This situation with Professor Henry Louis Gates sparked a fire in the public eye, and although it's already been a couple days, it's still spreading quickly. From Officer Crowley proclaiming that he will :"never apologize" to President Obama saying that Crowley "stupidly arrested Gates," there are many opinions on what happened. It's easy for people to become offended, especially on racial matters, but I believe that in situations like these, people need to take a step back and think before they state their opinion. I've tried my hardest to stay unbiased as this controversy unfolds. It's hard to determine what happened exactly, due to the two differing recounts of the event - Gates is saying one thing while Crowley is saying another. From what I understand though, both of them were in the wrong in at least one way. I don't feel that I (or anyone else) can confidently place all of the blame on just one of these individuals.

Problem 1: Crowley asked for identification This is where the racial profiling issue comes in. Many people are saying that Crowley should not have asked for Gates' identification after realizing who he was and that he lived in that house. They're saying that it really wasn't necessary. Gates is a well-known intellectual who is a Harvard professor, has written and edited several books, has participated in the production of several documentaries, and has received many honors and awards. He is extremely well-known not only in the Cambridge community, but all over the country. Crowley should have known who Gates was and left him alone.
(CNN) Commentary: Obama, race, and my arrest

But others are saying that Crowley was just trying to keep Professor Gates safe. Other calls had been placed about disturbances at Gates' home prior to his arrival, so Crowley was just being cautious. For this reason, he felt that he had to go through with the entire process, including asking for Gates' identification (even if he knew who Gates was). For people who look at the situation this way, racial profiling was not part of this incident, but rather it was all about keeping Gates safe.
(CNN) Commentary: Obama's rush to judgment on police

Problem 2: Gates played the 'race card' It has been reported that Gates said some things that were offensive to Crowley, including his inquiry while being questioned, "Why? Because I am a black man in America?" Many people are saying this statement was not necessary. As I already mentioned, it is possible that Crowley had no racial intentions behind his actions, but instead was just concerned for the safety of Gates.

On the other hand, it's obvious that Gates felt he was a victim of racial profiling and was offended. As a result, he proceeded to ask that question without hesitation. Many people don't believe he was wrong for thinking he was a victim of racial profiling or that he was wrong for saying what he said.

A short comment about President Obama's opinion Some articles have questioned whether President Obama, or any presidents for that matter, should make comments on heavy-weighted issues like this. Although I believe that President Obama should have waited until he knew more about the situation to make any comments, I don't believe that any president should purposely avoid commenting when situations like this take place.
Obama wades into a volatile racial issue

Until the police department release the tapes from Gates' arrest, I don't think we're going to have any solid idea about what really happened. With two different versions of the incident and several explanations to justify each person's actions, we won't be getting anywhere in deciding who should carry the blame. As President Obama said, this incident has only proven that "race remains a factor in this society.” It's sad that we as Americans, after so many years, still cannot get over these racial issues.

Feel free to comment and tell me what you think about this incident. Thanks for reading.