Gates saw racism at Duke

Okay, I'm not a Duke professor, or a professor anywhere, for that matter, although I do profess to know many things, most of them useless.

And AgentPierce, I'm not really anonymous, either. My name is Steve, and the reason I use my initials "SC" is because I published a poorly-written mystery that way. To make a long story less long, I know that many fiction readers prefer either male or female authors, so I wanted them to have to pick the book up and look at it before they figured out I was a dude. Which probably helped me sell two, maybe three books. ;) But what're you gonna do.

Guys, what I'm trying to say is: it's a lot easier to understand someone if you're willing to (mentally) walk in their shoes a little bit. I'm white, so I can't really equate my life experiences with professor Gates. So I try to put on his shoes and walk some, and that is not a fun walk. Try it.

scharrison, a/k/a Duke Prof:
You're questioning the "automatic doubt" of Gates' achievements? And using Fish as an example?

Here's a sample of his opinions from Slate per Judith Shulevitz: "The trouble with principle," he writes, "is, first, it does not exist, and second, that nowadays many bad things are done in its name." None of the ideals a liberal society is supposed to be based on, Fish argues--fairness, impartiality, reasonableness--is ever truly neutral or principled. They all mask a political agenda.
The only beliefs that matter, says Fish, are the ones that matter directly to you. In the case of Stanley Fish, those are "my convictions and commitments."
http://www.slate.com/id/1004257/
"In April 1992, near the end of Fish's time as department chair, an external review committee considered evidence that the English curriculum had become "a hodgepodge of uncoordinated offerings," lacking in "broad foundational courses" or faculty planning. The department's dissipating prominence in the 1990s was featured on the front page of the New York Times."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Fish

Why should Fish tell the truth? Because he was a Duke Prof?! (hysterical laughter) Yes, just like those fine moral 99 or however many Gang of Duke Profs who came to the defense of the LAX players. Oh, that's right - they didn't. They defended the honor of someone they didn't even know, who turned out to be a pathetic liar - why? - because it fit their agenda.

Racists like Gates live out the liberal mantra - that racism exists everywhere, that only not-blacks can be racist, that all facts must be disregarded in service to the liberal agenda, and that racism must be presumed.

Educate yourself, Prof Harrison. Read the (un-redacted) arrest report. Read Gates' actual writings.

What is immensely sad is that Gates & his ilk perpetuate racism - they make it that much more difficult for this country to ever truly be at peace when it comes to racial issues.

Gates is looking for racisim!!!

scharrison .... Alas, I make it a point to NEVER take personal advice from an anonymous poster on the Internet. I'm sure your qualifications as a "life coach" are impeccable but I'll pass.

As I noted, daring to question ANY "racial rhetoric" guarantees a bevy of "HOW DARE YOU _____" Thanks oodles for proving my point.

I have lived in "the South" a large portion of my life including born/raised "downeast" so I'm quite aware of the realities of America's Race Debate and I don't doubt Skip encountered it in Durham in the 90s ..... and, more intriquing - at Duke. Racial prejudice among the Liberal Elite is one of America's dirty little secrets.

Hopefully these remarks will evoke even more "advice" from you. hehehehe :>)

"New York Times columnist Stanley Fish, a former chairman and now professor emeritus of the English Department at Duke, recalled that renovation workers at Gates' home would often ask him for the owner of the house.".

This isn't necessarily racism when these things happen. More often than not it is just lack of education, poor home training, etc.. Take the opportunity to educate that person. Say! This is a nice home. I worked really hard to get here. I understand you might be surprised see an Africa America with a home like this, but we are trying to change that! Now! What is your question?
That's what I do when it happens to me. I'll say. I am not sure where that item is in the store, I'm just a visitor here also.

AgentPierce, I don't know what you lecture on, but hopefully it has nothing to do with research skills or reading comprehension. Or spelling, but I'll let that one go for now. ;)

You're questioning the validity of (the story of) Gates' troubles at Duke University, but if you had read the article linked above, you would have known that the guy who wrote it (Fish) hired Gates and was his immediate superior at Duke. He may not have been around when the contractors made their comments, but Fish would definitely have been aware of the letters written to the administration questioning Gates' qualifications, not to mention the one that was published.

