Hutzpa, soap, and respect for law enforcement

The recent arrest of professor Henry Gates of Harvard by Sergeant Crowley of the Cambridge police department is, indeed, a very teachable moment. So many things to teach:

1) Being smart enough to recognize when it is racism, and when it isn't.
Sgt. Crowley’s not the racist. I’m not so sure about the eh steamed professor.
Indeed, Crowley is a police instructor on race relations. (Makes this story even better.)

2) Having some respect for law enforcement, and some humility.
The Harvard professor wasn’t smart enough to figure out that the police were called to the scene to investigate a possible crime. And he’s the cause of it by trying to brake into his own home. (I know. It can happen. But one should realize the cosmetics of ones actions, and ride out the aftermath, being apologetic and grateful for the help.) The police are the ones who will determine when it’s safe, and when the investigation is over. Not him.

3) Soap.
An education good enough to make you a professor at Harvard: Hundreds of thousands of dollars.
A bar of soap: $1.75
Washing il professore’s foul mouth out with it: Priceless.
Hey, professor, is cursing and screaming at police a class you teach at Harvard? Or have you learned it in the ‘60’s, and kept applying it to the present day?

4) HUTZPA!
Here’s the biggie that no one seems to talk about.
Gates knows the President of the United States. Gates breaks into his own house (forgot his key; couldn’t get the door open; whatever. Stupid.) The police show up and investigate. He thinks the cop is a racist because the cop is white and asking questions, and he’s black and has to answer, so he begins creaming and cursing at the cop, to the point that he does get arrested. (Just think about the tuition a family pays so that their child can get lectured to by this idiot.) Okay. Whatever. But now, this wise and worldly Harvard professor, decides to call his buddy Barack, and elevate his perceived race problem, together with his foul mouth and stupid behavior, to the level of a national matter, above anything and everything else that the President of the United States has to deal with. Now THAT’S HUTZPA. Racism and arrogance-fueled hutzpa.

But guess what? Our President has nothing better to do with his time, and is quick to jump on the racism bandwagon without all the facts – because his buddy told him so!

Now is that a teachable moment? You’re damn right it is!
Watch, think and learn.

Then there’s BO’s choice of words, and his pseudo-unapology.

And hey, Korea, Iran, nukes, wars, terrorism, national health care, bailouts… all that dumb stuff can wait while he takes some time to enjoy a beer with the good professor and his arresting officer.


BILL KRISTOL, EDITOR, "THE WEEKLY STANDARD": I think the president spoke stupidly on Wednesday night. But I don't want to give the impression that I'm maligning the president when I say that. Maybe I should calibrate that statement more carefully.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,534955,00.html

Touché!