Power and Politics

Racial Profiling and Harvard Professor GatesArticle published on: 08/01/2009

Everyone in America knows of the terminology "racial profiling" as we hear it all too often in our media news. You know the often told stories of young black men being pulled over because they shouldn't be driving that nice Mercedes!...then to only find out not only does the Mercedes belong to the profiled driver but that he legitimately has the profession to support his car of choice. Okay, let's fast track to prominent, Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. who was arrested at his home in Cambridge, Mass by police officer, James Crowley. The cause of his arrest, the police officer was responding to a 911 call about a home invasion in-progress. After Professor Gates explained that he lived at the residence, the officer asked for proper identification and Professor Gates obliged with the request. Apparently this was not enough as we all know the conclusion to this ongoing media story and that is Professor Gates was arrested on the compounds of his home. Racial profiling will continue to happen but now it appears that proving that your car, home, and profession are earned and yours is not enough anymore. This seems like racial profiling the sequels of sequels. All I can advise of my readers is that we are all judged by others within our race and outside our race. Whatever it is that you do, do it with sound judgement and sound mind and and continue to have the confidence that our justice system will right any wrongs.

Readers, chime in on the Professor Gates story or offer a story of similarity whether it be you personally or of someone you know.