“I always wondered why the cop didn’t have his weapon drawn when he was responding to a ‘suspected burglary’? “
-Because the cop was SENT on this call to investigate. It’s his JOB.
He probably figured it was what it was, or had a good chance of being that so you DON’T show up with guns drawn. It would only initiate conflict with possible deadly consequences.
But you cannot attack authority like the police the way Gates did. You can call the station and rant all you want - thus excercising his 1st amendment rights... But you DON’T scream at cops on duty. There is a law against that and it was followed here.
‘But you DON’T scream at cops on duty. There is a law against that and it was followed here.’
The Supreme Court has already ruled on this. You can call them what ever you want.
Second, why wouldn’t you draw your weapon going to a suspected burgarly? That’s SOP for many stations.
>>But you DON’T scream at cops on duty. There is a law against that and it was followed here.<<
Yep. You would think that someone of Gates stature and age would have figured out how to do this. You MUST go into Mr. Spock mode. You can say anything you want, but ALWAYS sound calm.
“I’m sorry officer, but please do not enter my home. If you care to get a search warrant you may enter, but as a homeowner who simply needed to free a jammed door, I will not step outside.”
On the other hand, he could have just showed his ID as a REASONABLE person would.
I just watched Cadillac Records last night. There was a time when Gates would have had a bit more “excuse” for displaying such an attitude, but not today, and not in Mass.
That time has passed. Rosa Parks can ride in any seat on the bus she wants.