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Powell: Gates, Cops Both at Fault

Both sides overreacted; people should 'cooperate' with police

By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff

Posted Jul 29, 2009 7:08 AM CDT
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(Newser) – Speaking to Larry King about Henry Louis Gates’ arrest, Colin Powell said he’d faced racial profiling “many times,” and suggested both the professor and the police were at fault in the incident, the Huffington Post reports. Gates “should have reflected on whether or not this was the time to make that big a deal,” Powell said, while police shouldn’t have taken things so far.

Powell advised “young people” to “cooperate” with police. “Don't make the situation more difficult.” When racially profiled, “you protest, you try to get things fixed, but it's kind of a better course of action to take it easy and don't let your anger make the current situation worse.” As for police, “I would have thought” at the point of arrest that “some adult supervision would have stepped in and said, OK, look, it is his house. Let's not take this any further.”

This image made from television and provided by CNN Larry King Live shows former Secretary of State Colin Powell, right, during an interview with Larry King on Tuesday July 28, 2009 in Washington.
This image made from television and provided by CNN Larry King Live shows former Secretary of State Colin Powell, right, during an interview with Larry King on Tuesday July 28, 2009 in Washington.   (AP Photo/Courtesy CNN Larry King Live)
This 1997 file photo released by Harvard University shows professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., on the Harvard University campus in Cambridge, Mass.
This 1997 file photo released by Harvard University shows professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., on the Harvard University campus in Cambridge, Mass.   (AP Photo/Jane Reed, File)
This image made from television and provided by CNN Larry King Live shows former Secretary of State Colin Powell, right, during an interview July 28, 2009.
This image made from television and provided by CNN Larry King Live shows former Secretary of State Colin Powell, right, during an interview July 28, 2009.   (AP Photo/Courtesy CNN Larry King Live)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 17 comments
easterner
Aug 2, 2009 7:18 AM CDT
The question is was the money really for her? Tough to prove that it wasn't anyways.Gates did light the match to start a fire.I think Powell is right when he was trying to say Gates “should have reflected on whether or not this was the time to make that big a deal" because of the attention he drew to himself he now drew attention to the way monies were handled at Inkwell.This may not go away that quickly.
lindamae
Jul 30, 2009 4:39 AM CDT
Perhaps Gates should watch a few cops and robbers shows to learn what good police policy and protocol are. Crowley had one mission. To protect and serve the owner of the house.- whoever it was. All Gates had to do was follow Crowley outside and explain what had happened, that it was a simple situation of the door sticking because of a prior break in, and that he was safe, not being held hostage by a crazy behind the door. There is nothing like an educated fool. Gates did not have to come out the door yelling. I'd have had to ask myself if Gates was suffering from drug problems since he couldn't behave himself in a rational manner. Cops cannot make second guesses. Their lives - and the lives of others are at stake. The cops I know support Crowley 110% and are furious with Obama. Besides beer, he'd better give the cops another gift. Perhaps he could put them on his special government health plan with the members of Congress and ACORN.
Timinator2K
Jul 29, 2009 12:53 PM CDT
How goofy is all this that top leaders feel so compelled to jump into a much ado about nothing, local matter? But then again, for Gates and his new cop pal, the publicity is/will be good for their bank accounts. HEY! THESE TWO COOKED THE WHOLE THING UP ALL UP FOR...PROFIT! ;)

 
police • Larry King • arrest • Colin Powell • racial profiling • Henry Louis Gates Jr • Cambridge, Mass.

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