to do with anything. Maybe you should ask if Gates feels bad for being a moron and giving the police a reason to arrest him. Maybe he should apologize for breaking into his house and playing the pompous fool when police arrived.

why should we feel bad for her? so, she didn't say "black," but she clearly identified the men as non-white. nevertheless, the arrest had nothing to do with her call

I am completely missing how you think Whalen could sue or be sued? She reported exactly what she saw. Whether she described them as black or not really is irrelevant because a.) there is nothing wrong or defamatory about calling someone black and b.) they were in fact, both black.

If you want a police officer who is not afraid to investigage a potential b&e and knock on the door of a house which as far as he knows may very well contain two criminals then you are also going to get someone who is not going to back down from an angry pissed off college professor. Is it a crime to yell at a police officer in your own home? No. But is there anywhere in the country where a police officer is not going to arrest your ass whether you are black, yellow, white or purple? No. Gates is lucky he did not get a night stick to the head. If he was a white 19 year old giving a cop a hard time that is probably what would have happened. And everyone reading this blog is safer because of it.

If the police came to the scene of the crime because someone made a report that there was a break-in in progress, when in fact there was no break-in, do the police have a promissory estoppel cause of action against the Lucia Whalen?

OBAMA. ELIE. The "scholar" GATES.

An axis of idiocy.

24 - No, but Dr. Thio's second cousin is a racist transvestite runway model. (S)he had a few choice words on the Gates situation. You can read all about it at Fashionista.

Fire Elie MysTTTake!

30 - Comment of the day!

ay ay ay... no es bueno... langosta de culo

"Her voice was shaking and she's clearly been traumatized by the scrutiny of her actions."

What, like fat bloggers writing that she's personally liable for emotional distress caused by the cops, and that she will be deposed to see if the "had any reason to believe that the cops would act reasonably"?

30 -- Obama, Elie, and Gates = Harvard EliTTTes

Why do black people always focus on race? I'm native american and if anyone has reason to distrust/hate "whitey", it's us. Where are our senate resolutions condemning/apologizing for genocide, disease, and broken treaties?

Oh right, we've moved on from the 19th century. Why can't they?

Elie,

Your baseless assault on this woman's character (aside from being legally unsound), coupled with Prof. Gates' own tirade at the scene, goes to show that black racism against whites is just as prevalent and problematic in our country.

Oooooh, 36, I have to admit I think you beat me!

- 30

Seriously, Elie, you are an idiot. You can quickly justify a black man for having an emotional response to a cop because of their history, but you won't give this cop any slack for having an emotional response at so quickly being called racist?! For many white men under 40 I say, stop yelling at me! I did not do it and I refuse to listen to you yelling like an idiot as if I did do it. If Gates was white and started yelling at a black cop "You are trying to put me down! This is reverse racism! Your momma!" then that black cop better arrest that moron's ass. You are expecting that white cop to go out of his way not to offend some Harvard blowhard. Then you bag on some lady that was just trying to help. Who cares if she did identify his race? The cops say "Describe the guy" and you would respond "Well, he has a great personality, loves kids, and paints on weekends?!?" No, you would DESCRIBE the guy. Get over yourself, putz.

holy christ elie. your credibility on this is zero. give any remaining coverage of this to Lat, or better yet, never cover it again as it is not a story.

also, not that colin powell said dude should have shut the fuck up. get over it.

Guys at my high school used to crack yo mama jokes at police men all the time. IT WAS ALWAYS a big deal.

Elie you are such a POS you can't even be consistent with your "blogs"

From your blog linked to "your apology" (who in the hell is pathetic enough to read or comment on that page?):

"The police report claimed that the 9-1-1 caller said Gates and his driver were “black males … with backpacks.” But in fact Ms. Whalen said nothing of the kind."

From your ATL post:

"She also clarified that she only spoke to Sergeant Crowley briefly at the scene. While she wouldn't speak about the police report specifically, she implied that she did not say the "black males ... with backpacks" line that was in Crowley's police report. "

Do you not see the discrepancy? And people read your crappy blog?