Of course you can ask questions, but you should think long and hard before casually questioning someone's integrity, especially when the answers to your questions are already right in front of your face. It's that kind of "automatic doubt" that has plagued men like Professor Gates throughout their careers, and I would imagine that gets real, real old after a while.

Also, I want you to take a few minutes to ponder the irony of you doubting the story about people doubting Gates...

As stated in a previous posting on a related story a few days back.

Until this story broke, better than 95% of the people out there had never heard of this "famous" person. I would suppose the percentage of black people not knowing Mr. Gates would also be significant.

I agree with your point. We carry all that old baggage around with us. At least once a week I get that question when I'm out. I'll be shopping, "excuse me do you know where so and so is?". It's my skin color about 50% of the time, for why I get the question. Add these to my life experiences concerning my skin color. All it can take is a little spark and you have an out of control argument like what happen to Mr. Gates.
No way do I agree with the way it appears he acted. But I do know how it happen. We spend so much time resisting the urge to screammmmmmmmmmmm "The only reason you are asking, stopping, questioning me, etc., is because I am black!".

Gates is just one more individual who has made a career out of racism. He wouldn't have a job, he wouldn't have his taxpayer-funded documentaries on PBS, he wouldn't have his non-profit Inkwell Foundation, there would be no purpose of The Root - the online WaPo-sponsored magazine where he's editor-in-chief, if his supposed goal were to be achieved.

Just like "Rev" Jesse Jackson, and "Rev" Al Sharpton, "Prof" Gates lives to roil the waters at every opportunity.

He claims to have graduated summa cum laude from Yale with a BA in history. You know what - I don't even believe that anymore. Why should I - he's a duplicitous race-baiter.

Just google him - read his own writings - not what the MSM, including the N&O, spoon-feeds its readers.

He thrives on racism - it's his raison d'etre.

Gates is as full of it as a Christmas turkey. Had the police not responded and his house was robbed, he would have complained that the police do not respond in the same manner if it is the house of a black family being broken into and are therefore racists. In this case the police were racists because they thoroughly checked it all out after a neighbor called in to report someone trying to pry open the front door. Gates wins and the police lose, either way. Gates will always see racism behind every bush. That is the way he makes his living. Just like Jesse and Al.

There certainly is racism at Duke. Just ask their former lacrosse team that immediately was thrown under the bus by both its faculty and administration.

Being foreign and a student of history I am sadden by the fact that racism still exists in this planet, however I also feel that it is unfortunate that some people live in this planet with that cloud over their heads and the rest of us have to walk around egg shelves not to upset them because of their race.
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If a police officer came to my door to inverstigate a break in the last thing in my mind will be that they are checking because I am not white.
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I wonder what could had happened if the neighboor called 911 to let somebody know that it looks like somebody was breaking into a house, and the police decided not to investigate the issue and this time there was a robber inside of the house.
Everyday you can see in the news about people being murdered at home, raped at home, etc.
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I was not there so if the police behaved wrong I am all in favor of Mr. Gates to be upset, but if Mr. Gates behaved wrong towards the officers doing their job to protect him because he assumed they were there because of the color of his skin then he should consider an apology too!

I knew that spelling looked wrong but assumed anyone who cared would get the point.

It is "a good story" and makes for a compelling anecdote in a Gates' lecture, but how factual is it and how often was the misunderstanding really made? I lecture myself (not on race!) and have been known to exaggerate a tad to illustrate my point. If I do it, Skip probably does too.

The ongoing racial rhetoric in America contains many anecdotes on both sides of the question that fail the "sniff test".

I think the word you were thinking of is apocryphal. Even then, the word doesn't really fit the use.

Gates' "great big house" in Durham is 1810 Cedar Street ..... more infamous as "the Michael Peterson house" with the dead wife and the killer owl.

I would be curious HOW OFTEN there was incredulity about "a black man living in a big house". Is this essentially an apochraful story exaggerated to make a point for Gates. Is there a Tawana Brawley hyperbole to this? Maybe - maybe not.

No one is ever allowed to question any of these civil rights stories but I'm not too good about following such "you can't ask that" rules.