McKinney Cancels News Conference (police to issue an arrest warrant today)

[truthpusher]

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/8343403/detail.html

McKinney Cancels News Conference

POSTED: 4:21 pm EST March 29, 2006
UPDATED: 10:57 am EST March 31, 2006

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Capitol Hill police plan to issue an arrest warrant today for Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-Ga.).

The warrant is related to the incident Wednesday when McKinney allegedly slapped a Capitol Hill police officer.

Charges could range from assault on a police officer, which is a felony carrying a possible five year prison term, to simple assault, which is a misdeamenor.

McKinney has canceled a news conference that she had scheduled for this morning to discuss the incident.

(snip)

complete story: http://www.wsbtv.com/news/8343403/detail.html

[mdmc]

1. peace

God

[cantstandbush]

75. Will she be unable to run for office if charged with a felony?

Then you will know the reason if they press charges. If this had happened to let's say Cheney or even Condi, would there have even been a second thought about pressing charges?

[adigal]

82. Silly - Cheney can shoot someone in the face

and there are no charges pressed and no investigation occurs.

What disgusting hypocrisy.

[HereSince1628]

2. Believe me they will try to nail her to a wall...

She is about to be made an example to offset the culture of corruption.

[RubyDuby in GA]

3. This is not her first run in with Capitol Police

and she is not above the law.

[tridim]

5. Right, only Republicans are above the law n/t

[dchill]

66. You got it.

[5X]

14. So you and the writer of this highly biased story...

have both judged and convicted her.

[jarab]

17. Damn right ...

Treat her as anyone else who did exactly what she did - whatever that is.
...O...

[NVMojo]

45. Having had up close experience with shoddy police, don't believe

everything until all evidence comes out. They don't have it on tape.

[tkmorris]

27. WHAT?!?

You have got to be kidding me.

[The Backlash Cometh]

8. They will do anything to get a photo opportunity of a black leader

in handcuffs. How many of the Enron boys did the frog march?

[Freddie Stubbs]

11. The Capitol Police have no jurisdiction over Enron

[The Backlash Cometh]

23. I think you know what I mean.

[dchill]

67. I'll bet they have...

no jurisdiction over Republicans, either. :sarcasm:

[Viva_La_Revolution]

4. now the story is that she slapped him?

that's not what they said yesterday.

[LostinVA]

18. In thought that too -- someone must have looked at the tape

realized they couldn't get away with saying punched any more. I'm also interested in the background of the cop...

spin spin spin

[grasswire]

6. Is there a name for this officer yet?

It would be interesting to have some more information. On MSNBC yesterday, both Tweety and Howard Fineman agreed that there was a racial component to this trivial dustup.

[ThomCat]

7. I smell a set-up.

There is no way they would be treating any of the old white guys the way they're treating her.

I think a lot of people are jumping on this as a way of "putting her in her place." She's getting "uppity," don't you know.

[Catherine Vincent]

9. Blown way out of proportion.

That is all this is.

[HereSince1628]

12. If you only knew how many thousands of people lose their jobs

every month because something gets blown way out of proportion.

Blowing things out of proportion is the number one method for getting rid of someone you don't like.

[meegbear]

10. Holy Zsa Zsa Batman!

[ronnykmarshall]

15. Daauhhhhhhhhhlink!

[The Stranger]

13. They are making a statement.

This isn't about someone being bumped or pushed. This is about taking someone down. This is about showing who is in control.

[cleofus1]

16. this is another way the re-uglikins

distract the morons that make up the general public...as real hardcore crooks slip thru the system (delay etc) the minions of the repugs put on show trials that attempt to demonstrate what criminals the liberals are...don't let them make you into a tool...support mckinney 100 per cent

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

79. *chuckle*

Meanwhile the real criminals entered unmolested.

You've identified the truth.

[Debau2005]

19. You know

that the Repigs are going to try and take her down. They are itching for some retaliation from what the perceive as liberal smearing of all of their fine upstanding criminals, such as Delay!

