TONIGHT ON LKL: Colin Powell for the Hour!

Since it is customary for an officer to stay with a potential suspect until identity is proven, why did Prof. Gates criticize the officer for following him into the kitchen to obtain his ID. Gates said "without my permission he followed me into the kitchen to get my ID."

Mr. Powell–any comment on the Michael Jackson situation? Do you think that he was "celebrity profiled" and that is why his home was not immediately declared a crime scene? It seems that from the first it was categorized as just another celebrity train wreck OD and its Michael Jackson – no mystery here.

I feel that there are many types of profiling and this seems egregious to me. I would greatly appreciate your thoughts on this.

Every group in America needs to stop playing this "victim" game because every group in American has been the victim at some point...blacks aren't alone in this. Woman achieved voting rights AFTER blacks and are still considered "property" or sold into "sex slavery" in many parts of the world. Asians got voting rights well after blacks in this country. Why is it that only whites can be "racist"? I remember being sexually harassed and be called a "whitey" as a young woman by groups of blacks. Should I hold on to that "victimization" forever or let it go? My father had a brick thrown at his car simply making a wrong turn into a black neighborhood back in the 60's. Is it equally as "racist"? If you're biracial...do you get to choose whether you want to be the "victim" (black) or the "victimizer" (white) on any given day or because you are 50-50...or should you have to play both roles? Or is it .something we should all realize we are...both "victim" and "victimizer" over the course of history. This country needs to get past identifying our "racial" and "sexual" identities,doting on who suffered more and just begin to be people who all equal, who have all suffered, aren't owed something...but indeed should be contributing members of this society without regard to race, sex or religion.

Mr. Colin Powell
Before Janet Jackson Valvet Rope tour she was having
problems she went to you for help. How did you meet
Janet? and have you been in contact since Michael died?

Why does everybody keep siding with the cop his report was not all true has anybody ask him why he lied on the 911 caller ? why did he say their were two black men with backpacks? automatically the black guy lied no matter what his status is just because an officer write in his report don't make it so. Oh I guess this has never happen before policeman don't make up stuff they always tell the truth and obey the law it's only the citizen that is always making stuff up. Why did Gates have to be the one to have been calm? he was in his home even though the media keep reporting the lie he didn't show him his ID in the house he did before he went on his porch once again Black face on the President but we still live in a white america rule society if they think it's wrong it is wrong so we better walk a straight line.

When Obama didn't sound off loud enough on Iran he need to speak up but a racial issue in our country he speaks his opinion in which he was asked a about he needs to be quiet? No matter what he say or do he is criticized

The Proffessor feels that he is being ridiculed in his own home even after identification that he is infact the owner of the house, and still taken on handcuffs to the police department; and another one is a cop coming to a house on a 911 call to come and investigate a possible break-in, only to be met by an uncorporative and deviant house owner.

My questions are:

WHO IS REALLY AT ODDS HERE??? THE PROFESSOR OR THE COP???

IF THE COP DID NOT BELIEVE THE IDENTITY OF THE PROFESSOR (AND THOUGHT THAT HE IS SHOWING HIM A STOLEN ID FROM THE HOUSE), COULD THE SITUATION HAVE BEEN VIEWED DIFFERENTLY THAN AS RACIST???

because i am a black woman and i have been profiled i know the affects a situation like this can create a simple civil converstation with the officer and gates would have been in control. if anything negative happened it would have been on the cop. if gates had handled this properly he would have been in a position to talk to the cop's superior the next day. as a black person with a following such as his he had the responsibilty to use this instance to prove a point to the nation. as a nation we have got to understand that these two men are human. they can make mistakes, PEOPLE THEY ARE NOT GODS! people have bad days i know if i was tired after one of my days at work i would be really pissed at not being able to get my door open. trust me those who know me can tell you about me when i am pissed. i do know the as a person, as a black person it is also my role to do whatever i can in my small unimportant way to help this country to get over stereo typing, prejudice. and face it folks if you are still trying to say that we all don't in some form racially profile people at times you are lying to yourselves. let's get on with things that we can honestly control.

The police would love the media to focus on the beer love fest at the White House, or the Obama drama in this to keep the focus off their bad; and maybe, illegal behavior. The focus should be on an investigation into Crowley to see if laws where broken, and to develop better police procedures. Not whether Dr. Gates did or did not have a hissy fit (a seasoned officer would have known almost immediately that Dr Gates posed almost no physical threat)

This is what I care about…(because it could happen to me) that Dr. Gates was approached in his home by what appears to be a dishonest police officer who said he was “investigating a report of a brake in in progress” this is not what Crowley was dispatched to investigate and this is not what the 911 caller said (see evidence the police report along side the factual radio transmissions & 911 call) Dr Gates promptly provides ID to the Officer 15 to 20sec., This ends in his arrest after the only way he can get Officer Crowley out of his home, and get the information he wanted from Crowley (name and badge number) was to go out onto his porch while continuing to ask (perhaps in a more emotional way each time) for information Crowley illegally refused to give Dr. Gates inside his home (see police report & Mass General Law) ending in the arrest of Dr Gates and the fabrication of a police report. Not having an internal investigating in to this incident and Crowley’s conduct; shows passive approval by police superiors, unions, the city and state of this behavior, thus opening the door for other citizen of Cambridge to be subject to this kind of abuse and or filing of false reports by Officer Crowley and maybe others officers…

I am Grateful this happened to Dr Gates because if it happened to me I would have a police record now and there would be no review of police prociders or love fest at the White House.

Now if the Media can get to investigating something other then beer…. Beers good but three days of reporting on it….

Base on the Cambridge cops incident I think, the government should put spyware on every local police and state police mobile worker ( Lap top) to see how many license plate that local and state police run that belong to black car owners, and a mircophone that monitor the conversation between police and blacks.

Your Sincerly
The Blackman

DOES ANYBODY PAY ATTENTION THAT THE OPERATER ASSUMS IF THE PEOPLE WERE BLACK OR HISPANIC NOT THE LADY THAT CALLED OR THE COP!!!(IN THE GATES &CROWLEY SITUATION)

I think Colin Powell should return to politics but only under the Republican party.

