No one would even be having this discussion, and the police man in question would have already been suspended and the dept would have already apologized if this had happened to a famous white professor at his own home! Say Paul Krugmann. Seriously.

And it wouldn't even have to be someone like Krugman.

In my hometown a long time ago, one of the cops decided that he would exert his authority by arresting the local banker for drunken driving. It was even a good bust.

It was also his last.

Do you really think that Paul Krugman would not have simply provided the cop his ID to quickly resolve the matter of residency, instead of refusing the request and started accusing the cop of racism, or I guess in his case anti-semitism. I might be wrong, though, and as a long time "Cops" watcher we may very well have seen a shirtless, tatooed, drunk Krugman giving the coips shit, and hauled off like all the other white guys on the show.

Trebuchet:

And it wouldn't even have to be someone like Krugman.

In my hometown a long time ago, one of the cops decided that he would exert his authority by arresting the local banker for drunken driving. It was even a good bust.

It was also his last.

So corruption is good?

That doesn't say much for your local criminal justice system.

I don't care what kind of show any of the White People in Gates' neighborhood would have put on for the police, it surely would not have led to a bad arrest and that white person being hauled off in cuffs.

Do you know of any rich 60 year old white people that walk with a cane that have been arrested for disorderly conduct on their own property?

Hell, Mel Gibson can't get himself arrested without a high speed chase.

There are those you protect and there are those you quarantine from those you are protecting.

Crowley just got his signals crossed.....