Should she have worn her pin? yes...should she have struck the officer? no...but then again he grabbed her, and I dare say if you grab me, I'd probably strike back as well. The comment that put it over the top for was the Capitol Police stating she did not look like her picture because she changed her hair! That smacks of bias to me. They know her, she is not a NEW rep.

I interned with a Senator in DC. You pass the same security guards every morning and evening. You learn them by name. I doubt this officer did not know who she was.

[DBoon]

20. I'd bet she was deliberately provoked

She was pushed knowing what the results would be just to create an incident

[rucky]

54. They expect white guys to sidestep the metal detectors.

she sure didn't look like a congressperson. :eyes:

[oasis]

97. Ala Sonny Corleone. (n/t)

[chaumont58]

21. The Capitol Hill police are as stupid as a bag of rocks

This is just another example of the stupidity of life inside the beltway. Everyone, everyone, ought to put this incident behind them and get onto to life's struggles.
The Capitol Hill Police will wind up the crap on their faces.

[onenote]

28. curious: how much contact have you had with the capitol hill police

I have dealt with them closely for over a decade and have always found them to be helpful and professional.

onenote

[chaumont58]

62. So you think it is a good idea, to bring charges against McKinney?

*

[onenote]

63. put words in someone else's mouth

A statement was made that the Capitol Hill police "are stupid as a bag of rocks" -- a statement that I took as relating not just to the McKinney incident, but to the quality of the CHP generally. I noted that my experience with the CHP was that they were professional and helpful.

I don't know exactly what happened with McKinney and frankly, absent a tape, I doubt any of us will ever know exactly what happened. All I know is that I've entered the Capitol and other Senate and House office buildings hundreds of times and have never seen anyone challenge or ignore the CHP. Should the officer have recognized McKinney? Yes. But if he didn't, then I think that McKinney should have stopped when the officer asked her to, fished her id card out of her purse, and proceeded about her business.

Obviously she didn't do that. The issue then becomes exactly what happened when he "grabbed" her and when she "slapped" or "punched" or "pushed" him back. Without knowing exactly what happened I can't judge whether the CHP overreacted, she overreacted, or they both overreacted.

onenote

[AndyTiedye]

52. This Isn't Mere Stupidity. Someone Ordered Them To Do This.

This has the stench of Karl Rove all over it.

[David__77]

22. I stand by Rep. McKinney, my favorite in federal government.

If I had my way, Cynthia McKinney would be president. She is a true people's leader. We need hundreds, indeed thousands more leaders in power like her. This is foul McCarthyite ploy.

[0007]

25. You got it! This is coming from the Carlyle Group and the GOP party.

McKinney made em look like fools in a video that exposed the Carlyle boys. This was all preordained.

[TankLV]

98. Same here - I believe Cynthia in a heartbeat. She's been proven right

all other times before.

I wonder who got the pig to do this to her?

I smell a setup.

Shame on that probably racist pig.

[Peace Patriot]

24. WHEN, WHEN, **WHEN** are we going to SMARTEN UP about these

dreadful, dirty, rotten, fascist take-down's of leftist Democrats, truth-tellers, strong Bush junta opponents, honest politicians and whistleblowers???!!!

How many times does it have to happen?

What kind of stupids are we that we let this happen again and again?

What is the matter with the bullshit-detectors of people who, a) assume that Cynthia McKinney is guilty of anything, and b) side with a white cop who is in the pay of--and whose career depends upon--the Bush junta?!

They did the same thing to John Conyers' wife, and in various forms to Teresa Heinz Kerry, to John Kerry, to Joseph Wilson, to Valerie Plame, to Kevin Shelley in California (who had sued Diebold and decertified the worst of their election theft machines prior to the 2004 elections--now, with a Schwarz APPOINTEE as sec of state, we're having Diebold ILLEGALLY shoved down our throats), to Scott Ritter, to Richard Clark, to Max Cleland, to John McCain, to Sibel Edmonds, to hosts of military and intelligence professionals and government employees, to anyone who poses any serious threat to this junta, or is even just trying to do an honest job. It's called swift-boating. It's called DEGRADATION of your opponents, through lies and deceit and set-up's--to get headlines from the lapdog press that never go away--and the Bush junta are masters of this dirty game.