I guess the cop is just a typical white man!
Obama gets away with anything!
He uses the race card every chance he gets!

Hi Larry – missed you! I really like Colin Powell I wish he had run for President but will you be getting back to MJ's case on tomorrows show? We need to keep it going until the case is solved...

If anybody can teach us about racial etiquette its Colin Powell.

Actually I MIGHT see the Professors point, but when our Black President said he didnt know the facts and the black teacher was a friend of Obama and then Obama called the white cop stupid, I was shocked!
I voted for Obama !!! NO WAY would I vote for him now!
Without a teleprompter he shows his true colors - no pun intended!!!

I have great respect for Gen Colin Powell & would like to add the following:
As a minority Clinical Pharmacist in a large hospital I have had the experience of walking into a patient's room & being treated with overt disrespect by both a black & a white patient @ different times. As a professional providing a service, I restrained from reacting, maintained my composure & made sure that the patient was taken care of (i.e. medications checked, questions answered etc..) before I said a polite good-bye & left the room. I did my job!!!

I would have expeced the police officer to excercise more restraint & the professor to not react based on assumptions.

I never trusted Obama when he wanted to let drones bomb Pakistan and he acted like he was so anti-war. Yet I voted for him because the media convinced me he was not a liar.
Obama lies!
I agree we should have drones, but Obama lies to people!
He should admit it!
He is a liar!
He pretends and I feel his lies sometimes!
Why didnt he admit Bush was right!
In July and other times when he goes to Europe, I sense him lying!

He pretended he was anti-war and I felt it.
This was all about continueing the war and fooling democrats who are stupid,
His foreign policy is confusing.
I dont like people who come across like they are something!
And I am not a racist!
Its because he thinks Americans cant know the truth.
I sense something about him. Like with China. He is afraid of China i think. He doesnt care about Israel. I think its China!
Maybe I am nuts, but its what I feel.

This situation could have been avoided with simple courtesy.The officer who entered Professor Gate's home should have made an immediate apology once identification was established. This was at the very least an intrusion.

Hello General,

You are a gentleman that is so wise and someone that we all would be smart to learn from your wisdom. I believe that by taking the road of thought before action we as a society would be far better served and become a more united people if we would treat one another as we would want to be treated and give thought before reaction. Your comment that we should respect authority we all need to keep that lesson in mind. Thank you for being a figure to be emulated by all.

I can be wrong. But I knew Obama was hiding something and thats why I was so upset with his Uncle Wright. I knew he was hiding something.
Its like when you dont trust someone who doesnt drink.
Sometimes I dont trust someone who doesnt speak freely!!
Reticence is good, but not to hide things!

I really like Michelle Obama. Her I trust!
But I no longer trust Obama!

No offense, but reading many of the comments I have only one thing to say...SPELLCHECK. It is sad to want to be heard and then not even to be able to even spell your words correctly, sheeesh!

I wish Barack was honest. Michelle is honest.
I also think its funny about men around him. Why does he prefer women? I like Michelle and his sister. They seem honest. Maybe I am wrong. But he thinks he is missing something.

To Americans who think that Dr. Gates should have just back downed from the police officer. I say to them that I am so glad the Rosa Parks refused to move to the back of the bus. I am so glad that March took place from Selma. I am glad for the bus boycott. We have become docile – afraid to speak up. I am glad that this incident happened to Professor Gates. It too, could happen to me or you!

I dont understand General Powell.
I dont get how he wants Obama to be PResident when Obama wants to raise taxes, and is for abortion and wants to spend spend spend.
Also, what area does he like about Obama. I am confused!
What agenda does Powell like that Obama believes in?

The dispacher mentiobned Hispanic,If the police verified the ID,and found no crime ,they could apologize,or just turn around and leave,(job done) they did not want to leave empty handed ,

I like Michael Steele. Does GEneral Powell like Mr. Steele?

Everyone seems to have an opinion on who was right and who was wrong and naturally, I have one too. Since every possible opinion has already been expressed, I would like to make a suggestion. With all the technology we have available to us today, why not make a part of each police officers' uniform a micro video camera with microphone. I believe this can be done in a way where the camera and microphone can be made tamper proof so the officer cannot delete anything not complimentary to his or her version of what took place. These devices can be made so small not that there should be a way of outfitting each police officer without imparing their ability to perform their duties or placing the officer in danger of injury.

The dispacher mentioned Hispanic,If the police verified the ID,and found no crime ,they could apologize,or just turn around and leave,(job done) they did not want to leave empty handed

Is it wrong to ask General Powell about Michael Steele?
I think the media is biased!
They hate Mr. Steele and Justice Thomas.
Why?
Does General Powell hate them?

Its funny but if you dont like Obama, youre racist according to some cable stations like MSNBC.
But if you hate Steele or Thomas, thats considered good.
I may be slow, but it dont make sense!

I like Justice Thomas and Mr. Steele!
Gen Powell is Jewish?

General Powell's comments, while understandable for a high profile public figure, don't connect the dots. Discretion on the part of Gates is fine but the thing Powell leaves out, even from his own background, is the expectation is for black people to be submissive, and accept fascist behavior from police especially, and from whites in general. We have lived in a the state of "double consciousness," as DuBois describes it, as a means of survival. The obvious thing to me that happened in this circumstance was a contest of power and will. The contradicted police report should give one pause to consider that in Crowley's mind, this black man should just shut up and it will be ok. He was arrested for asking for the officer's badge number and name? That is disorderly? Gates was then lured onto the porch, with the knowledge that he could not be legally arrested for disorderly conduct in his own home. At this point what is Crowley's motive, except to get an opportunity to exhibit power over this person?
When growing up many black children used to be taught ways of surviving the fascism and hatred towards them. You did not go certain places, and when you did, you were taught to avoid certain behaviors, so as to not be arrested or worst, shot. This case is filled with this psychological perspective. A serious discussion about race would look at these things, but it is doubtful it will happen.

Another facet of the story is the reaction of blacks to Henry Louis Gates in all of this. But, then, that, as much as it too is a part of this drama, is something for another time.

