Will White House beer sitdown unite Americans?

By RHONDA COOK

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Civil libertarians, civil rights leaders and police hope for the best when President Barack Obama sits down over a beer Thursday with Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Cambridge police Sgt. James Crowley to talk about what happened on July 16.

Perhaps the two men will understand each other and what led to a dispute at Gates’ house that has been the subject of news reports, talk shows and blogs almost from the moment it happened.

“I think Gates and Crowley should first sit down and talk with each other about the way they both handled the situation,” said Sgt. Marcia Dell, president of the Atlanta chapter of the Police Benevolent Association. “I think there was a little overreaction on both parts. Once they understand each other, I think everything will be fine.”

Also, Dell said, the president must be a part of the conversation, and “apologize and let them know he wasn’t talking about all police officers.”

According to reports, Crowley was sent to the professor’s home to investigate a neighbor’s report that someone may be trying to break into the Gates house. The neighbor did not recognize Gates as the homeowner when she saw him and his driver trying to force open the front door, which was stuck.

According to reports, Crowley found Gates inside the house and that is where he asked the professor for identification and proof that he owned the home.

The professor showed the sergeant his license but also berated him and accused Crowley of racial profiling. The argument continued into the front yard where Crowley handcuffed and arrested Gates for disorderly conduct.

Though the charges were later dropped, the two men have continued to disagree over the details of that day.

The next week the president came into the debate. Answering a question about the Gates-Crowley affair raised at a news conference on health care, Obama finished his comments to reporters saying police acted “stupidly.”

The president has since said he misspoke and meant no disrespect to Crowley or Cambridge police. And he invited the two men to the White House for a beer and a talk.

Christina Beamund, executive director of Atlanta Citizen Review Board, knows both men and she said she hoped the two would “find some common ground, mutual respect and goals and forgive one another.”

Beamund said it was obvious there are still open wounds when it comes to race and policing.

Still, some think both men behaved badly.

“I don’t know what happened but I do think both of them — meaning Sgt. Crowley and Mr. Gates both overreacted,” Dell said.

She said Gates should have been grateful that an officer was dispatched so quickly to investigate a possible burglary. And Crowley should have calmly explained that he was at the house because of a concern there was an ongoing crime, and then “apologize for the inconvenience and walk away,” Dell said.

The Rev. Joseph Lowery, a veteran of the civil rights movement, said the controversy has provided an opportunity to remind law enforcement of a time when they were the enemies of minorities.

“We can’t escape the recollection ... of black men who have been assaulted or killed by police officers,” Lowery said. “And black men have to be told every police officer is not a rogue. We have many good police officers, fine police officers. But the few rotten apples can spoil the barrel.”

Debbie Seagraves. executive director of the Georgia chapter of the ACLU, sees something good in the pain.

“Any time there is a conversation about systematic racism and the obstacle faced by people of color in this country, the conversation itself is a positive thing. At least now there is some recognition that racial profiling still lives.”

Red, Light and Blue

The first moment of compromise may come early in this meeting of the mugs.

Gates has told the Boston Globe he prefers Red Stripe. Crowley likes Blue Moon. Obama? He's been spotted drinking Yuengling (on the campaign trail), Chicago microbrews (election night) and Budweiser (at the baseball All-Star Game in St. Louis). White House staff has said he'll be drinking Bud Light at the meeting.

Founding father Sam Adams, who sold fermentable grains before fomenting the American Revolution, must be spinning in his Boston grave.