Ya gotta love America. Two weeks ago, when Police Sgt. James Crowley and Harvard Prof. Henry Louis Gates Jr. were screaming at each other like Archie Bunker and George Jefferson, I'm fairly certain the last thing either man thought at that racially-charged moment was that they'd soon be sipping beer together and yukking it up in the White House Rose Garden with President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden. But that's precisely what they did this week, proving once again that anything can and will happen in this nutty country of ours.
In a storybook ending worthy of Rodney "why can't we all just get along" King, the Massachusetts antagonists posed in what will go down in political history as the cheesiest, most embarrassing and most gratuitously sensational photo-op ever.
Crowley, after his highly controversial disorderly-conduct arrest of Prof. Gates in his own home, suggested to Obama, after the leader-of-the-free-world said the Cambridge police "acted stupidly," that the three of them get together for a White House brewsky to kiss and make up. A boneheaded suggestion which the president boneheadedly accepted.
With the four men seated at a round table with their frosty mugs of Blue Moon, Bud Light, Sam Adams Light and Buckler's beers, and with Biden and Obama with uprolled sleeves, the picture could not have looked more fake and insincere. What the hell the president intended to get out of this Kumbaya charade is anyone's guess. Neither Gates or Crowley will dislike each other any less, and race relations in America will not be changed one single iota.
That Obama felt the need to inject himself into this non-story and take away precious presidential time from pressing economic and health care matters is beyond belief. For an awfully bright guy who usually has laser-like focus on priorities, this time he's bungled it big time.
Jonathan Rieder: Final Thoughts on Beer Summits and Postracial Paradoxes
Now that the dust from the Gates dust-up has settled, a bit of perspective is in order. Glib invocations of a color-blind society were always too breathless.
No one at the table said that the meeting for a beer was going to heal race relations. Matter of fact the proesident himslf said as much.
What the President had to say on the matter was truthful honest and needed to be said on both occasions. His first response was that of a constitutional lawyer...which he is...the second as a president...agian, which he is.
The meeting was basicaly for the men to get together and get past the beef not heal race relations. Furthur more given that you were not there at the table talking to them much less even on the scene to see it with the rest of the media voltures all you have to go on are a few snap shops. Are you seriously going to base the meaning of this meeting on a few snap shops and your perception of them?
Racial conflict is fundamentally psychological and dependent upon projection. It's ephemeral and hard to address, that's what's so pernicious about it. Obviously both Gates and Crowley were projecting much more than the simple checking out and dismissing of a possible break-in, otherwise it would have been a non event that both would have forgotten by now. But no, it literally became a federal case and Obama, after being drawn in, perceived the "teachable moment". Which is about seeing projection when it's happening and ending the cycle. It is just a moment and a small step, but I'm sure that at least some people on the edge of running this script will back off because of this episode.
Small steps can be big deals in the long run. Unfortunately the media gets bored and testy if everything isn't a blockbuster. If it isn't an explosive outcome they'll try to make it one.
This wasnt about healing it was about listening. I didnt take it to mean that race is no longer a problem lets move on.
The lesson President Obama takes from this is the country is CLEARLY NOT READY to have a frank discussion on race and from now on I will NEVER discuss issues like this again. And my response BRAVO!!!
The last twenty years of politics in Washington has been petty and vicious, the Republicans still can't bring themselves to fulfill their role as the loyal opposition. All they can do is throw stones and sow fear.
I'm sorry if Obama's tactics aren't bloody enough for you; but you might wait more than a few days to see what the results are.
Obama has good manners and is trying to teach this disrespectful, out of whack country of ours some good manners.
So, you have to "pretend" to enjoy "Crazy Aunt Minnie's" stories about her bladder surgery or deal with "Wheezy Uncle Clyde's" wheezing.
So what?
More people in this country should "pretend" to be nice to each other and just shush up. The GOP should "pretend" that they are good sports about losing the election the way our gracious president is "pretending" to let them save some face after their debacle last November.
But NO -- everyone wants to be in everyone else's face and be honest 24/7.
Well, no thank you, please. I would prefer a bit more "dishonest" civility,
And, the funny thing is, that sometimes when you "pretend," you end up finding that you actually LIKE something. The way my kids "pretended" to like certain foods for years and now enjoy eating almost everthing!
As it is, you may have been on vacation in the Amazon and missed it, the Cambridge incident was the lead story in the press for over a week at the expense of everything else.
Obama is only guilty of answering a question honestly. You want to cast aspersions, look to your "journalists".
What's interesting is that President Obama was shocked that his orginal remarks was a big deal. I guess he naievely believe that when folks say they want honesty from the their leaders that they really mean it.
No wonder republicans bamboozle and lie to the American people they KNOW its what they want they DO NOT want the TRUTH. Pres Obama actually believe that they want honesty.
The lesson he'll learn is that when people say they want honesty they dont so from now on he will pick his words carefully and he will sound like all the other politicians.
Just one thing... when did Crowley "scream" at Gates? I have not read any account making that claim. A witness who was outside said the police were calm at all times.
You need not go any further than the recent poll which shows an inordinately large number of people in the South who believe that Barack Obama's birth place is suspect. The fact that the margin is so great, in relation to every other part of the country, is a jarring and unacceptable reality that must be faced, and addressed firmly. Since the Rethuglican Party's "Southern Strategy" of the late '60's, popularized even more by Nixon in the '70's, there has been this cloaked segregated thought process that gets tip toed around and never adequately addressed.
If not now, When? If not Obama, Who?
He is demonstrating to us all that there is a common ground where we all can respect, eat, work and live together, in spite of our diversity. Like him, we can find that common ground if we look for it. Just what he said at the Notre Dame Commencement. Are we ready to take conciliatory actions to bring together the Gates and the Crowleys of this world? Please read the analysis below.Analysis: Obama's rare race foray a positive step. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_obama_harvard_scholar_analysis
The "Perception" as to who was wrong is, and will be, a totally subjective determination.
To force or demand an apology will especially not satisfy the intellectually challenged amongst us. And unfortunately, they are the most vocally intransigent.
Acceptance of the stance, or the belief, of those on the other side of the question will, and has to be, an evolutionary process.
That evolutionary process can only be arrived at through conversation and deliberation.
It is a rare situation, indeed, for anyone to agree with an opposing viewpoint, in the heat of a discussion. It's even rarer in the case of an apology.
If and when an apology were to come, it would be decidedly more convincing with the benefit of time. IMHO.
The teachable moment is that all three -- expecially Gates and Crowley agreed to disagree. And no fake apologies are needed. But more importantly they decided to act like adults and find a way to work together in spite of their disagreements.
You and I were not involved. It is between Gates and Crowley. And if one day, over beers while working on that racial profiling documentary, the two men decide to "hug it out" neither you and I will be there.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/Over-Beers/
Yep... it was really embarassing cheesy photo-op.
Finally, Andy, you're responsible for teaching your children humility and forgiveness. I shudder to think what they are learning from you. I guess the lesson they get from you is "if the world doesn't do what you want, grieve they way you want, make up they way you want, then whine about it."