And anyone who buys into this tactic against Cynthia McKinney or on any other anti-Bush public figure is their stooge and is helping these criminals to stay in power.

[Judi Lynn]

26. You always find the words which elude some of the rest of us!

I especially want to underscore your last line. I've read so many unexpected snippy, snotty remarks scattered through the Democrats' normal posts on this situation I couldn't focus well enough to respond. I simply lock up when I feel too angry: paralysis! Anger overrides intellect in my case, and I simply can't write.

I'm pretty sure Democrats who've paid attention recognize what has happened here. Thanks for mentioning the other people we've watched as they became targets for these clowns. Republicans have very little to offer. All their progress can only be made at the expense of clean government, peace and respect for others.

[AndyTiedye]

50. It Isn't About Not Being SMART, It's About Not Having Any Power

They do to us because they can.

They have absolute power and they want to make sure that we know it.

[Peace Patriot]

69. No, AndyTiedye, this is not about power--although I agree with you

that the majority of Americans have been disempowered, and, above all, DISENFRANCHISED--by the Bushite-controlled voting machines, and by the war profiteering corporate news monopolies.

But what I had to say was about people HERE AT DU, who are blaming this on Cynthia, who are dumping on her, who are PRESUMING that a white cop is telling the truth--before there is any evidence of ANYTHING--who are now bringing up all kinds of little things they didn't like about her (on the numerous threads on this topic), who are contributing to the scenario that she is somehow not an okay person and representative of the people, when she is, in fact, one of the BEST REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PEOPLE IN CONGRESS, and has been adamant and active and vociferous in opposing Bush's slaughter in Iraq, and the white-washed 9/11 report, and the white-washed goddamned election.

She is a truth-teller, and a true-heart patriot, and they ARE TRYING TO TAKE HER DOWN--and some DUers are HELPING THEM.

Possible scenarios:

1. She forgot to wear her security tag (as many members of Congress do), showed ID and did what many members of Congress do, walked around the metal detector. He grabbed her, and she reacted and pushed him away. As a member of Congress, she is obliged to preserve herself from assault. Further, as a black woman, she is SENSITIZED to assault, especially by white men and especially by white cops. She REACTED as many other people might have done. And that is a hanging offense? Or...

2. He added an epithet (to the above) and she bashed him. Or...

3. She has been subjected to continuous harassment by the Cap Hill cops, who damn well know who she is, and she had had it. She shoved him or hit him, because she was good and sick of this behavior. (For instance, mistaking her white female aide for the congressperson, and ignoring HER--or, always stopping HER for these security checks, and not her white brethren in the House.) You grow up black, your patience with this kind of harassment can grow very thin. There was a SERIES of provocations by these cops leading up to this confrontation. That is a fact--and we don't know if it is related to this incident (whatever it was), or not.

3a. Given the above, they set her up this time--they played on past harassment and her sensitivity, and provoked an incident--with the full intention of sending it to Drudge and Faux News, to defame her, to harm her as an anti-Bush voice, and to shut her up. Or...

4. She is a warrior for the people in a very dangerous and hostile environment--and just blew it--shoved him, hit him, yelled at him, without sufficient provocation. In HER mind, she might have been slapping Bush up the side of the head. Maybe she's tired. Maybe she has high blood pressure. Maybe she feels extraordinarily impeded and stymied in representing the people in our nutso fortress of a capitol. She is highly intelligent. She is a truth-teller. She could just be exhausted, worn down, beaten up emotionally--and lost her temper. But what would happen to a white male Bushite Congressman in these circumstances--someone who got testy with a Cap Hill cop, or say, someone who was drunken and disorderly. We know damn well it would be hushed up.

