An Obligation To Speak OutCategory: Opinion
Article posted by: Kathy Horn
Yes, President Obama took a risk by weighing into the Skip Gates incident, but he was right to do so. Had he ducked the question put directly to him by a reporter in primetime, he would not only have snubbed a friend but abdicated his responsibilities. For over half a century, the nation has looked to our presidents for moral clarity on matters relating to civil rights. Mr. Obama had to stand up for Professor Gates, who should never have been arrested.
As a nation, we look to our presidents for moral clarity on matters relating to civil rights.
Skip Gates is 58 years old, slight, refined and often relies upon a cane. One glance should have convinced the cop he was no burglar. Even though Mr. Gates apparently lost his temper, the policeman was trained to be sensitive and understanding, especially in inter-racial face-offs. To have handcuffed him and bundled him off to the police station was on its face inappropriate (that said, the president went too far in calling it stupid).
But let me add one postscript as a colleague of Professor Gates and a citizen of Cambridge. While it is inconceivable to me as a white male that I might have been treated in my own home in the same way, it is also true that I have on repeated occasions seen members of the Cambridge Police Department treat people with professionalism and respect, regardless of their skin color. To me, the behavior of this officer in this incident was aberrational. It should not be read as an indictment of a police force or a community where diversity and civil rights have long been treasured.
Posted By: Kathy Horn
Contact: e-mail
| About the Author: |
| David Gergen
Commentator, editor, teacher, public servant, best-selling author and adviser to presidents – for 30 years, David Gergen has been an active participant in American national life. He served as director of communications for President Reagan and held positions in the administrations of Presidents Nixon and Ford. In 1993, he put his country before politics when he agreed to first serve as counselor to President Clinton on both foreign policy and domestic affairs, then as special international adviser to the president and to Secretary of State Warren Christopher. David Gergen is a professor of public service and the director of the Center for Public Leadership at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He is also editor-at-large at U.S. News & World Report and is a Senior Political Analyst for CNN. Mr. Gergen also regularly serves as an analyst on radio shows, and he is a frequent lecturer at venues around the world. In the fall of 2000 he published a best-selling book titled, Eyewitness to Power: The Essence of Leadership, Nixon to Clinton. |
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