Beer Here!

Well, by now I'm sure President Obama wishes he'd never mentioned beer. I mean, what a fuss. In trying to diffuse the big hubub after Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. was arrested for disorderly conduct after being suspected of breaking into his own home, Prez Obama thought a little one on one guy talk would help turn this incident around into something meaningful. Obama felt he should do this since his own comments made matters worse.

First people wanted to know why "beer". Well, they could have had tea. Oh please. Then folks got peeved that although all three guys wanted different beer, none were American made. Actually that's not entirely true. None of these particular breweries are American owned any more, but Bud Light (Obama's choice) is still made here.

Anyway, I think it's a good thing to discuss racial profiling especially with policeman. I'll bet you somebody's first born that both Prof Gates and Officer Crowely overreacted. Stubborn guys won't admit it.
This is an important discussion over that beer. Racial profiling goes on with such regularity that many black people assume it even when it may not be the case. When this happens to you in every area of life so much in stores, parking lots, gas stations, driving, etc., you either ignore it and deal or get pissed and yell. If you are coming home from a long plane trip from China and cannot wait to see the inside of your house, you might get mad and yell like Prof Gates did. (Not that it is an excuse.) Policemen should be sensitive to these assumptions and learn to diffuse that reaction not inflame it.

I know this is a sensitive and complex issue. But, we should join the president, Dr. Gates and Sgt. Crowley for some dialouge and self examinations.
So yeah, we all need to have a beer or tea or cherry coke and honestly think about our own assumptions.