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Bob Dylan Detained By Cops Week After Gates, Story Buried Until Now
Newsbusters ^ | 8/15/09 | Noel Sheppard

Posted on 08/15/2009 2:01:39 PM PDT by pissant

Exactly one week after the highly-publicized arrest of Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates stirred a national discussion on race relations, legendary singer-songwriter Bob Dylan was detained by police officers in a "low-income, predominantly minority neighborhood" in Long Branch, New Jersey.

Makes one wonder why it took so long for this to get reported, and if news outlets that were convinced Gates's arrest was racially motivated will see the delicious irony in a white rock star being questioned by police just because he was "wandering around the neighborhood."

The Associated Press sure didn't (h/t Clarence Page):

Rock legend Bob Dylan was treated like a complete unknown by police in a New Jersey shore community when a resident called to report someone wandering around the neighborhood.

Dylan was in Long Branch, about a two-hour drive south of New York City, on July 23 as part of a tour with Willie Nelson and John Mellencamp that was to play at a baseball stadium in nearby Lakewood.

A 24-year-old police officer apparently was unaware of who Dylan is and asked him for identification, Long Branch business administrator Howard Woolley said Friday. [...]

The incident began at 5 p.m. when a resident said a man was wandering around a low-income, predominantly minority neighborhood several blocks from the oceanfront looking at houses.

The police officer drove up to Dylan, who was wearing a blue jacket, and asked him his name. According to Woolley, the following exchange ensued:

"What is your name, sir?" the officer asked.

"Bob Dylan," Dylan said.

"OK, what are you doing here?" the officer asked.

"I'm on tour," the singer replied.

A second officer, also in his 20s, responded to assist the first officer. He, too, apparently was unfamiliar with Dylan, Woolley said. [...]

The officers asked Dylan, 68, to accompany them back to the Ocean Place Resort and Spa, where the performers were staying. Once there, tour staff vouched for Dylan.

Here's the money quote:

The officers thanked him for his cooperation.

"He couldn't have been any nicer to them," Woolley added.

In fact, according to ABCNews.com, Dylan was quite gracious:

"He was really nice, though, and he said he understood why I had to verify his identity and why I couldn't let him go," Buble said.

Hmmm. So, Dylan was detained a week after Gates, was cooperative, and the issue was quickly resolved.

And we're hearing about this NOW?

How might this have impacted the Gates-Sgt. James Crowley affair if it had been reported at the time it happened rather than over three weeks after the fact?

None of the news reports I've reviewed concerning the Dylan incident addressed why this matter was buried until now, nor did they mention how it might have related to the Gates-Crowley affair.

I guess when a white rock legend is detained by police for having the nerve to walk around a minority neighborhood, and cooperates fully with the authorities to quickly resolve the misunderstanding, it's not a teachable moment.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; US: New Jersey
KEYWORDS: banglist; bobdylan; civilrights; donutwatch; dylan; henrygates; howardwoolley; identification; johnmellencamp; lakewood; leo; longbranch; mrskippy; msmcoverup; nationalid; newjersey; obama; papers; police; profiling; robertzimmerman; tangledupinblue; willienelson
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The difference between having class and respect for cops and being a classless racist POS
1 posted on 08/15/2009 2:01:47 PM PDT by pissant
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To: pissant
Rock legend Bob Dylan was treated like a complete unknown by police in a New Jersey shore community when a resident called to report someone wandering around the neighborhood.

Wandering While White.

2 posted on 08/15/2009 2:03:41 PM PDT by freespirited (The Surgeon General has determined that Harry and Louise are dangerous to your health.)
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To: pissant
The difference between having class and respect for cops and being a classless racist POS

I agree with you about Gates but this cop broke the law. You have to have reasonable suspicion to detain someone and he did not.
3 posted on 08/15/2009 2:08:16 PM PDT by microgood
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To: pissant
Never heard of Bob Dylan? Man I'm getting old.

He might as well have told them that his name is Bob Zimmerman.

4 posted on 08/15/2009 2:11:05 PM PDT by Semper Mark (ObamaCare: A Funeral Directors delight.)
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To: microgood

Absolutely! No reason to detain him period.

parsy, who says the cops here and in Gates acted stupidly


5 posted on 08/15/2009 2:11:11 PM PDT by parsifal ("Where am I? How did I end up in this hospital room? What is my name?" Anonymous)
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To: microgood

I don’t know NJ’s laws, but someone had called the cops on Dylan so the female cop was suspicious of him and actually thought he was a nut for claiming he was Dylan...but had no ID. She didn’t arrest him, she gave him a ride to his bus so he could produce the ID, even though she thought he was feeding her a line of bull.


6 posted on 08/15/2009 2:11:39 PM PDT by pissant (THE Conservative party: www.falconparty.com)
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To: pissant
I guess when a white rock legend is detained by police for having the nerve to walk around a minority neighborhood,

Sounds like he had a lot of nerve.

