Remember the story in July about the interaction between Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Sergeant James Crowley? Gates, a black Harvard professor, was arrested by Crowley July 16 for disorderly conduct outside his home after police responded to a report of a possible burglary. Professor Gates complained that he was the victim of a "rogue" officer while Sgt. Crowley said Gates accused him of racism while he was simply trying to do his job. President Obama, a personal friend of Gates, admitted that he contributed to "ratcheting it up" when he commented that the Cambridge Police Department had "acted stupidly" when he didn't know the facts of the case.In hopes that the incident could become a "teachable moment to improve race relations" for the country, President Obama invited both men to have a beer with him in the White House to discuss the incident and move on.
I found an interesting photo on the White House web site of the three men entering the Rose Garden. You can view the photo online at http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/Over-Beers/.
Notice the white police officer helping the black professor down the steps (while the President strides confidently forward)?
What's left to say?
Later,
Carol
http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/07/27/gates.harvard.obama/index.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/30/beer-summit-begins-obama-_n_248254.html
That photo and event were just a prelude to Mr.Obama's statements today at Fort Hood "...In an age of selfishness, they embody responsibility. In an era of division, they call upon us to come together. In a time of cynicism, they remind us of who we are as Americans..." Am I wrong to conclude that Mr. Obama thinks most Americans are selfish, divisive cynics? He always slides in some derogatory statements about Americans and expects that we will let it slide by because of circumstances. Fort Hood today held a memoriam for our soldiers, it was not supposed to be a campaign stop for Mr. Obama - but no one told him that. If only his Communications Advisor Anita 'I-look-to-Mao' Dunn hadn't "resigned" early (as in weeks & weeks early) co-incidentally just after a Chicago newspaper ran a story about how the White House communications staff told Democrats to not appear on Fox News. I guess the "Great Uniter" is not such a great boss. He hasn't filled all the open employment positions on his staff (even in this economy & state of unemployment) and he can't keep the people he has on staff. Maybe he's just looking in the wrong place - hmmm - does 'www.CZARS-R-US.org' have the White House Staff vacancies listed? (I wonder if the link from ACORN is down.) Anyway - he's just Great, I can't wait for the next learning opportunity he provides to enlighten the rest of us obtuse underlings.
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