34- me gusta. tu eres muy sneaky. bravo!

Elie you fat fuck,

Way to miss probably the biggest story of the summer. The summer associate shenanigans at Steptoe are over now and we missed them because your fat lazy ass was too concerned with Man Hands Thio and Black Panther Gates. Next time try to pick up on stuff we actually give a shit about.

Way to go Elie. I told you it would feel good to eat a little crow.

Please watch for my forthcoming law review article:

"Protecting Black Men in AmeriKKKa: The Mystal TTTheory of Good Samaritan Liability"

13: Kudos for the best new perspective of the day.

Second @44 - Mystal, you are a crime against humanity, a walking biohazard of lard, black angst, and moobs, In short, you are unfit for regular society. May God have mercy on your cholesterol clogged soul.

46 FTW

You've actually posted MORE of this drivel? Seriously??? ATL has finally jumped the Thio with this non-story.

Commenters: Can someone report on this Steptoe SA story?

mysTTTTTTTTTTTal,
I voted for you but will not in the next election (btw when is the next election). How about one Gatesgate post that doesn't have you taking a shot at the Police. I know you take direction from the President (whom I will also not vote for again) but even he has apologized and will have a beer with the officer.

When Mystal is thirsty, he just pops out his favorite moob, Lefty, and suckles said moob until his thirst is quenched.

Ha ha! fooled you, there really wasn't a wolf.

Editors: Please take an informal poll. How many of the commenters on this site have to report to a black person (or any other minority for that matter) on a daily (or hell, weekly or monthly) basis? Who has to put up with a black partner or judge on a regular basis? Who answers to a black general counsel or client?

Maybe taking orders from (or more appropriately, answering to) Obama, Holder, Sotomayor, and yes, a pipsqueak like Gates makes too many people uncomfortable.

13/47

Obama could have invited the old lady, but that would have thrown the Beerfest race balance out of whack.

As it is, there will be 1.5 whites and 1.5 blacks in attendance, a critical balance which should keep the blackies from being night-sticked or the whities from being gang-raped should everyone drink a little too much.

Bl@ck people should never be in a position of power.

George Washington

55

Maybe they should take a poll of:

a) whether you were born such a dipshit
b) whether you had to work at becoming such a dipshit
c) whether you just look like you were dipped in shit

#44- Who can really listening to anything you have to say after your " Fat Fuck" opening? Anyone who opens with that much bile clearly shows us that- -their bile--is their primary message, everything else they have to say is drivel and drool.

I'd rather vote for Palin as President than Elie for another term as EIC.

Ok, *slight* exaggeration, but you get my point.

Lat, in this economy, you know there are hundreds, nay thousands of hungry, witty, talented lawyers in NYC alone who would sell their souls for Elie's job, right? Or if you don't want to actually replace him, maybe just the threat of making Elie defy gravity (get off his ass, learn to investigate his own stories and write coherently) would increase the quality of his posts?

Lat, you could be the first person to ACTUALLY lay someone of for poor performance. Do it. Make us proud.

Elie,

It's nice that you admit your mistake.

37=Clearly not Native American

Nice Try

I am white. I am now going to make sure I make race an issue with everything now.

63 = clearly black

How often do a 58 year old man with a limp and his driver break into the front door of a house with the car sitting outfront in broad daylight?

The woman who called the police was either blind, paranoid, racist or some combination of the three. Who gives a flying fuck-circus if she SAID they were black when she called the police? The problem with ingrained racism is that the picture just LOOKS DIFFERENT with someone of another race. It isn't conscious. Her gut reaction to something that a second glance would have proven innocent was based on her personal perception of the world.

You can let her off the hook if you want Elie and I don't doubt that the poor weak little flower is so terribly effected by people questioning her judgment... but I'm not letting her off the hook. Fuck her.