Whichever of these scenarios is true--and I think they about cover it (from the standpoint of guessing, on the basis on what little is known) WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL? WHY is this being so blown up?

I believe that, if she did anything at all--and we can't know that she did--it was not unprovoked. Either an immediate provocation (grabbing her) or a long series of provocations, with this as the last straw. I suppose #4 is still possible--that she's exhausted and blew it. We don't know very much. But if it's #4--something that SHE shouldn't have done (that resulted from her mood or temper, not something he did), where is the COMPASSION among the people here at DU who are blaming HER? Where is the compassion for a peoples' warrior like Cynthia McKinney?

There are some things that are unforgivable in a politician--starting an illegal war, torturing people, looting the public coffers, robbing the poor to enrich the already rich, lying, deceit, betrayal, treason.

Cynthia is guilty of none of these. She is the exact opposite--and she is up against truly ruthless criminals every day of her life in our nation's capitol. I heard Dennis Kucinich once describe how our nation's capitol has become a police state, in which Congresspeople have to hurdle one barricade after another just to go to work, and how this affects the MOOD of law-making.

A capitol city that the Bush junta FAILED TO DEFEND on 9/11, and have since turned into an exemplar of FEAR. That's the kind of atmosphere THEY like to operate in. Fear. Intimidation. Cops everywhere. Locked doors. Secrecy.

This is what Cynthia McKinney lives with every day. Think of who she is. Think of what HER life has been like, and what her policies are, and who she advocates for--all of us, the real people of this country.

And some people here are raking her over the coals because of one little incident--which was more than likely a set-up to destroy her?

I don't think we should tolerate it.

We need to learn to defend our own from the moment they come under attack. We may not have much power to defend them, but we can start with ourselves--and learn to recognize the signs right away, not buy into it, make it our task not to blame our greatest leaders and truth-tellers, but instead to immediately assume Bush junta skulduggery, dirty pool and 'black ops', and start the investigation and the counter-offensive.

We didn't do this for Kevin Shelley in California, because we didn't see it coming. It was a total shock. No more! We must get mentally prepared for this crap. These are the kind of people--Kevin Shelley, Cynthia McKinney--who resist blackmail, who cannot be bribed, who are incorruptible. They speak the truth NO MATTER WHAT. There are others like them--but they are damn rare. And we MUST defend them, and must not be suckered in by phony, trumped up charges against them. If they tell the truth, we can be sure they will come under attack. We can count on it. The Bushites are smear-masters. That's what they do. We've got to get onto them early, when they start this kind of thing, and fight back.

And we've got to start with ourselves, our attitudes, our understanding of who and what WE are dealing with. No more naivete --if that's what is behind DUers dissing Cynthia McKinney. No more stupid, sniveling little buy-in's (like, "well, if she broke the rules.....nee-yeah, nee-yeah, nee-yeah..."). God! I just want to vomit. And this guy upthread who says the Cap Hill cops are always polite to HIM. Try being a big, flashy-dressing black woman from Georgia, who is representing the poor, and hates Bush's ass, and has earned a position of power in this country. See how polite the cops on Bush's payroll are to you THEN.

Let's stop with namby-bambi, gee-the-cops-must-be-right crap I'm hearing on these boards, and take the gloves off!

[oblivious]

92. I don't want to nominate the thread, but I sure do your posts!

[davekriss]

78. The same recurring script...

...once applied to third world nations to repress their general populace and maximize opportunities for corporate exploitation. Same as it ever was. Only, now, the Bush Regime applies it directly to the American people. How long till our mothers march in grief over our "disappeared"?

