[lbo-talk] Black scholar arrest angers Obama

[// ravi]

On Aug 4, 2009, at 10:25 PM, Left-Wing Wacko wrote:
> On Tue, Aug 4, 2009 at 8:38 AM, // ravi<ravi at platosbeard.org> wrote:
>> On Aug 4, 2009, at 4:24 AM, Jordan Hayes wrote:
>
>>> What I have read -- and Gates, his lawyer, and POTUS have not  
>>> contradicted
>>> -- was that he initially "refused" to provide ID (which is, of  
>>> course,
>>> unlawful right there; and stupid to boot).  When he ultimately  
>>> gave it, he
>>> gave his Harvard ID...


>> According to the police report, Professor Gates initially refused  
>> to show
>> identification.
>
> I too am very tired of this thread.  And yes, it is stupid to refuse
> to provide ID to an officer (unless you are a fugitive, but good
> luck).
>

You selectively quoted me. I forwarded the NYT article to show that at  
least one account (actually many more) clearly states, contrary to  
what Jordan seems to be saying, that both a Harvard ID and a driver's  
license were provided.

I left the last sentence in (about the cop's version) just to avoid  
gotcha responses, not to suggest that we need see this as anything  
other than standard police abuse of power and the ridiculous nature of  
interaction that is sanctified in these operating procedures. Do I  
believe it (the "police report")? No I don't. Nor do I believe it is  
in any way stupid to stand up to this sort of thing.

	--ravi