Thank you for your acceptance of my perspective.

Harvard Divinity School, MTS '89

How is Gen Powell Jewish? Grandparent?
Did i hear right?

Does General Powell like Bloomberg?

jerry are you retarded?

Mayor Bloomberg is okay.
Is he the mayor who didnt want the public to vote for Huckabee and Clinton?

I'm over 50 – when I was young i didn't like black people simply because of the color of their skin. This was a product of my upbringing back then. As I got older and more wiser, i realized how ignorant that was and no longer felt that way. Now, in the last dozen or more years, I no longer care for black people beacuse of the chip on their shoulder. It disgusts me. There is no way in hell that ANYTHING can happen to a black person today without it being racially motivated. And I know a lot of people who feel that way. It's never their personality, demeanor, vibe or attitude which produces an action or reaction, no, it simply must be their skin color. It's pathetic.

Anytime this race card junk is pulled 9 out of 10 times it is blown out of proportion. Honestly I believe there are lots of blacks, whites, women etc. that expect to be treated differently even in the slightest. When I was a teenager I had the long hair and jean jacket so I looked like the typical stoner metalhead and if I saw someone look at me differently, or in my mind differently, I automatically thought they were thinking bad things about me. I know that many blacks look 24/7 for some white person to treat them indifferently even in the slightest just so they can call racism. Just like I know there are some women that look for the slightest sexual harassment.

hes from New York?
he doesnt sound it.

General Powell reminds me of that one actor.
Jones. WHats his name? James Earl jones. I think thats his name.
He has a powerful voice too.

retarded is an offensive word?
that word is like using the N word!

angela you are a bigot!

you use retarded, Angela because Obama implied the word on JAy Leno!

I may be slow, but it is wrong to call me retarded!
where did you learn manners!Angela you are a bigot!

i am sorry i came here!
you people are rude!

thank you for answering my question

Enjoying Colin Powell and Larry King. Just to correct – when Colin Powell went to CCNY it was not "open admission." City Colleges of the City of New York were excellent universities which attracted in those days very bright people. Years ago it was easier to gain admission to NYU than it was to City Colleges. They were very selective.

where are those journalists?
are they safe?

they make weird jokes those North Koreans.

Jerry...I don't know if this is your first time on this site but anytime you state your opinion, you open yourself up to people who disagree with you trying to put you down. There are many ways of doing this. They may suggest you need to brush up on your spelling abilities; they may suggest you research the issue further implying that they have and therefore have the superior opinion; they may suggest you return to elementary school since you are in their eyes clearly uneducated; and they may attack you with words like retarded, moron, idiot, and soforth. My reaction to Angela's comment was why would you ask such a question. It is my opinion that people who use these tactics are weak on their facts themselves and use them to try and bully the oposition into silence. Don't be sorry you came to this site. It can be quite educational. You never really understand the variety of people we share this world with until you read some of the comments. The trick is not to let it bother you. You have a right to be here, you have a right to your opinion, carry on!

isnt Joy Behar on this show? shes funny at times. But she can be mean.

What is Gen Powell's perspective on 'Don't ask, don't tell' these days?

thnx John H!

i spell better in French.

In response to Rev. Dr. Thomas,
I appreciate your point of view. As a 47 year old white woman, I may not be able to understand all that has been part of the racist treatment of black people, but I have to comment on the fact that we have to show respect for police and realize that they are always walking into situations that they no nothing about it, and putting they're lives on the line for the people. I understand that Dr. Gates was angry and tired, but as Gen. Powell said, we are always better served by taking a few moments to stay composed and take the high road. Maybe, and I must say hopefully had he responded to the police inquiry with calm he would have been treated the same. I grew up in Calif. and a few years ago moved to the Memphis area and have to say that the racial tension and hostility I witness each day, leaves me wondering where we are headed as a people. Rather than growing together as a whole united people I see us holding grudges that we should have put behind us years ago. Instead we hold the ill deeds of our forefathers as something that we have to keep fighting against rather than moving forward as a new generation. By holding hatred in our minds and hearts we are doing a disservice to all people.

So glad you stepped up John, now start answering Jerrys questions.

Iran is pretending they have nukes. Right?
if Iran get nukes, will Saudi Arabia?

I am glad Col. Powell said that the Republicans blew up the deficit because I was about to tune him off before that.

How old is Larry King?
my aunt is old but shes not as aware.

Angela

I spit my juice out of my mouth when I read your comment. LOL

Biden makes alot of mistakes.

troll

I may be "retarded" as per Angelas rude comment, but at least I dont humiliate Russians as VP did!
When people are humiliated they get angry!
when people get angry they do wrong things!
kinda like Professor Gates!
ha!
a full circle tonight!
nice circle!

people who take steroids get cancer!

now I dont like Powell!
hes not a yankee fan.
jk!

where did General Powell learn diction!
LArry not one question i had you answered!

Oh give up, you are obviously some disturbed person taking on a persona of an inquisitive idiot with your up to 35 questions now, you are probably your big brother John too. Lots of people angry at LKL so you disrupt the blog. Too bad you did with a such a distinguished guest, it shows no respect for Mr. Powell, an American icon.

Colin Powell is a very smart measured man. He is a wonderfully reasonable and he would be perfect as president, but I can totally understand why he would not want it. Long may he be around to give such perceptive comments. If he ran, I can tell you he would be a shoe in. What a wonderful human being!!

I think it's unfortunate that Colin Powell has left the political arena. He is a rare, decent, great and articulate person. He would be a perfect addition to the Obama administration!

Jerry

I think it's past your bed time..so go to sleep

In '04, my son and 4 of his Sr. high school classmates won an international award conducted by the State Department called Doors to Diplomacy. The kids won a round trip, grand tour of D.C. and a scholarship. The kids were to meet with an assistant to receive the acknowledgement.
Mr. Powell was on his way to Iraq. When he read his schedule for the day, he asked that he be given 20 minutes to meet with these kids. The students were shocked when Mr. Powell walked on stage! He teased the kids about how smart his little 9 year old grandson was on the computer also. One of the boys asked Mr. Powell if he would get his money then and Mr. Powell, in a split second said, "Listen, I raised my own kids and now have grandkids. Do you really think I want your parents on my back because I gave you cash? Oh no. You let my assistant know where you are attending college and we'll get the scholarship into your account". Then he and the kids laughed! Sure enough, that August, the money was in their accounts.
These boys and girls loved Mr. Powell and found him to have a great sense of humor. Thank you, Mr. Powell for being so kind to these students.

