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[31] Sam from Harlem apologizes: "I'm sorry so many of you didn't like this one. I was the first Officer Crowley, and I called in because I wanted to make the point that both Gates and Crowley need to acknowledge where their egos and emotions escalated the situation. I couldn't play both, though."

Sam from Harlem, people can quibble about how to best respond to the Gates character playing with you, but you basically did what you were supposed to do. The Gates character was belligerent and agressive.

Lonnie from Brooklyn [27]: I am White. I grew up in a rural area below the poverty line. No one ever called me White trash, although some may have thought it. I know what you mean about police acting arrogantly; I've been there in an all-White world. I have some friends who became police. They’ve told me that if someone acts too deferential, they consider this to be suspicious, as though you’re hiding something. You don’t have to call the officer “sir” and while it’s stupid to insult him, calling him “officer” is simply descriptive and not deferential. I’ve lived in NYC for over 20 years and spent a couple of them on Washington Ave. in Brooklyn; on the edge of Bed-Stuy near Crown Heights in the late 1980s. If you know the area, you know it was (and is) an overwhelmingly poor & Black neighborhood. I saw quite a few incidents between police and the other residents during that time. Policing there was much more aggressive, but I thought it had to be. During my time there, two cops were shot and killed. The police were very aware of this when they approached people. Since it was an open air drug market, they often assumed that I was there to buy. The residents were belligerent toward police at the drop of a hat. If police backed down, people sensed weakness. Backing down was a good way for a cop to start a larger incident. From what I’ve seen, many Black people have a hard time negotiating a line between belligerent and deferential. This is not to cast blame; policing can certainly be more aggressive than is necessary, but police are people too and they don’t act with perfect judgment and with all information and with an always even temperament. However, any real discussion of police abuse that fails to acknowledge that there’s plenty of ‘blame’ to go around is facile.

no matter what gates said or did stg crowley was unprofessional.

Obama: Now that i tried to teach both of you 'how to be cool' i would also like to give both of you a copies of my unpublished work.
Mr. Gates here is a copy of '101 of How to be cool'.
And Mr. Crowley here are your copies of 'how to be cool when others act fool' and 'how to be cool and not a fool'.

(Disclaimer: During this segment One of those very few occasions when i turned off my radio.)

I'm sorry so many of you didn't like this one. I was the first Officer Crowley, and I called in because I wanted to make the point that both Gates and Crowley need to acknowledge where their egos and emotions escalated the situation. I couldn't play both, though.

I hope Gates stops demanding an apology and admits where he could have acted differently. I also hope that Crowley gets off of his being offended and admits that he could have acted differently. And I hope both of them speak to how they were impacted by the others' actions.

If they are able to let their egos out of the way, get past their first impressions, and really listen to each other, I think something powerful can happen. I'm glad the show was aired.

This is not ridiculous segment...we all need to have this conversation, however jerky the speakers were it was honest and compelling and Brian did a good job.

Spot on Lonnie! My point exactly, the sit down is only to appease the police department.

Glad that’s over.
So, BL producers... When are you planning to do the role play to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict or maybe keep it local with a Michael Mineo/ Officer (Richard) Kern/Michael Bloomberg sit-down?

My Problem here is with the 'Fantasy Exercise'. I hear the word "Fascinating" used to describe this segment and I just shake my head.

Most of the White WNYC listeners, including yourself, are NOT even remotely related to what you would privately call plain poor 'white trash' who would have more common experiences with law enforcement on a level that many Black men do. SO for you, this is a 'Fascinating Exercise'

For me, it's not 'Fascinating' It's ENRAGING. And unlike Gates, I DON'T have a friend in the White House, so I HAVE to SWALLOW it. And there's NO Friendly BEER afterwards. And Unlike you, I HAVE to be prepared for the possibility again and again. Because it is an expectation that Black Men are SUPPOSED to become Meek and Obey when the Policeman shows up.

If it had been a cantankerous older WHITE man forcing his way in. There would have been screaming and spitting and curses galore. . .and no-one would have batted an eye at it.

I felt VINDICATED when Obama said the word STUPIDLY. It was ON THE MARK.

That's why all the cop organizations went ballistic. Because it was TRUE.

Even though he diplomatically had to retract it-- I still say THANK YOU, Obama.

