Black In America: Media Displays Racial Bias In Coverage of Henry Louis Gates Arrest

The coverage of the recent arrest of a prominent Harvard Professor in his own home has sparked national debate.

The media coverage of news agencies such as CNN and Fox News have become clearly biased as they parade the record of the arresting officer.

It is always the assumption in this nation that the African American is wrong and the other party deserves the benefit of the doubt.

This is the textbook example of African Americans being second class citizens in regard to the law.

The continued injustices are always downplayed by the media and government to be a simple misunderstanding; it is not.

The President of the country should never have to retract his opinion when asked a question and further more should not be subject to scrutiny by the media and the Cambridge Police Department.

This also shows the class divides in America still exist in an unspoken matter as President Obama called the officer to speak with him before attempting to contact the victim. President Obama has yet to call his “friend” Prof. Henry Gates; however the officer has been contacted.

Fox News and CNN have taken liberty to portray this as an apology to the officer. The officer has blatantly refused to apologize to Prof. Henry Gates. Prof. Gates’ side of the story is incomplete at best, receiving little to no attention at all.

Whether the President of the United States or a professor of Harvard University; a black man does not retain equal rights in this nation.

Henry Gates was arrested in his home for disorderly conduct. The media’s assumption was that he was deserving of the arrest. I assume he was not.

If the officer is telling the truth and Gates was belligerent as he attempted to leave, he should have given Gates his name and badge number and left.

Under Massachusetts law an officer is required to provide name and badge number to a civilian who asks; the officer refused to do so.

But what do I know, white is right… 

The coverage of the recent arrest of a prominent Harvard Professor in his own home has sparked national debate.

The media coverage of news agencies such as CNN and Fox News have become clearly biased as they parade the record of the arresting officer.

It is always the assumption in this nation that the African American is wrong and the other party deserves the benefit of the doubt.

This is the textbook example of African Americans being second class citizens in regard to the law.

The continued injustices are always downplayed by the media and government to be a simple misunderstanding; it is not.

The President of the country should never have to retract his opinion when asked a question and further more should not be subject to scrutiny by the media and the Cambridge Police Department.

This also shows the class divides in America still exist in an unspoken matter as President Obama called the officer to speak with him before attempting to contact the victim. President Obama has yet to call his “friend” Prof. Henry Gates; however the officer has been contacted.

Fox News and CNN have taken liberty to portray this as an apology to the officer. The officer has blatantly refused to apologize to Prof. Henry Gates. Prof. Gates’ side of the story is incomplete at best, receiving little to no attention at all.

Whether the President of the United States or a professor of Harvard University; a black man does not retain equal rights in this nation.

Henry Gates was arrested in his home for disorderly conduct. The media’s assumption was that he was deserving of the arrest. I assume he was not.

If the officer is telling the truth and Gates was belligerent as he attempted to leave, he should have given Gates his name and badge number and left.

Under Massachusetts law an officer is required to provide name and badge number to a civilian who asks; the officer refused to do so.

But what do I know, white is right…

~ by ARR on July 24, 2009.