[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/CRIME/07/21/massachusetts.harvard.professor.arrested/art.gates.demotix.jpg caption="Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. was arrested last week on a charge of disorderly conduct."]
Boyce Watkins
Professor, Syracuse Univeristy

I’d hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you are infected with a disease. The disease that has infected you is called racism. The disease is a silent killer, not of our bodies, but of our society. It also deteriorates the brain and makes us delusional, as we sometimes see things that are not really there or refuse to see things that are actually right in front of us. What’s worse is that we know the disease is in the fabric of our institutions, but it is difficult to pinpoint the exact location. This leads to sloppy missteps, embarrassments and damaging accusations.

Henry Louis Gates, the Prominent Harvard University Professor who was arrested this week at his home by Cambridge Police Officer James Crawley, may have been a victim of the disease of racism. Even he has gotten to the point of stating that this story is no longer about race and his buddy, President Obama, has been back-peddling faster than a free safety in the NFL. In the midst of letting go of his allegations of racism against Sgt. Crawley (which I thought was a very good idea) Professor Gates has stated that we should use this situation as a “teaching moment.” It is also my hope that Dr. Gates understands that the first step toward being a good professor is to learn how to be a good student. As a professor myself, I am hopeful that he will allow me to teach the first class.

When I was first exposed to the case of Professor Henry Louis Gates vs. Sgt. James Crawley, I did not see a white officer arresting an innocent Black man. I didn’t know enough at the time to make that assertion. I also didn’t see an enraged Black man being detained by a pure and pristine police officer. Let’s be clear: police departments across America have a long way to go before they have the credibility that they would like to have and they can only blame themselves for this problem. Hundreds of years of falsely incarcerating and murdering Black men doesn’t exactly help your reputation. My father was in law enforcement for 25 years, so I had a chance to see the good, the bad and the dirty when it comes to police work. I learned that cops can be tempted to abuse their power, but that there are many good cops who are attacked by misleading and hurtful allegations.

Crawley and Gates were stuck in the middle of long standing war that was much bigger than the both of them. It is also quite plausible that the war was not bigger than their egos, which led to each side taking to the national airwaves to swear that they were right and the other party “acted stupidly.” After a great deal of back and forth that went as high as the White House, we’ve finally got what our nation needs: two men who realize that we need to resolve this situation by engaging in constructive dialog and moving our nation forward.

FULL POST

[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/WORLD/americas/07/23/us.marijuana.bust/art.pot.gi.jpg]

Dan Simon
CNN Correspondent

Medical marijuana dispensaries have exploded in California. In Los Angeles, there are more than 600 of them. Incredibly, there are more places to buy pot in LA, than there are McDonalds, 711’s and Starbucks. But that could be just the beginning. There is growing momentum in the state to fully legalize marijuana for people 21 and older. That means marijuana could be sold all throughout the state.

Governor Schwarzenegger says the idea ought to be studied. The idea is gaining strength, in part, because of the state’s disastrous budget. Legalizing pot would also make it taxable. The state tax board estimates that marijuana could bring the state more than a billion dollars a year. This is not just a pie in the sky idea. Oakland is now actually doing it. Voters overwhelmingly approved a measure to begin taxing medical marijuana.

There are really two to make marijuana legal in California: A legislative bill or voter initiative. Both are underway. The initiative probably has a better chance of passing the finish line. According to a California field poll, more than half of Californians—56% favor legalization. Meanwhile, lawmakers right now are reluctant to fully legalize. It’s possible the question could be put directly to voters in next year’s election.

Here’s the rub, however. Pretty much anyone over 18 who wants marijuana in California can get already get it legally. All you need is a note from your doctor. The state is filled with “pot docs,” who write the prescriptions for things less severe than hangnails. So while full legalization would put pot on par with cigarettes and alcohol, no one should pretend that pot already isn’t available to anyone who wants it.