YOU ARE GREAT BRIAN! Thank you so much for your unique dialogue. Your ability to approach such a sensitive issues is truly refreshing and hopeful.

Again, thank you for your efforts and keep up the good work.

best,
m.

this is weird. what about leonard peltier's parole hearing today? why aren't you talking about that? i mean, role playing? have you all lost your minds?

He would say NOT funny Dubya...bout as ridiculous as your name.

I dont think there should be a "get together" charges have been dropped let's just write this one in the book of lessons and move on to the next issue. No sit down with the President is going to cure the obvious race problem in the great ole USofA!!

what would Michael Jackson say?

Excellent, Alvin! I love the bits about Jim Crow and the birth certificate!

All this segment is doing is agitating...you need to end this one early!

Alvin [10] If you are not a profession writer, you should become one. That is hilarious!

Oh yeah...keep it going with "High Horse"! what a joke this a is a useless excercise.

Are they supposedly having beers with ice cubes in them?

My personal opinion is that everyone involved let the heat of the moment overcome them and they overreacted (including the president, btw). I hope when they get together they will all have the grace, diplomacy and basic manners to admit that (and forgive each other).

(And yes, there is some understanding, again on all sides, of why that happened.)

What I'd like the country to learn is that it is possible to admit fault, forgive fault, and move on.

Hellewwww calleer playing gates right now...Black people never refer to themselves as "haughty and stuck up" that is your prejudice shining through.

11] mathew Sandoval from harlem asks: "If your racism was a car which kind of car would it be?"

What car would Jesus choose as racism?

obama is making my ears bleed.

How appropriate that a belligerent angry Black man is chosen to play Gates.

I tried to muster my interest in this segment; decided to change the station instead.

Here's how it should go (it's the best I could come up with in 20 minutes):
Obama: Thank you for coming. I'm glad that both of you could join me for a tall cool one.
Gates: It's an honor.
Crowley: Thank you.
Obama: Skip, I took your suggestion for that Belgian beer. Good choice. Skip, please make a toast.
Gates: To peace and justice.
Crowley: (spits) What is this stuff? Is this what you people drink?
Gates: What do you mean by "you people"?
Crowley: You elitist Harvard grads. What did you think I meant?
Gates: I know what you meant, you racist.
Crowley: Who are you calling a racist?
Gates: You, Jim Crowley. You can't even spell your name without "Jim Crow".
Crowley: Watch it, Gates.
Gates: I know your type, Crowley. I remember the riots after Martin Luther King was shot.
Obama: I wasn't living here then. What are you talking about, Skip?
Gates: The pigs! The man! Nothing's changed.
Crowley: Last warning, Gates.
Obama: OK, let's calm down. Can't we all get along?
Crowley: Hey you, stay out of this!
Obama: Don't you talk to me like that. I'm the President. This is my house.
Crowley: Oh, yeah? Let's see some proof. You got a birth certificate or something?
Obama: Well, um, not exactly....Hey! I'm the President! You're out of line, Crowley!
Crowley: No proof? You're going downtown, buster!
(clicks handcuffs on. Fade to politically correct shade of black.)

Have I tuned into Oprah? Three guys sitting around drinking beer and seeking "reconciliation." What about the real issues? Racism flousrishss despite Obama's claim that we live in a post-racial society. It does us no good to evade these issues and bury them under a layer of bonhomie. Come on, folks, this is a childish approach to dealing with one of the deepest problmes in American society.
I attempted to say this on the air, but since it wasn't on Brian's script, the pre-interviewere hung up.

Jesse Lemisch, Professor Emeritus, John Jay College of Criminal Jistice, CUNY

this might possibly be the worst
Brian lehrer segment
ever produced

it is just getting worse and worse

Agree with [3] licnyc
Time to change the station.

this is just ridiculous. we have no other topics in the world to cover, except for adult playtime?

This is a ridiculous segment. Ipod being engaged....now....

Brian your beer sound sounded more like an alka-selzter drop.

Brian Lehrer has officially jumped the shark. Turning on PRI.

i want "the truth" to play the president!

Re: discussion over beer
Crowley: I take pride in being colorblind. It is something that defines me. When I felt I was being accused of profiling or racism, perhaps I did take it personally. Maybe that clouded my judgment. I am sorry. How can we ever get beyond this?