And fuck that damn power-hungry bastard that gives cops a bad name.

-Random White Chick

63: Yes I am, asswipe.

Love, 37

Do you jerkoffs know that I can quite easily see your IP addresses by accessing certain metadata and embeds? The source of some of these incredibly ignorant comments is amazing. Probably worth a pretty penny to firm management . . .

What percentage of burgulars are black? Should she be faulted if it look suscipcious.

To quote Chris Rock:

"When I am at the ATM, I am not looking over my shoulder for white people."

What percentage of burgulars are black? Should she be faulted if it look suscipcious.

To quote Chris Rock:

"When I am at the ATM, I am not looking over my shoulder for white people."

66 - random white chick = fat whore sitting on a big black dong

How would she have seen his limp? Was he walking? Was his cane in plain sight? Have thieves never broken into a house in the daylight? In trying to be so racially relevant, you have become a D-D-D-D-Dipshit!

66, why don't you tell us your address, so that the next middle-aged burglar will be sure to carry a cane and use an accomplice driving a regular car (Gates's "cab" was a private unmarked car).

People, please be careful. When and if you encounter a black person, no matter what age or gender, they will more than likely mug you or WORSE! Please take caution and always walk with at least 1 buddy.

Curtis Sliwa

66, seems like you want a different standard for black suspects than white ones. That, my dear, is racism and segregation.

just a massively overblown disagreement between a-holes of the two highest orders: cops and Harvard professors

The idiocy of people on this board is staggering. Every time someone has to jimmy their door they should have to worry about the police showing up and harassing them? There was a towncar sitting outside his house and his driver was helping him get in.

I want the police called if it looks like a crime is being committed, but this was like calling the police for a domestic violence charge cause she saw a father and son playing with squirt guns in their backyard.

She's either racist or retarded.

76, aka Mystal's mom, that must be why Gates himself did not praise his neighbor for her vigilance and being better safe than sorry.
Oh wait...

71 - Never been laid cause even hookers have too much self-respect to get with something that hideous.

76- Not "every time"; just at those home which have a history of break-ins.

74 - L2Read. I said nothing of the sort.

@68: Oh no! Not the metadatas and the embeds!!! Quit trying to scare the kiddies. You don't see shit.

As a middle-aged white man who lives in a million-dollar home in the suburbs, I would want my neighbors to call the police if they saw me and a driver kick in my front door. And I would be thankful to the police who showed up (even if they were black), for checking to make sure that everything was ok. Does that make me racist? By the way, I am one of only three white people (out of 15 houses) who live on my street,

76, if someone is jimmying open my door, I'd prefer the police be called, whether the caller lives down the street or just someone driving by.

My wife, kids, dogs and possessions inside are more precious than my ego if the local PD stops by to ask me why I had to force into my own house. Somehow, I'd think I'd be able to control my rage.

The irony is staggering, the only idiot (besides Mystal) is you.

She "supports" the cops but her bottom line is that they lied in the police report.

83 - and I would prefer my neighbor take half a second to actually observe the situation before making a rash judgment. If she had bothered to take in the entire scene (which wouldn't have taken more than a couple seconds) she would've seen the car, seen the way they were behaving while trying to open the door and if she had half a brain cell she'd have thought twice.

I want my possessions protected as much as the next person, but I don't want the police called to stupid non-crimes when they might miss helping someone who is actually being victimized.

Like I said before - this is like reporting someone for domestic violence for playing with squirt guns. Yeah, I want people to be vigilent, but they should use their brains too.

68 - my dom inspector is dumber than yours. It doesn't show any identifying info. What dom inspector are you using?

xxxyyyzzz - should be easy enough to search for - what is my ip address?

Throughout all of this, Crowley has supported Obama 100% He repeatedly warned Gates to calm down and stop following him, even holding up the cuffs and saying "Please sir, I do not want to arrest you. I cannot leave the scene with you in this condition." He leads the Cambridge police in racial sensitivity training. The reporting on this sight is really unbelievable. When it was first reported, I thought it was some meathead cop. But I listened to all the facts and was able to see the real situation.

