The total obsession this country has with race often--it seems to me, at least--distracts from seeing events through a different perspective. As someone who works at a university and has to deal with sometimes arrogant, rude professors, this situation seems to have as much to do with class as race. This article starts right off with calling Gates "eminent". He has always been referred to as prominent, respected, and host of other things that seem to imply that he is somehow better than the blue-collar cop, and thus a more credible source.

Isn't pretty much every Harvard professor "eminent"? How else would they could get a job there? Are cops supposed to keep up on every Harvard (and M.I.T.) professor so that they can offer them the proper deference?

Everything I have read on Gates leads me to believe that he is an elitist, attention-seeking prick and this situation is no different. Being an eminent scholar does not entitle one to any more respect than any other person, regardless of your race.