Indeed, President Obama could have chosen to stay on the sidelines in this matter. That would have been the safe choice. It is what every other president before him likely would have done. In fact, I have to even question whether other presidents would have even been asked their opinion on the matter. I’m sorry Michelle Malkin, I’m not buying the assertion that this was all orchestrated. And by taking on this issue, Glenn Beck, the President should not be labeled a racist. How stupid.

We have the first African American in the White House. And though Mr. Obama should not be judged merely by the color of his skin, we have to recognize that his ethnicity and experiences bring a perspective unseen before by anyone who has held the office. Bill Clinton was given the title of being the first black president, but he is, still, a white man. Mr. Obama could have withheld his feelings, but he was being true to himself and sharing his honest feelings.

As a result, an issue that was controversial, but might have dissipated by now, has dominated our conversations for two weeks. By President Obama offering his take, we have had many discussions about race and the prickly relationship between blacks and the police. I don’t think George W. Bush would have had a summit meeting over beer at the White House with Gates and Officer Crowley. That would have been the safe approach. But we are charting new territory with Mr. Obama. And though it is forcing us to deal right now with an issue that we probably wish would go away, I would argue that we might all be better for it in the end.

And though some might say it isn’t the President’s place to get involved in a local issue, I would differ. Race relations is not a local issue. It’s a festering problem that we need someone to provide us leadership to help overcome or at least address.

By stepping into this, I don’t think that President Obama has overstepped his boundaries. No, I think he has stepped forward and accepted his role as a leader with a different perspective. And for having the courage to do so, I think he should be applauded. But I worry that I am cheering by myself.

Henry Louis Gates' arrest brought an impassioned response from President Obama

When it comes to issues of race and the debates surrounding it, I typically take the approach that President Obama uses. While cognizant of the problems and aware that they impact me in a profound way, I do not wear my opinions on my sleeve. I am not quick to call something an act of racism, choosing, rather, to analyze it from both sides first and then give a ruling.

This approach is borne out of several factors in my background; the first being that I spent most of my formative years at a predominately white Catholic school and, secondly, I have been a journalist for nearly a quarter century. I see things from both sides and I am trained to analyze objectively. I’m pleased to say in that respect I share something in common with the president, besides a funny name as he teased me about when we met.

It’s not that I avoid the issue of race, I just don’t allow myself to be defined by it. Neither does President Obama. It’s worked for me. It’s certainly worked for him.

Nevertheless, this week has made the issue of race difficult to avoid, even if one wanted to.

First, you have CNN pushing its program Black in America 2, which examines issues related to the experience of black people. And there’s this controversy over the arrest of Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates at his home. I must say that Gates’ arrest has brought the issue front and center more than CNN could have. During his press conference Wednesday night on the health care legislation, President Obama wasn’t asked what he thought about CNN’s program, but he was asked about Gates’ arrest. It brought a passionate response.

“Now, I don’t know, not having been there and not seeing all the facts, what role race played in that, but I think it’s fair to say, number one, any of us would be pretty angry; number two, that the Cambridge police acted stupidly in arresting somebody when there was already proof that they were in their own home; and, number three, what I think we know, separate and apart from this incident, is that there is a long history in this country of African-Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately. And that’s just a fact.” He added later that the incident was “a sign of how race remains a factor in this society.”

Given that he is the first African American President, when Obama speaks about issues of race, it’s news. His comments touched off a flurry of debate in the blogosphere. And that is why you are reading this column here.

I am not sure how I feel about Professor Gates’ arrest, having not been there to witness the incident. However, it does appear from this vantage point that something went horribly awry. And if I were asked to give an opinion, I’d say that the police went too far, especially after learning that it was indeed Gates’ own home that he was spotted breaking in to. That should have led the police to be understanding regarding the level of anger that Gates displayed. If nothing else, it seems that the police should have known who he was and that an incident such as this would blow up into a massive controversy. I have to ask if arresting and detaining him for four hours was worth the outcome and scrutiny the Cambridge police department has received in the wake of what happened. It’s a public relations nightmare, especially since the area has a reputation of not being friendly to blacks.

So, now I haved stepped into the debate, too. Pulled in by President Obama, inspired by CNN and using Professor Gates’ incident for analysis.

We’ll be talking about it this weekend on the radio show: The Batts Report. Listen live on Blog Talk Radio on Saturday morning from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thebattsreport. Call in at 347-308-8111.