81: You're right . . . I don't see shit . . . other than your mother's fat ass doing cartwheels down my hallway . . . on rollerskates.

Elie,

You jumped to that conclusion because you are a bigot, race-baiting, hypocrite.

Also this is probably the only jumping you're capable of without tearing a hamstring.

Good gosh. This Elie guy is totally full of shit. Now, he says the woman is ok, but that Crowley should appologize to her. Gates is the asshole who created this whole mess by backtalking the cop and playing the race card. Gates is a worthless piece of shit, a perfect example shithood in action.

ATL should stick to its role as cheeleader-in-chief for homosexual sodomy and leave these dicier issues alone. Whenever you have a story involving two or more government supplicants (here you have three - a black (and a prof so a two-fer),a woman and a state employee) you're bound to denounce the wrong person as an enemy of the people.

When teat-suckers start fighting over teats you need to stay out of the way or you'll get bitten and clawed.

"83 - and I would prefer my neighbor take half a second to actually observe the situation before making a rash judgment."

You missed a big part of my point, I don't give a rat's ass if it was a neighbor or not, it could have been someone driving by that didn't have the opportunity to take half a second.

And it wasn't a rash judgment, the door was being jimmied, the next time someone spots a potential burglar do you expect them to go up to them and say "excuse me but do you actually live here?"

Your analogy is fucking terrible - squirt guns vis a vis jimmying open a door?

Get fucking real.

76/85 = idiot.

-83

I would rather grow up happy and homosexual than angry and black.

Is lying to the public an impeachable offense? Is lying to Congress? Then all we need to do to get rid of Obama is have Congress subpoena him and ask if he staged this whole thing with a planted question at a news conference to appease his wife and buddy. When he denies it, then he can be impeached. Then we drag out Whalen and break her down until she tries to explain what happened between the time of her phone call and the time the Crowley got there. What about the other guy she couldn't identify, dressed in a business suit, getting into his limo after carrying in Gates suitcases and shaking his hand goodbye?

Listen 83, just you live a life of insane paranoia convinced that its better to call the cops at the drop of a hat than let them do their jobs and investigate real crimes doesn't mean that's how the world should really operate.

The next time you see a 60 year old man and his towncar driver breaking into homes in broaddaylight with people walking by, yet somehow unphased by the attention, you feel free to let me know. Until then I'll be left wondering if there is enough tinfoil in the world to keep you from thinking everyone's out to get you.

What really upsets me about this story, at this point, is that Obama has not invited Whalen to share a beer with him, Gates and Crowley.

Why is racism bad, but sexism OK?

Wow. 92 is batshit.

Fight the power, Elie X.

#93 = racist

"Listen 83, just you live a life of insane paranoia convinced that its better to call the cops at the drop of a hat than let them do their jobs"

The comments are getting dumber and dumber, by calling the cops, you are LETTING THEM DO THEIR JOBS.

Have you dickheads actually listened to the 9/11 call, she accurately reported what she saw, and even mentioned that she didn't know whether or not the people breaking in lived there, just that she saw a break in.

It has nothing to do with tinfoil hats or fucking squirt guns or being batshit (unless batshit means flabbergasted how stupid some of you people are), it's a person doing what they are supposed to be doing, calling the authorities and letting them handle it. She didn't report a fire. She didn't report a rape. She didn't say that cops should arrive weapons drawn. She only reported what she saw.

Is the idiot scale turned up to 11 today?

Folks, this is really, really simple. Everyone was wrong. The neighbor could have simply asked if they needed help. She didn't. Gates could have explained the situation to the police with a sly smile. He didn't. The cops could have shrugged off the insults. They didn't.