Angela....It is no more my place to answer Jerry's questins than it is your place to attempt to put him down for them. It is you who is on the power trip, not me. You may have noted that Jerry uses French as his primary language with English being secondary. I wish I could speak, write, and read in French as he likely does. Instead of being irritated by someone who may not agree with your point of view, you may try and engaging them in the Queens English. Try to leave out unpleasant names. I haven't read all your comments and do not think you have resorted to potty language. That is in your favor. I try not to insert myself into battles but occasionally when someone uses words like "Retarded", I just can't resist. Nothing personal and obviously just an expression of my opinion, you never gain anything by dropping to that level even if the other person was the first to start it.

Jerry...You're welcome. I have been in the process of moving from my current home to another nearby and would like to study French once I have more time. I have Rosetta Stone and just need to take the time. I am in my senior years and haven't taken much interest up until now but my mother came from French/German ancestry. I can do fairly good with German and Italian but need French so I can go over there and look up relaltives. I'd probably be using my time better to get out the language CD's but I like to read these blogs and relax.

angela i am not John!
youre rude!

i can stay here!
you are not LArry King!
who the heck do you think you are Angela?
this is aMerica!!!
i can ask anything I want!

Thank you, Larry, for having a discussion with "the second most trusted man in America". Walter Cronkite is a tough act to follow, but General Powell has all of the attributes to step into WC's big shoes.
May he stay out of political office. He has so much he can contribute to our country away from the ridiculous, partisan Washington D.C. scene. He is the epitome of a gentleman. Your suggestion of him having his own show would certainly be welcomed and well watched.
Until then, please continue to have your discussions on your show.

Lynne Kean

French is not my primary language.
Its Dutch.

I'm delighted to have seen/heard your conversation with Mr. Powell. I continue to have the highest respect for him as a general, statesman, and person. I learned a lot this evening. Thank you Mr. King.

i should curse in Dutch at her!
but I will not,
I can come here anytime I want!
youre not LArry King!
Only LArry King can kick me out of here!

and I looked up what troll means!
what did I do that was so wrong?

is this a chat room?

Mr. King, my wife and I watch your program or at least check to see what it is about most nights. Thank you for having General Powell as your guest tonight. With all of the ridiculous news programing the American public is subjected to, it was wonderful to hear from a man we respect so much, a man who places the good of this country and it's people first rather than trying to promote himself.
Our only regret is the program couldn't go 3 hrs so we would have 3 hrs of quality instead of one and 2 hrs of more hype about the same old stories....... just to fill time.
Robert & Elsie

I use to like Gen. Powell but tonight he showed his true colors...no pun intended

Larry
On the interview with General Powell you referred to CCNY as a school that anyone can get into.
This was not the case in the 1950s and early 60s.
CCNY required a 90 plus average from High School and was extremely competitive. There was an option to attend night school and then transfer to day school after a certain grade point and average was attained.
Alexis Maas
Colonel, USA RET.
CCNY 1964

Oh come on Angela! You actually had to go back and count how many comments Jerry had made to date. Really bothers you does he? You appear to have appointed yourself as judge and jury on what comments meet your approval and what comments don't. If Jerry is asking questions that you don't understand or approve of, why don't you just keep scrolling down until you come to one you do approve of. You know, I might just be his big brother. He would have to be a Marcotte though and I suspect France being a large country, we are more likely not related. Be that as it may, it does not take a big brother to respond to your comments. You apparently prefer the low road.

Love Colin Powell.He's well respected.

As far as Rush L that is one who should take a Urine test before going on the air because how he yells,jumps around,he acts like he's back on drugs.

As far as the heath care.One that was work for Cigna Ins has stated on MSNBC that when they took the single payer off the table the lobbyist for the Ins Companies were jumping around like little kids in a candy store.These lobbyist are paying big bucks to campaigns for anyone that votes NO.
He has stated that single payer is good unlike what the GOPs are throwing out with the Fear card that they have used often.

Canada loves theirs and they are tired of being the boogie man for the GOPs in Washtington who have lied about Canada and their health care.

Many in the USA last year have died because they had no health care and couldn't afford it.Thousands this year will be without health care.

It's time for the Demo Party to stop worrying about working with the Party of No who will vote anything that is good for the American people down. And it's time for any Demo Senator who gets campaign dollars by voting No to Health Care out.72% of the people want it.

lou 7200 Tulsa....You are apparently under the false impression that the majority here agree with your dismisal of General Powell. I always enjoy hearing from him. His opinions of current events are of great interest to many Americans and will continue to be of interest to me. Not sure if you just checked into the net to stir things up but I doubt your sarcasm has had the effect you hoped for.

Angela you need to relax woman !!! take a deep breath...give the guy a break...

As an African American forensic psychologist/therapist and former forensic instructor, I believe that the concerns for racial profiling should be addressed from an unified training perspective. A recent pilot by Chandler, Chandler, and Clark (2009), suggested a positive relationship between professional training and diversity awareness. In other words, better training leads to more diversity awareness among criminal justice professionals; and perhaps, less racial profiling. In addition, the study also suggested a positive relationship between ethics and diversity awareness. Meaning, the more a police officer utilizes the ethical principles of the profession, the higher their diversity consciousness will be. Although the study is preliminary, it offers at least one possible solution to a complex issue.

