Do you have a ‘right’ to talk about bombs while standing in line at the airport? Do you have a right to yell and scream at a judge in a courtroom? How the right against unreasonable search when you board an airplane or go to a courthouse?
The right to free speech is not absolute, and in my mind Prof Gates, by his behavior, was obstructing an active police investigation and acting disorderly.
The ‘stop snitching’ phenomena in the minority community is just another manifestation of the culture Gates promotes through his despicable actions towards Sgt Crowley.
In his battles with the academic left, I am sure that Silverglate has heard that line many, many times. That line is very popular with the PC types on campus when they try to justify speech codes.
His identity had already been established. There was nothing left to investigate. In fact, the policeman should have just left his property at that point. Why invite him outside?
I don't think a person has a special duty to be civil to the police. I don't think a person has a special duty to 'tone down' his behaviour on his own property in the middle of the day in order not to offend the police. The fact is, the police presence was what was inflaming the man- who, it must always be remembered, had done nothing wrong in the first place and was minding his own business at his residence.
I'll line up and take my flaming for this one. I know as a citizen I'm supposed to start saying 'yassa boss' as soon as the police tell me to do something but I don't play to that tune. I know I should respect their power and authority, I have a duty to grovel in their presence- but you know what? I'm just not that kind of man. I guess that makes me a piece of excrement or whatever but I ain't changing. Flame away.
You have the right to do those things in your own home. You can also to talk about a bomb on the sidewalk and on a public sidewalk you can tell a judge what kind of slime he is if you don't get too loud and attract a crowd.