If anyone of the players had been able to rise above preconceptions (whether conscious, or otherwise) about race, none of this would have happened. And all you're doing by taking one side or the other is perpetuating this nonsense.

IOW, STFU and get back to billing.

83/92/100 is an angry little troll isn't he?

angry like a fox, care to actually debate my points? Or do you still believe a squirt gun fight in a backyard could lead to a reasonable claim for domestic violence?

That truly is one of the worst analogies I can possibly imagine. I can only dream of how that 9/11 call would transpire.

So... now that it's clear that she did not say they were black, Elie is no longer upset with her? I'm confused by the logic- the two men, are in fact black, correct? Should she have described them as tan?

101 - "Folks, this is really, really simple. Everyone was wrong."

No. The caller was not wrong. She observed two people breaking in to a house. She was completely justified in reporting what she saw to the police. Only a certified retard would say otherwise.

103 - two things.

1. I'm not the person posting short shitty notes to you.

2. I never said it would lead to a reasonable claim for domestic violence. What I said is that THIS situation is SO ABSURD that it is like calling in a squirt gun fight as domestic violence. You are clearly incapable of reading at an adult level.

105: You are of course right, but the cop also didn't do anything wrong.

106 - "it is like calling in a squirt gun fight as domestic violence."

Wow. I can make completely stupid analogies too! Your comment is so idiotic, it is like smearing peanut butter all over yourself and then running down the street naked!

105 -

I saw a suspicious car driving slowly through my neighborhood the other day. Clearly I'm an idiot for not calling the police. Oh, oops, they were just lost.

I saw a little boy running away from a grown man the other day. I could've prevented a kidnapping. Wait, that's just a father and son playing tag.

I saw a woman looking around in the bushes and front mat of a house the other day. Clearly she's trying to find a way in. Nevermind, just looking for her spare key.

Meanwhile the police could be sitting in my neighborhood while a store gets robbed and people get shot. The police could be sitting in my neighborhood while a building burns down. They could be sitting in my neighborhood while a house actually gets robbed or a person actually gets attacked.

The fact is, a single second glance before trotting off to call the police would've made it obvious to her that she wasn't seeing a break-in. But she didn't bother.

How is this complicated, 108. The situation was SO OBVIOUSLY NOT A CRIME that taking a breath and just looking for one minute instead of running to a phone would have made this a non-issue. Thus the analogy.

Your analogy is moronic. Why? Because running down the street covered in peanut butter would be crazy - not stupid.

I see good Samaritan liability everywhere.

"The situation was SO OBVIOUSLY NOT A CRIME that taking a breath"

How was it SO OBVIOUSLY NOT A CRIME?

I don't know about you, but when I open my front door I use a key. I don't need to force it open, or need help doing so. How do you think most burglaries happen, it usually involves FORCED ENTRY, as in this case.

Let me guess, all of you losers are trolls from Elie's other website.

How come no comments allowed on Gates having to restate his non-profit tax forms? Going from 1% to 40% admin costs in a non-profit is some Enron s***. Plus all the "research grants"...er...compensation to Gates' girlfriend?! No wonder he's such a dear friend of Obama.

BTW, 36 nailed it

109, all of those analogies are nearly as dumb as the squirt gun. All of those are normal occurences, witnessing a breaking into a house isn't. Is this that difficult to understand?

For the first time in a year of readership I am scared of the imbiciles that posted on this thread. I do not know who is worse. The morons that think she shouldn't have called or the ones that don't see why Gates was arrested. If this is honestly a representation of the "educated elite" in America then count me out. What ever happened to FUCKING LOGIC and reasonable responsibility.

Goodbye Above the Law.

109-

I saw a man holding a gun out in front of a convenience store clerk---ooops, they are in the same gun club and he was just showing the clerk his most recent purchase.

I saw a man and woman having vigourous intercourse in an alley while the woman screamed---ooops, they were just shooting a pornographic film.

Get a life.

Dumbass.

109 - two words: reading comprehension.

