Pat, you don't have the facts right (white officer at the core of it) and I don't quite get the connection you're trying and failing to make. Ok I was wrong about that but rather you met him or not is irrelevant. The only thing relevant is how he reacted. There was a black officer on the scene also

I was only saying that he struck me as a nice person (good natured, softly spoken, oh--and with a cane--so maybe he was armed!) to say that if I, a nice person in training myself, were to be in an upset state--I might not be real happy if an officer wouldn't get out of my house after I'd identified myself as the owner of said house.

The more I think about it, I don't believe Gates was upset over nothing either. What possibly could have upset him that came out of this officer's mouth? I don't think it was racism really--so much as a cop being a dick to a guy who was tired and upset. Plenty of cop dickishness syndrome going around in these parts.

Well, today is day 1,000 of this important crisis. The officer is holding a presser at noon. I think I'll go for a nice long walk at that hour. Maybe take in lunch in the North End. Doesn't a great order of chicken campagna sound better than yapping about this blech situation? Great, we're in agreement on something then.