See ERIC Database and Document: ED505031 – The Relationship between Self-Appraisal, Professional Training, and Diversity Awareness among Forensic Psychology Students: A Pilot Formative Evaluation

With respect to General Powell, he goofed on his comment about the Gates matter. He was not there, he does not know Sgt Crowley. When he said some "adult" supervision" should have taken place when the Sgt arrested Gates, he is implying that Sgt Crowley is not an adult. Powell has never been a police officer and has no idea what their day is like or how much danger they encounter. He did the same thing Obama did....just made it worse.

the color of your skin does not matter when you are dealing with the police. if you do not totally submit you are obstructing. I am white and I know that if I speak my mind to police, (in disagreement) they will consider it an insult and begin to take my rights away, first by telling me if I continue to TALK I will be aressted, Hmmmm, There is no freedom of speech when you are dealing with the police,,, unless you have a camera and they dont take it as evidence.

I live in the Chicago area, and believe the parents are responsible for their children, and from what I and the nation has seen, there is a big problem here.

maybe if the cops where more freindly and walked the beat, saturation style, and stay to befriend the cummunity, where you know the cop on the beat by name.

Virginia...I agree with your opinion that Sgt Crowley has a very dangerous job and it is probably hard for most people to understand all that must go through an officers mind as they confront a possible violent individual. They had to assume the worst and take precautions to protect themselves and others in the vicinity. I think you misunderstood what General Powell was saying; however. What he was saying was simply that anyone when being confronted by a police officer should approach the situation carefully and cooperate rather than confront. I think that is something you would agree with. His point was that if he was being mistreated, his best approach would be to cooperate and then file a complaint later. Officer Crowley had no way of knowing if Professor Gates was in fact a burglar who may be accompanied by others who are out of sight. Until he is able to rule that out, he must proceed with extreme caution. Even seeing Professor Gates' ID would not necessarily rule out the possibility that someone was in the background influencing Professor Gates' actions.

POWELL FOR PRESIDENT.

JERRY for President!!!!!!
He Know 3 nooooooooooo 5 languages aLL eUROpean LIKE FRENCH, rUSSIA, dURTCH, ENGLISH AND DICTION THE REST OF....NITE OFF.

Angela you are too funny!

Also, I don't think Officers arrest everyone who insults them or ticks them off, there's no room in jail for that. It's overcrowded.

No Powell for president, no way

Usually we think of Mr. Powell as a very self centered man who refuses to push for affirmative action after he benefited from it himself. However, in this case, I think the responds he gave to Larry King is on the mark. Mr. Gates should have stopped because he was not an authoritative figure there at that particular point in time, it was the police. He should have respected their demands, do as they said and everything could have been alright. But instead, he became pompous because at the back of his mind, he knows the President is a semi-black man and obviously his friend. So he took that time to make an ass out of himself. Respect to authority is just not only to be preached to young people, older people should respect authority too despite the fact that the person in authority has a different color of skin and he or she is younger than you are. What would have been his reaction if someone in his class acted that way to him when he was teaching and tried to assert certain authority in his class? Someone will say, it is not the same thing. Yes, of course it is.

Also, someone should advice Obama to choose his friends very carefully. We certainly do not want a sitting President to take sides in a dispute his so call friends caused. When you become a President, all loyalty to friends should be chucked. You should be unbiased at all times, friends or not. If not, then you really have to rethink your line of work. You say what you may about Bush, but he never would have stooped to that level. And what does that tells us really. It tells us that, a President is like a father, and a father should never take sides among his children or he split the family apart. "UNDERSTAND", IVY LEAGUE.

I do not care what race you are once a office of the law ask for your I.D
and you do not provide it you are subject to arrest,so the way I see it the race card is once again being used to put a person of color above the law.
I am sick of it.

Colin Powell made one of the best quotes I have heard in a long time.
"Anger is best, controlled." General Powell is a classy guy.

Please share!

so, I think the facts need to be a little more understood. Officer Crowley was eligible to walk in the house until the person in the home proves that that is his or her residence. It seems evident that Gates had given the officer a hard time. Collin Powell even said that he should have controlled his temper and followed the officers orders. If an officer is planning to arrest a person solely on racism, they wouldn't call other officers to witness it, particularly officers that are black and hispanic. Crowley had probably more officers and Harvard police to help calm the situation after Gates became heated. The officer had went outside. Gates followed. The woman that called 911 said that the only sound she had heard after the officer had arrived was Gates yelling. So it is evident that Gates had followed the officer outside and continued to "mouth off" at the officer. At this point the officer has a decision to make. They are in the view of the public and a crowd has begun to gather (in the photo of Gates getting arrested the black officer is keeping the crowd back). Now that Gates is mouthing off and yelling at a police officer (who risk their lives everyday and must maintain their image of authority), if the officers had walked away, it would have given an image to the public that anyone can mouth off, yell, and cry racial profiling at police and get away with it. I understand the officer's choice in arresting Gates because they must maintain their image of authority and respect. if not, then that will make their jobs much more difficult when people can think less of officers and undermine their authority to maintain a situation and keep the peace.

Larry, I always enjoy your show and I always enjoy General Powell. He is still an awesome leader. I totally agree with his comments re Prof. Gates. I am a retired Army Logistics officer living in Georgia. I am also a minister and pastor of a local church. Several years ago my daughter enter our house and triggered the alarm. I never got the usual call from the alarm company to verify that we were safe. It was a Sunday morning and my wife and I were getting ready for church. The local police responded and they should however, my daughter left door opened so the police entered our home. While in the bathroom brushing my teeth I heard my asking "sir what are you doing in my house?" I came out of the bathroom to face two white officers (a male & female) on my stairs. The male officer with gun drawn pointed at me said step back into the room. I informed him that I was the owner and getting ready for church. He kept his gun on me and said "I said get back in the room." Finally after remaining a civil tone of voice and insisting that I was the owner of the house, the officer put his gun away and said he was responding to a call from the alarm company. This I think was similar to Prof. Gates situation. General Powell's comments are correct. It is best to remain calm, cooperate and make the complaints later. In my case, not only could I have lost my life in my own home, but my wife and children also. I don't know what was going on in the mind of this young white male officer. It is most unfortunate that tough we (American people) have elected an African-American president, racism will raise its ugly head much more now than in recent history.

I think racial profiling has been used for idenification issues for years and rightly so we are a diverce nation, some people carry it to exstreme somtimes, and that is wrong i mean the man was tired and he just wanted to get in his house and go to bed maybe drink something or what ever

What a wise and learned man is General Colin Power.

