Henry Louis Gates, Jr. - Professor/Robber?

Everyone see this news story?

Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr., distinguished professor at Harvard University, and probably the most influential and powerful black scholar in U.S. History, was arrested at his home last week.

Why was he arrested?

Because he was black. Call my cynical, but that's just how I see it.

Here are some facts: He came home to Cambridge, MA, from a trip to China to find his door jammed. He and his driver had to give it a good shove to get inside. A few minutes later, the police showed up, responding to a neighbors' report that two black men with backpacks were trying to break into his house (seriously, his long-time neighbor didn't recognize him? Give me a break).

When the office got there, confrontation ensued. Stories differ from this point on, but basically, the officer assumed that Gates was breaking in. Even after Gates showed the officer his IDs (a Massachusetts drivers's license and his Harvard ID), the office arrested him for disorderly conduct. Gates spent a few hours in jail, complete with mug shot.

Seriously?!!! I shouldn't be surprised. I've never been arrested, but the same kind of racial-profiling nonsense has happened to me, and it's been happening in our country since its inception. Blacks have always received it, as have Indians. The Irish immigrants got it in the early-19th century, Italians and southeastern Europeans in the mid-to-late-19th century, Chinese immigrants in the early-20th, Germans during World War I, Japanese and Germans during World War II, and most recently, anyone who looked anything like someone from the Middle East post-9/11.

Sad, just sad.