I never said she would have not been justified not calling the police. I said she was justified in calling the police. There is a big difference (notice the placement of the word "not").

Way to go Elie. That's two days in a row you've had to apologize for egregious errors. Couple that with the numerous times you should apologize for writing terribly, and we have ourselves a person who should not be employed by ATL. David, please consider a replacement.

The fact that Elie makes so many of you so angry shows that he would be a good pundit.

Pundits are supposed to infuriate, whether it's Ann Coulter and Bill O'Reilly on the right or Keith Olberman on the left.

This blog is becoming so much about race that it should be called "Above the Whites", "Above the Blacks", "Above the Latinos", or "Above the Asians." The name would just depend on whomever the particular bloggers were bagging on that day.

With his big rubbery lips, Mystal can kiss Crowley's ass.

119 you are so right. Elie isn't a racist or an idiot; he's just very good at angering people. The problem is that I don't think that's why people come here. After all, many people view this site as a release from the stress of working in the legal field. If I want to expose myself to someone just trying to stir up shit I'll watch Olbermann or O'Reilly. I come here for funny commentary on the current Biglaw and law school news/gossip, not inflammatory claptrap.

109,

ME TOO! AND:

I saw someone dropping a letter in a mailbox. I could've prevented an anthrax attack. Oh, he's just mailing a letter.

I saw someone paying with a credit card. The clerk might be trying to steal his identity. Nevermind, someone's just buying stuff w/ a credit card.

I saw a fat creepy dude sitting at his laptop. He's probably trafficking in child porn. Forget it, it's just Elie working on his blog.

Ultimately, Gates could have just refrained from being an overentitled dick & let a simple misunderstanding pass.

Mystikal,

Get it through your fat black fuckin skull. NOBODY GIVES A FUCK ABOUT THIS STORY.

At least she didn't call them porch monkeys, eh Mystal?

What if she had reported to butt pluggers going at it in the alley. Then the liberati would be all over her for homophobia or some other such made up word.

Why do blacks and hispanics always have to "represent"? You don;t see white people "representin'".

Represent yourselves you stupid bastards.

you are such a fucking scumbag

I'm glad that Elie apologized. It was deserved.

He pre-judged the situation and he pre-judged the person. And he got it wrong.

Surprise, surprise. That often happens when folks pre-judge stuff.

It happens so often, there's a word for it: prejudice.

Motes, beams, etc.

Take care.

The real problem is that too many folks, black and white, are trapped in narratives foisted on them by others seeking power; and they don't have the critical thinking skills necessary to escape.

Interesting comment 130. Could you please elaborate?

mysTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTal !!!!!!!!

Of course Crowley's a liar. That's what cops do. A bunch of lawyers should be the last people on the planet to be surprised by that.

This Gates character needs to have his ass kissed by a bunch of Southies. He's a self-involved dickhead.

I'm tired of seeing reporters and bloggers adding "gate" to the end of every single controversy. I understand that human knowledge is fundamentally relative and that we draw connections irrationally out of thin air by biological nature, but come on, we're smarter than this.

HUHUHU PROFESSOR'S NAME IS GATES AND THERE'S THIS WHOLE WATERGATE RUNNING GAG SO LET'S DO GATESGATE - HUHUHU I'M SO CLEVER!

Crowley should feel bad? How about that bloviating hothead, H. L. Gates? He was the original conclusion-jumper, was he not?

Aren't you people supposed to be libertarians or something? I would think you might be a little more concerned about state power being used this way. Sure, Gates was being an asshole. But the armed instruments of the government came into his house and demanded his ID. He could have submitted more readily, but he didn't deserve to be arrested for yelling and screaming about it, regardless -- completely -- of the content of his yelling. I am shocked that you are still so mired in your racial resentment (based on what, anger about affirmative action? I'm sure you'll do fine with your GULC degrees) that you can't see this story for what it is: the state arresting a man in his own home because it didn't like the content of his speech.