CIA operations follow the same recurring script. First, American business interests abroad are threatened by a popular or democratically elected leader. The people support their leader because he intends to conduct land reform, strengthen unions, redistribute wealth, nationalize foreign-owned industry, and regulate business to protect workers, consumers and the environment. So, on behalf of American business, and often with their help, the CIA mobilizes the opposition. First it identifies right-wing groups within the country (usually the military), and offers them a deal: "We'll put you in power if you maintain a favorable business climate for us." The Agency then hires, trains and works with them to overthrow the existing government (usually a democracy). It uses every trick in the book: propaganda, stuffed ballot boxes, purchased elections, extortion, blackmail, sexual intrigue, false stories about opponents in the local media, infiltration and disruption of opposing political parties, kidnapping, beating, torture, intimidation, economic sabotage, death squads and even assassination. These efforts culminate in a military coup, which installs a right-wing dictator. The CIA trains the dictator’s security apparatus to crack down on the traditional enemies of big business, using interrogation, torture and murder. The victims are said to be "communists," but almost always they are just peasants, liberals, moderates, labor union leaders, political opponents and advocates of free speech and democracy. Widespread human rights abuses follow.

This scenario has been repeated so many times that the CIA actually teaches it in a special school, the notorious "School of the Americas." (It opened in Panama but later moved to Fort Benning, Georgia.) Critics have nicknamed it the "School of the Dictators" and "School of the Assassins." Here, the CIA trains Latin American military officers how to conduct coups, including the use of interrogation, torture and murder.

The Association for Responsible Dissent estimates that by 1987, 6 million people had died as a result of CIA covert operations. (2) Former State Department official William Blum correctly calls this an "American Holocaust."

The CIA justifies these actions as part of its war against communism. But most coups do not involve a communist threat. Unlucky nations are targeted for a wide variety of reasons: not only threats to American business interests abroad, but also liberal or even moderate social reforms, political instability, the unwillingness of a leader to carry out Washington’s dictates, and declarations of neutrality in the Cold War. Indeed, nothing has infuriated CIA Directors quite like a nation’s desire to stay out of the Cold War.

Above from Steve Kangas, "A Timeline of CIA Atrocities", mirrored several places including here. Kangas, of course, was himself Wellstoned a number of years ago.

[lostnfound]

86. Thank you. I suspect you are absolutely right.

I have no evidence, but it's getting rather predictable. And they win already, because it's on the news.

[oasis]

93. The right wingers probe for an opening. Lucianne Goldberg sent Linda Tripp

to find, befriend and cultivate an intimate relationship with Monica.

The rest is history.

[KamaAina]

29. Isn't this the same Capitol police dept. that arrested Cindy Sheehan

at State of the Union, while politely asking Rep. McCollum (R-FL)'s wife, also wearing a T-shirt, to leave? Hmm...no partisan bias there at all... :tinfoilhat:

[NVMojo]

46. yep, and that whole Cindy deal wasn't blown out of proportion either ...

yeah, right!

[bluestateguy]

30. Hopefully she hit the cop who arrested Cindy Sheehan

People are allowed to defend themselved from police brutality.

Hopefully she has her own security people who will not allow Capitol Police to touch her.

[marshall]

107. To paraphrase Noel Coward:

Some police officers should be struck regularly, like gongs!

[SoCalDem]

31. Good idea.. She needs to have her lawyer do the talking now

It will probably get tossed out..For her to help her enemies keep this going, would be foolish on her part.

[davidinalameda]

32. she's an embarassment

and I hope the people of her district take the opportunity to get her out and keep her out!

[Debau2005]

34. I am in her district

and she is not an embarassment! She speaks what she believes and takes her stand on issues that matter to her and her district. She is a patriot and aa true advocate for the under privileged. Is she controversial? YES! Do I agree with her all the time? NO! Do I respect a woman that can speak her mind, and her beliefs and stand firm behind them? YES!

[David__77]

35. She's a true leftist and progressive.

It's what we need--people with the courage to identify and fight the enemy. Maybe she needs to be a little more careful. But she is an important leader and people should support her. What happened to her in 2002 was a shameful spectacle organized by DC insiders and warmongers.

[DELUSIONAL]

44. shame on you for buying into this crap

[snowbear]

48. For a Republican though?

Damn, I sure hope not!

