The incident in which Prof Henry Louis Gates was mistaken for a burglar in his own home has renewed calls for greater sensitivity, better law enforcement training, an end to racial profiling. But what's needed most are block parties -- so neighbors can recognize one another.After all, could you pick out the guy next door from a police lineup?
6 comments:
That's one (of a few) odd pieces of this story. He's lived there for some time, and if you saw a photo of the house, you couldn't help but notice how small the lots are and thus how close together the houses are. So how could his neighbor have mistaken him for a burgler?
At first I thought it was at night, but it was daytime!
Still, the story has gotten way more attention than it warranted. That's because the media uses news as a money maker. It's the original reality show.
You're right about that. But I'm glad that some smart commentators have begun picking up on the fact (finally) that this story was really far more about class than race. You know how much we like to talk about race in America, and how squeemish we are about addressing class.
Yes, and the class distinctions are becoming more and more pronounced.
Sadly true.
Good idea, Dad. Too often we are strangers to the people who live next door...I'm as guilty as the next person. I think most of us are too lazy and self-centered to connect w/ our neighbors, yet it makes sense that this is precisely a way to fight crime.
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