7 posted on 08/15/2009 2:11:55 PM PDT by The_Media_never_lie (w)
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To: pissant

If you ever go to Houston
Better walk right
Keep your hands in your pockets
And your gun-belt tight
You’ll be asking for trouble
If you’re lookin’ for a fight
If you ever go to Houston
Boy, you better walk right

If you’re ever down there
On Bagby and Lamar
You better watch out for
The man with the shining star
Better know where you’re going
Or stay where you are
If you’re ever down there
On Bagby and Lamar

I know these streets
I’ve been here before
I nearly got killed here
During the Mexican war
Something always
Keeps me coming back for more
I know these streets
I’ve been here before

If you ever go to Dallas
Say hello to Mary Anne
Say I’m still pullin’ on the trigger
Hangin’ on the best that I can
If you see her sister Lucy
Say I’m sorry I’m not there
Tell her other sister Betsy
To pray the sinner’s prayer

I got a restless fever
Burnin’ in my brain
Got to keep ridin’ forward
Can’t spoil the game
The same way I leave here
Will be the way that I came
Got a restless fever
Burnin’ in my brain

Mr. Policeman
Can you help me find my gal
Last time I saw her
Was at the Magnolia Hotel
If you help me find her
You can be my pal
Mr. Policeman
Can you help me find my gal

If you ever go to Austin
Fort Worth or San Antone
Find the bar rooms I got lost in
And send my memories home
Put my tears in a bottle
Screw the top on tight
If you ever go to Houston
You better walk right


8 posted on 08/15/2009 2:13:01 PM PDT by pissant (THE Conservative party: www.falconparty.com)
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To: pissant
I don’t know NJ’s laws, but someone had called the cops on Dylan so the female cop was suspicious of him and actually thought he was a nut for claiming he was Dylan...but had no ID. She didn’t arrest him, she gave him a ride to his bus so he could produce the ID, even though she thought he was feeding her a line of bull.

Well I did know someone called the cops on him but the officer needs to determine himself/herself if the call is valid and there is reasonable suspicion. Prank calls happen all the time.

One story said neither officer even recognized the name (because they were young) but sounds like this one disagreed with that. If true, that might give them reasonable suspicion.

Of course with my defiant nature I am not sure what I would do. The price of liberty is eternal vigilance.
9 posted on 08/15/2009 2:20:43 PM PDT by microgood
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To: pissant

WANDERING WHILE WHITE...!


10 posted on 08/15/2009 2:22:42 PM PDT by gaijin
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To: pissant

Were the officers BLACK? This story has RUSH written allllll over it..!


11 posted on 08/15/2009 2:24:47 PM PDT by gaijin
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To: microgood

“I agree with you about Gates but this cop broke the law. You have to have reasonable suspicion to detain someone and he did not.”

Exactly what I was thinking. Since when do the cops have the right to even QUESTION you if all you’re doing is walking down the street - much less refuse to let you go on your way once you answer their questions? Regardless of what it feels like with these Socialist Pigs in power - we’re not in Nazi Germany YET, and we don’t HAVE to carry our “papers” with us to prove who we are and what our business is... or DO WE???


12 posted on 08/15/2009 2:25:04 PM PDT by Pravious
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To: microgood

Frequently whites who turn up in poor black neighborhoods are there to do drug deals or are looking for prostitutes, which is obviously what the resident who reported him thought. The police often detain them long enough to get their ID because this discourages them from coming back and encouraging problem behavior in these neighborhoods, which the law abiding residents do not like. The residents often request this from “community policing” programs.

That said, Dylan acted in a very civilized, non-celeb manner. None of this “Do you know who I am?” from him!


13 posted on 08/15/2009 2:25:04 PM PDT by livius
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To: pissant

All Bob had to do was to start ‘singing’ for them.

The cops would have fled the scene asap.


14 posted on 08/15/2009 2:25:46 PM PDT by J40000
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To: pissant

Those police officers acted stupidly

didn’t they Obambi?


15 posted on 08/15/2009 2:33:52 PM PDT by Mr. K (THIS ADMINISTRATION IS WEARING OUT MY CAPSLOCK KEY DAMMIT DAMMIT DAMMIT!!!!!)
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To: livius
The police often detain them long enough to get their ID because this discourages them from coming back and encouraging problem behavior in these neighborhoods, which the law abiding residents do not like. The residents often request this from “community policing” programs.

True, but it does not make it legal. And without reasonable suspicion, it is not.
16 posted on 08/15/2009 2:34:22 PM PDT by microgood
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To: pissant
Dylan used to hang in Long Branch way back

Take the train down from the city

Get sick get well hang around the Inkwell

The Inkwell was a coffee house/nightclub on the north end of town ... became Mumford's restaurant I think

.

17 posted on 08/15/2009 2:37:44 PM PDT by Elle Bee
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To: J40000

LOL! Very witty reply.. you think like I do except quicker. Bob seems like a gentleman, but I don’t understand how anyone could listen to the guy.. I never could!


18 posted on 08/15/2009 2:47:11 PM PDT by ropin71 (God Bless our Troops!)
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To: freespirited

“Wandering While White.”

ROFLMAO!

That’s a good one.

My goodness, the man is 68! What on earth is wrong with him taking a stroll.

I’m glad he was polite, and yes, it is amazing this did not make the news.


19 posted on 08/15/2009 2:59:20 PM PDT by jocon307 (write to Obama & Co: flag@whitehouse.gov. tell 'em how they're doing)
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To: J40000

“All Bob had to do was to start ‘singing’ for them.

The cops would have fled the scene asap.”

LOL! That’s what my daughter (who does a killer imitation) would say!


20 posted on 08/15/2009 3:01:17 PM PDT by jocon307 (write to Obama & Co: flag@whitehouse.gov. tell 'em how they're doing)
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