The 911 call made by Lucia Whelan contradicts Sgt. James Crowley's Police Report. She never says anything about 2 Black men with backpacks at Prof. Henry Lewis Gates, Jr.'s door. There has been no attention to him making things difficult for her with his false statement.

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the wisdom of Colon Powell. He really is the man of the hour. I agree with him on many of the issues addressed tonight. I continue to be impressed with the manner inwhich he communicates the truth.
In the Case of the Gates, the Police and Gates should have been respectful to each other. There is a serious problem with racial profiling. And Gates was a victim. There is no way around that one.
I like the way Mr. Powell communicated the issue.
Mr. Powell was very diplomatic .

I loved the program tonight Larry, we need more republicans with class like Powell, that will engage in constructive dialogue instead of the decisive rhetoric we see in majority of the party. I love my country and i would love to see more voters hold our lawmakers accountable for their actions instead of just complaining about Washington. We have to realize that we the people vote to send these officials to Washington we must hold their feet to the fire on the issues. If were not happy with them don't vote for them, we need more bipartisanship not birther conspiracy theory's not the Rush Limbaughs but solutions to our many problems.

I understand where "its me" is coming from with his position on race. I hate to say it but VERY sadly I do agree with him. I would like it if we would all start holding ourselves accountable, take responsibility not only in our lives but of our strength of charactor. I am so sick of hearing hate and negativity. Grow up people. ITs high time we started acting as grown people who care for ourselves enough not to fall back on our races. (with the acception of Jerry, he needs all the help he can get, and good luck to you my friend) I think that there was some truth of what Mr Powel said however STOP USING YOUR RACE AS A REASON TO ACT like some irrisponsible insane babbling idiot with no reguard for anyone elses jobs or feelings or what have you. So many of us are growing tired of it and it really shadows the severity of when someone actually is the victim of a serious hate crime or prejudice. And to all the non white people out there start focusing on yourselves take the barriers and the hate out of your hearts as well because its no picnic being white in a black community let me tell you that. (or native american or really any one race predominant neighborhood) You faught the good fight now its time to stop the fight and start realizing that joe down the road is just as good of a man as tyrel up the street and so on. Start judging people on who they are not what they are. I dont know about the rest of you people but im bloody sick of all this. Its a big ugly mess of crap that is completely unnecessary. Stop it, be accountable for yourself, and dont take ignorance personally. Remember when you fall, pick yourself up, dust the dirt on your knees to your feet, and grow into something stronger and more beautiful then you had ever hoped to be.

Larry,

I've watched your programs for years and indeed one of the many reasons I chose to come to this country as far back as my first year in high school among other things. For those of us in the Diaspora, as young men in high school back in Africa, exchange teacher programs with scholars from the west such as the US and Canada; true democracy; freedom of the press and networks such as CNN; Hollywood movies; The Bill Cosby Show and music by Billy ocean, Tracey Chapman, Freddie Jackson, Johnny Gil, Bobby Brown, Heavy D, New Kids On The Block, Michael Jackson and many more have been the driving inspiration for most of us. I have a 13 year old son with tow little girls ages 5 and 4 and with so much cloudiness as a result of the global economic down turn, nothing inspires me more than watching programs like the one you aired with General Powell tonight. I would take what I learned from him to instill that steadfastness on my children to become good public servants.

As someone from Africa with children, General Powell has once again reignited my true believe in this country. As a nation we should be grateful to have public servants like him. What a program, what two great men and what an interaction in which issues of real importance were visited with seriously thoughtful rigor.

Saul

Finally!! Thanks Colin for saying exactly what I have been saying since the beginning!

Common sense and the OBVIOUS prevails!

Mr. Gates acted wholey inappropriately and I hope he comes down off his unwarranted high horse and apologizes profusely to the good officer this week....get it over with.

His is an arrogant, pompous, self-righteous and WRONG man - this is now his legacy.
And with good reason.

Also – – nearly EVERYONE at some point has been the subject of some sort of "profiling"
Whether it's racial, gender, age, etc.

And often times what some people call "profiling" is actually something that happens to e-v-e-r-y-o-n-e!!

like the man says...you "suck it up" and get over it.

thank you Colin Powell for being a MAN - a grown man and showing that big baby gates just how a "real" man acts. thank you!

Larry,
General Powell is like the "Oracle of Omaha," a calm reassuring voice among the varied opinions. Colon Powell Rocks! I thoroughly enjoyed his refreshing views and opinions on every issue facing us as American people. He's simply grounded as a human being, man, father, and leader, and who is not afraid to cry in public.

Thanks.

oh yawn....yawn.

Just replace the word "woman" or "young person" or "old person" or "disabled person" in his story...and you have the same thing that happens to all of us.

get over it already.

"no one could believe a woman would be the advisor to the president"
"no one could believe such a young person could be a the advisor to the president"
and on and on it goes.

it happens.
unless your life is in grave danger, just get over it.

we can all say we were "profiled" every day of our lives if we want to look at the world so negatively.
I had to wait for my coffee order this morning because the barrista waited on the men first! it's because I'm a woman!!

I didn't get the job because I'm too young!!

I didn't get a promotion because I'm too old!!

I was passed over for a promotion because I'm too good-looking!!

Every moment of every day can be used to say I was "profiled" for something, and sure, if I want to live an unhappy, negative life I can dwell on it.

I choose not to....unlike Gates.
Even Colin Powell doesn't quite "get it"....if you want to stop profiling - then don't discriminate against all others who are profiled because of their height, their looks, their gender, their weight, their disabilities, their hair color, their clothing choices, their eye glasses.
I could go on and on.
It happens people - get over it already or talk about everyone - and stop being bigoted and racist about ONE COLOR ONLY!!!!

Their are plenty of other colors, religions, heights, weights, eye colors, etc.!!!

Colin Powell sounds like Pres Obama - speaking without the FACTS.

He obviously did NOT listen to the radio traffic between the officer and the police station.

There was not "verbal altercation" as Powell stated.

In fact, the officer was EXTREMELY low-key, cool, calm and collected and you can clearly hear gates yelling his head off in the background.

