The meeting between Obama, Crowely and Gates over beers trivializes the problem of police abuse and racial oppression that Black Americans endure on a daily basis.

Gates should sue the Cambridge police Pept. and ask for Croweley’s job. Not just for his own sake but for the sake of those in Cambrigde Mass. who have no voice. Justice must replace abuse.

As for Obama, reaching for the beer bottle when there is a problem ?
What an example for kids! Obama need not lecture the Black American community about responsibility and behaviour when he can be so easily distracted by Budweiser. When Holder was in the Clinton Justice Dept. he found that Diallo’s civil rights had not been violated after being shot more than 50 times.

Given the positions taken in the past by Gates, Holder and Obama on race, it seems to me that these persons are most unqualified to offer solutions on race.

Yours,

Eric

Oh the irony part two. Obama has much to say when his chum Gates gets victimized by the police but is beyond cautious in his comments about the hail of bullets that killed unarmed Sean Bell and the caught on tape San Fran cop who shot a black suspect in the back while he was face down and subdued by police.

A beer at the White House? How quaint. And lame. If only Obama could find time to invite those with real important matters (single payer advocates who’ve been shut out of health reform debate, unemployed folks and working poor who can tell him what’s really going on out here, for starters) over for refreshments rather than a cop and citizen whose incident should have been handled locally and long ago gotten off the 24/7 media frenzy meter.

Let’s talk about race. Rah, rah. And what do we do once we’ve talked, cried, argued, and sung Kumbaya? Go back to our jobs (if we have one) with wages that don’t pay enough to live off, to homes facing foreclosure or late rent payments, to shelters overflowing due to crappy economy and lack of affordable housing, to worry about loved ones sent to be killed and injured in immoral wars based on lies, to aches and pains we can’t afford a doctor/dentist/hospital bill to cure, to schools that turn out test taking automatons, not critical thinkers and inquisitive minds, and the list goes on?

As usual, the politicians jump at any chance to avoid the real issues thwarting progress in this country. They’ll convene a town hall or all- star race commission in a heartbeat which result in pronouncements, apologies, and empty promises. But they damn sure won’t provide the social and economic framework needed to better the lives of people regardless of racial category. All this p.c., come together, let’s talk about race bullshit is just a smokescreen to avoid discussion of a domestic (and foreign) policy agenda that keeps the many in dire straits and paying for the reckless and corrupt whims of the power elite few.

People are tired of talk. They need actions that help them do more than just get by and hang on out here.

The end justifies the means. Seeing?

This is an interesting way to explain what simply appears to be a president doing his best to cover up for a brutal, racist system. I don’t buy it.

How citizens confront PS of A is the conversation that is needed.