Nothing up my sleeve....

Doesn't anyone else find this whole flap with Harvard's Professor Gates funny? Let me tell you a story....

I used to live in a huge old Chicago-style court building. Apparently the main plumbing pipe was under the front lawn of this building, and maybe ten feet into the lawn from the public sidewalk was a small sewer cap. I would guess this was some kind of valve to control the feed or output of the building's water or sewage. I really don't know, except that little sewer cap was there, about the size of a large dinner plate.

My apartment actually was toward the rear of the building. So I went out one day to go shopping or something, and here's this guy stretched out on the front lawn. Another guy was standing beside him. I kinda wondered what the heck was going on, but then recalled the sewer cap. And when the guy laying on the lawn turned his face up to talk to the other guy, I recognized him as the regular plumber.

Ran to the store or something -- whatever my errand was -- and maybe 30 minutes later I was heading back toward my building.... With some considerable alarm. A couple police cars and an ambulance were blocking the street. I was walking, so kept on approaching the building, really somewhat on edge, picturing a fire or something.

As it turns out, however, a neighbor or passer-by saw the plumber laying on the lawn and the other guy standing over him, but apparently was unaware of the sewer cap and didn't make the connection that this was only a plumbing situation. The passer-by called 911, apparently suspecting he was witnessing a horrendous crime.

By the time I reached the building, a couple cops, the plumber, and about a dozen tennants and neighbors were all standing around laughing about the whole thing. The plumber was actually impressed that someone had been so concerned about his well-being that they'd called for emergency services.

Anyway, this incident came to mind when I first heard about the Gates thing. Gates should be happy he has neighbors who keep an eye on his house when he's out of town and grateful for the police's vigilant response. Perhaps the prof was tired after that flight from China and, God knows, as a Harvard professor -- and really quite well-known in the academic community -- he apparently got awfully snippy when the police didn't recognize him.

And for the Comrade to translate this whole thing as evidence of unjust racial profiling -- and even before he knew the facts, as he himself stated -- was not a really very intelligent move.

The cop, Crowley, has been criticized for asking to enter Gates' house. On Fox News tonight, commentator Juan Williams noted that all Crowley knew was that someone had been seen trying to break into the house. For all the he knew, the burglar-trespassor-whatever, could been inside the house somewhere, pointing a gun at Professor Gates' head to ensure the prof would get rid of the cops.

Gates now has come out with a completely absurd version of the story. He says he was cooperating, but became angry when Crowley followed him inside the house. According to Gates, they calmly exchanged a few words, and then Crowley slapped the cuffs on Gates and arrested him. Now really, this sounds crazy to me, unless the Crowley was a rabid racist champing at the bit to arrest an old black guy.

Given Crowley's background, this seems like a pretty far-fetched scenario. Crowley actually trains people in using sensitivity with profiling. And, I mean, would even a rabid racist try to arrest a renowned Harvard professor in Cambridge, Mass? And apparently people were collecting on the street to watch. So there were witnesses.

Maybe Gates is just testing the strength of the Race Card? Since the public is beginning to see the Comrade's feet of clay, are liberals still so saturated with guilt that they'll continue to genuflect at the altar of racial victimhood? Can the Comrade still use that to promote his marxist agenda? Somehow, though, I can't imagine someone of Gates' stature helping to manufacture this type of rather ridiculous and humiliating situation to test the theory.

So it's just a minor incident blown up way out of proportion by the Comrade, apparently to divert public attention -- and anger -- from his own political machinations.

Sound a little bit like sending a bunch of SEIU out to picket AIG headquarters?

Here's a hint, when you're watching a magician, try to keep track of both of his hands. Not that I don't trust him, mind you....