Mr. Powell should get his facts straight before sounding as the Pres said "stupidly." hmmmm!

Mr. King:
I have been a fan of your program for many years now. In tonight's broadcast of your conversation with Colin Powell, you discussed his educational background briefly. You implied that Mr. Powell was an average (or perhaps below average) high school student and that he attended The City College (C.C.N.Y.) of the City University of New York (C.U.N.Y.). In doing so, you stated "They allow anyone to go there...I think." I found your tone when you made this comment insulting. It implied that the school and its student body are sub-standard and that its scholarly requirements are not up to par with other universities. This is an elitist’s point of view and I am saddened that you, an honored member of the journalistic community, would denounce C.C.N.Y and C.U.N.Y. in that manner. I recently returned to school to earn my BA and hope to pursue a Master degree in Architecture. C.C.N.Y. is my college of choice for these pursuits. C.C.N.Y. has a long history of highly successful graduates and I have studied under professors who have taught at Columbia and New York Universities. C.C.N.Y. standards are high and the education provided there is second to none. Of course, as with any educational pursuit, you get out of it what you put into it so motivation and desire to succeed are important aspects to a great education.
Hubert Hernandez

"Verbal altercation" does not necessarily mean that both parties were out of line.... Powell: "he was in a mood where he said something."

Colin Powell admits that America has a problem with Racial Profiling because even he as Army General was Racially Profiled. It is sad situation that cnn is doing some biased reporting on the side of the cops. O

OF COURSE THE COP ACTED STUPIDLY! WHEN YOU ARREST SOMEONE IN THERE OWN HOME AFTER PRESENTING A VALID DRIVER'S LICENSE AND HARVARD PROFESSOR ID THAT IN SELF IS MORE THAN A STUPID ACT BUT IT IS RACIAL PROFILING.

IF THIS SITUATION WAS REVERSED, THERE IS NO WAY THAT OFFICER CROWLEY WOULD HAVE ARRESTED, A 66 YEAR OLD WHITE MAN, WHO IS PARTIALLY DISABLED, HANDCUFFED HIM AND TAKE AWAY HIS WALKING CANE, EVEN AFTER ALL THE VALID ID WERE PRESENTED. THAT IS AN ABUSE OF POLICE POWER!
IF THE ARREST WAS VALID THEY WOULD HAVE NEVER DROPPED THE CHARGES!
CAUSE CHARGES OF DISORDERLY CONDUCT IN YOUR OWN HOME WOULD HAVE NEVER STUCK!
BESIDES IT IS NOT DISORDERLY CONDUCT TO ASK AN OFFICER FOR HIS NAME AND BADGE NUMBER.
PROFESSOR GATES PLEASE SUE THE HELL OUT OF THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE DEPT., ESPECIALLY IF THEY DO NOT APPOLOGIZE.
THE LAWSUIT SHOULD BE BASED ON A FALSE ARREST AND A DEFAMATION CHARACTER AND THE MEDIA ASSAINATION OF YOUR CHARACTER BECAUSE THE MEDIA IS PRESENTING YOU AS CRIMINAL BY BOMBARDING THE PUBLIC WORLDWIDE WITH YOUR MUGSHOT AND YOUR PICTURE IN HANDCUFFS.

AS PART OF A TEACHABLE MOMENT PRESIDENT OBAMA SHOULD ALLOW YOU, PROFESSOR GATES TO RETRAIN SERGEANT CROWLEY AND THE OFFICERS IN HIS PRECINCT ABOUT RACIAL PROFILING BECAUSE HE DOES NOT HAVE CLUE OR HE WOULD NEVER HAVE MADE SUCH A STUPID ARREST!
LASTLY I ENJOYED YOUR DOCUMENTARY ON CHANNEL 13 IN WHICH YOU TRACED THE ROOTS/ DNA OF FAMOUS CELEBRITIES SUCH AS OPRAH, WHOOPPI GOLDBERG, CHRIS TUCKER, AND QUINCY JONES BACK TO AFRICA AND SOME PARTS OF EUROPE.
IT SEEMED ODD THAT SERGEANT CROWLEY FAILED TO RECOGNIZE FROM YOUR TV DOCUMENTARY.
MAYBE YOU NEED TO MAKE A DOCUMENTARY ON RACIAL PROFILING AS WELL.

Gates Street Lawyer Tactics No Match For Cops

Talk about arrest and irony. The arrest of Henry “Skip” Gates was a page directly out of the newly released book A Black Man’s Guide To Law Enforcement In America. In Lesson 3: Street Lawyer, Using Proper Etiquette When You are Speaking to Police, author Shafiq R. Fulcher Abdussabur writes, “ Historically, most circumstances that have involved conflict between police and young African American and Latino/Hispanic males have been the result of a “failure to communicate” by all parties. What you need to know is if the police come up short on communication skills, it will not result in the officer going to jail. You will be the one to pay the price! So pay close attention!”

Professor Gates did not pay attention to the false arrest warning signs. He argued that he was in his house and that he was not breaking into his home as a criminal intruder. His accident was that he was just locked out of his house and viewed his interaction with the police as a victim of law enforcement racial profiling. His anger was drawn from his thoughts of black racial profiling and racism rights. Gates communicated in all of the wrong ways by starting a racial profiling debate during his encounter with the police. Author Abdussabur said, “like President Barack Obama, I was not there either. However, I know the accidents of facts that lead to Gates arrest. I wrote about it in my new book.”

In A Black Man’s Guide To Law Enforcement In America, Lesson 3: Street Lawyer Using Proper Etiquette When You are Speaking to Police, author Shafiq R. Fulcher Abdussabur writes, “if a citizen became loud and rowdy with the officer, it will most likely lead to the officer arresting the citizen for disorderly conduct or interfering with a police investigation.” Abdussabur goes on to write. “Remember, in most cases, you will come out fine during almost any non-felony-related stop as long as you are courteous and polite. Don’t try to be cute or a smart mouth, even if your parent or relative is a police officer, or your father is the Chief of Police, or you are the Mayor’s son. The bottom line is during a police investigation, the officer on scene will decide your fate based on his/her discretion and that will not be reviewed until a court date. By that time, you already will have been arrested, pepper sprayed or tazered. Some of you need to leave all of the homemade “street lawyer” debate for home or after the stop.” Such was the case with the locked out of the house homeowner and well-educated Henry Louis Gates.

