Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr.(cuffed) Sgt James Crowley at his left and at the bottom of the photo, Sgt. Leon Lashley. Lashley said the he supported his colleague's arrest of Mr. Gates. Many believe that he is like most Blacks in his position, afraid to speak out because they can find themselves rendered as not 'good enough'.
Accomplished, educated, well spoken, hard working, good natured, incredibly kind and decent are words used to describe Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. by friends and colleagues. The words describing Sgt. James Crowley are no less flattering of him as an officer by his colleagues. How is it then that Officer Crowley saw fit to arrest a man held in such high regard from what was proven to be his own home (confirmed by Crowley in the recently released transmissions to his precinct)? Some say racial profiling, but it also goes to the abuse of authority that police so often tend to be charged with exercising towards Black citizens in America. While Professor Gates is an extreme and horrifying example of this commonality, his treatment presents an interesting opportunity for us to ask, "When Is A Black Man 'Good Enough'?"
'Good enough' would be the illusive standard set forth by the White male dominated society of America. It is that standard that we re all told that, "If we work hard and do the right things, we can attain." But looking at the Gates scenario and the attempts by Congressman Thaddeus McCotter (R-Mich.) to have Congress (force) President Obama to apologize to the Cambridge Police Department, it is clear to most 'New Generation' Black Americans that the standard is actually unattainable.
Here in St. Louis, these situations will always make many Blacks refer back to the demoting of the first Black Fire Chief, Sherman George.
Chief Sherman GeorgeAs well educated and hard working as the Chief was throughout his tenure of over 40 years, his recommendation of the best testing standard for promotions was overridden by the White Department of Public Safety Director, Sam Simon (cousin of Mayor Slay, who left the Director's position amid scandal). With all of the Chief's knowledge of the Fire Department and his understanding of the best standard by which to measure candidates for promotion, he wasn't quite 'good enough' to prescribe the testing standard to make those promotions from. When the Chief refused to promote from a list produce by what he considered an inadequate testing standard, at the constant prodding of the Mayor, he was demoted by the Mayor's newly installed (Black) Public Safety Director, Charles Bryson. Interestingly, we asked Chief George, "If you had done the bidding of the Mayor and made the promotions, do you believe that you would have been considered 'good enough' to be allowed to keep your job as Chief?" Chief George replied, "NO. The Mayor had intended to fill the Chief's position with his long time friend Dennis Jenkerson." Jenkerson (who is White) is the first Fire Chief to have been promoted from Battalion Chief as opposed to the Deputy Chief's position. "I would never have been 'good enough'," Chief George stated.
Obviously the more qualified Black Deputy Fire Chief, Charles Coyle, was not 'good enough' to receive the promotion either and he was in the historically qualifying position of Deputy Fire Chief.
Director of Public Safety Charles Bryson is known by many as the least qualified person to ever be in his position, but because he did the bidding of Mayor Slay and carried out the demotion the Black Fire Chief, is Charles Bryson considered 'good enough'?
Across America, there is lip service given to diversity. Yet, diversity is best achieved through equal opportunity. How can a White male dominated society provide equal opportunity for their Black counterparts if they don't consider them as 'good enough'?
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