The incident spiraled out of control when President Obama put his two cents in, saying that “the cops acted stupidly.” However, what Gates and President Obama do not realize is that when it comes to getting into confrontations with the police, the only status that matters is “who is a cop and who is not.” Even though Gates holds the title of the "25 Most Influential Americans," he was still no match for the tin man. Author Shafiq Abdussabur said, “had Gates been able to read just Lesson 3 of my book, it would have saved both he and the President Obama a lot of time, money and energy rather than stirring up a national debate on racial profiling cases.”

Abdussabur’s latest book, A Black Man’s Guide To Law Enforcement In America, not only deals with the tough issues about racial profiling. This dynamic book also gives tough love instructions for those who think they have been victims of racial ethnic profiling, but only to realize that they just where poor communicators. Though President Barack Obama came out with strong remarks about his observations about law enforcement racial profiling, it did not matter because professor Gate’s arrests photos had already been plastered across the internet. Henry “Skip” Gates tried to regain his status by appearing on CNN’s Black In America 2 in a 911 racial profiling debate to give his police report version of the circumstances of his arrest. If he is truly serious about finding solutions on how to stop racial profiling, he must know that tough talk and high profile interviews on Black In America 2 with Soledad O’Brien will not alone change racial profiling in USA.

Author Shafiq R. Fulcher Abdussabur said, “I can understand President Barack Obama wanting to stick up for his friend Henry Louis “Skip” Gates. However, President Obama’s staff should shield him from being baited into opening a national racial profiling discrimination Pandora’s box over an isolated incident involving one of his colleagues during a legitimate criminal police stop. There are bigger issues at hand that plague both national law enforcement agencies and the minority communities. Issues revolving around racial profiling will not just go away because of someone Is Not Acting Stupidly. It will take a process of educating both the police and the communities of color on racial profiling solutions that could eventually end racial profiling. A Black Man’s Guide To Law Enforcement In America takes the reader on an educational voyage behind the Great Blue Wall of law enforcement and gives them a first hand look at the real issues between police and people of color.

Dr Gates vs Police: "Black Power" and Job security in a new and fair American society.

One of the most difficult and painful transition, that societies experience after a long period of racial and social injustice, is when the former victims, with their new acquired sense of social and racial power, try or are perceived to try to "get even". This is also part of the equation in the incident at Dr Gates's house.
After presenting his ID to the officer, both men knew that the (black) professor had the political power and high connections to have the (white) police sergeant "fired" - for whatever reason. The officer's pre-emptive strike in order to protect his job was to arrest Dr Gates for disorderly conduct (black power / arrogance) while he still had the upper hand so that he could later be protected by his police association in securing his job and re-establishing the balance of power.
In some other countries, the setting of that new equilibrium in the balance of power between people of different classes or races can be very costly and deadly. The city of Cambridge was lucky that evening.
Freedom is not free and justice is not cheap.
As "Black Power" in America moves from a fantasy with the Black Panthers of the 60's to the reality of Obama's presidency and most importantly his Justice Department new instructions and directives, may God help us all and protect this young nation as we all begin to enjoy and pay the high price for a fair, just, mature and equal society.
As the American Revolution finally caught up with the Haitian Revolution by truly embracing Universal Freedom and Human Rights and equality of opportunities for economic and social status for all citizens in the United States of America, let us all hope for a fairly peaceful resolution of America's old and current dilemma of "separate and unequal" institutions and communities living side by side.
Dr Gates incident is indeed a teachable moment, as well as a wake up call for all of us as American society continues to struggle with its "Identity Crisis" as a nation and is now force to deal with the additional challenge of an Executive branch that is able and willing to apply US laws to the fullest and respect the true meaning of the American Constitution as demanded by Dr. Martin Luther King in his historical address at the Washington Mall in 1963.
President Barack Obama at the White House in 2009 and Toussaint Louverture as Commander in Chief of St Domingue in 1801 have so much in common...Let us all learn from history. It would be very unwise to repeat the same mistakes of the past.
We should not and we must not. May God bless "our new" America!

JFC
----
I have great admiration for General Colin Powell.
He is a great leader and has played an important role resolving a very delicate and potentialy bloody conflict in Haiti in September 94. But last night on LKL, he did not sound like my hero who defeated the army of Saddam Hussein. There are still situations when people have every right to be very upset and mad and even violent in this world...and Dr Gates was correct to get these "people" out of his home as soon as he had established that he was the owner.
Jean

I am a former white police officer that worked in a African American area in southeast Florida. I will tell it like it is, since I am no longer a cop. I personally, would have not arrested Mr. Gates. Only because it was his residence and I could understand how he would be angry about the negative attention he was getting from the community. It is embarrassing to be confronted by the police, especially when your peers are present. However, most (aggressive) confrontations amongst Blacks and police officers in this country could be avoided if Blacks were not raised to hate the police. Most people do not like the police, but Blacks in America despise them. I noticed this immediately when I served as a cop in Florida. This is a true statement and it was extremely obvious when I served and protected the community. Do your own research if you do not believe this statement. So if Blacks in this country feel that the police need to change, than they should probably sit back and take a good look at themselves. Nobody in this country is perfect of course, but you can not point the finger at the police. If Mr. Gates didn't hate the cops, and the cops practiced discretion, than this stupid confrontation, would not be in the news, and our President would not have pointed the finger at white cops. Told like it should be told, by an American veteran and former police officer.

PLEASE.........get over it......I am sure Mr. Gates brought this all on himself....Stop standing behind the race card and put the deck away once and for all.

I am so tired of hearing the "race card" played out. These officers were doing their job! Would he had whether his home get robbed and not have a person concerned enough to report there may be a robbery in process? Come on AMERICA, let's get together here as one, for we are losing our precious soldiers fighting for our freedom and safety. Please let all this nonsense stop and think of the REAL problems in this COUNTRY USA!