Tony Harris on CNN seems to be pissed about what the DC rent-a-cops did. She'll be on CNN tomorrow to give her side of the story.

[snowbear]

53. Well, Dwickham.. judging by all the comments here...

Not too many in your area agree with your assessment of her.

[davidinalameda]

90. and remember more Americans voted for Bush last time around

let's just remember that the majority isn't always right

[rman]

104. Neither is a minority always right

Besides, "embarrassment" is more an issue of perception then one of fact.

[AndyTiedye]

109. "Perception" is Whatever the Bushbot Media Says It Is

[Karenina]

57. Oh? To WHOM?

[Rainscents]

58. What is your problem with this women?

She had done more to Democrats issues than, all the DLC democratic party put together could ever do.

And btw, right now, everthing is hear say. You don't convict someone just because what you hear or read. You have convicted her before the fact. Shame on you!

[Name removed]

60. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ecstatic]

72. I too am in her district and I will refrain from saying to you what I'm

thinking right now... Worry about your own leaders, we will elect who we choose. Thank you very much!

[MisterP]

73. a repeatedly elected "embarrasment"

[davidinalameda]

91. and Bush was elected twice

what's your point?

[MisterP]

95. I meant ACTUALLY elected

[TankLV]

99. She's a PATRIOT and a true American HERO.

You on the other hand...

[rman]

105. By all means don't explain why she's an embarrassment,

lets keep rational arguments out of politics.

[AndyTiedye]

33. They're Going to Run Her Out of Office and Replace Her With a Repiglican

You know that's what this is really about.

[ShortnFiery]

36. It won't work a second time ...

My respect for the Capital Police is lessening ... they would not press charges if it was Condi Rice who hit them when grabbed from behind!?!

Hypocritical! Shame on the Capitol Hill Police leadership. :(

[AndyTiedye]

37. Of Course It Will Work. It's Not As if We Can Do Anything to Stop Them

and GA has a Repiglican governor (elected by Diebold) standing ready
to appoint a Repiglican to replace her.

[cap]

38. they want to make an example out of her

and neutralize her...and scare other congressmen as well...
That's what this is about...intimidation

They have been portraying McKinney as a "ghetto slut" for some time on Fox.

[ShortnFiery]

39. Nope, before the Average American sinks into abject poverty ...

they will wake up and say, "I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!"

Trust me on this - I live in the heart of Freepervile and, the republicans are angry at the CURRENT LEADERSHIP. Perhaps not for all the right reasons, but they will not have their way ALL of the time.

The people who respect McKinney will now work twice as hard to have her re-elected. When people are truly hurting financially, those personal smear campaigns loose their allure. All the average voter cares about is WHAT is this representative going to do to ease their struggle for a decent living wage.

[AndyTiedye]

61. The Regime Intends to Put Her In Prison

That would obviously end her political career.

Even if they don't lock her up (which they obviously want to) it's Georgia
so they could fiddle the numbers all they want anyway (Diebold Republican
Elecing Machinez with no paper ballots). The current "controversy" would
be ample fodder for the media to explain away her "loss".

Those same Diebold machines gave Georgia a ReThuglican Governor.
Would he get to appoint her successor?

[oasis]

100. Wouldn't her trial be held in D.C.?

[AndyTiedye]

68. Just Like In the Movie "Network", Even That Is Being Manipulated…

…by the powers that be, to ensure that the sheeple are only mad as hell
at what/whomever Karl Rove wants them to be mad as hell at.
Gays, immigrants, women who need abortions, whatever.

They'll be pumping out their party line in all the Fundie churches by summer
and that will bring the Freepers back into line. It always does.

[AndyTiedye]

55. If It Had Been Condi, The Cop Would Be Sent to Gitmo

[snowbear]

56. With a couple of DU'ers here already claiming her quilty...

BEFORE SHE HAS HER DAY IN COURT ..it sure sounds like they'll get the ReTHUG in her place soon.

Un-freaken-believable!!!

[Marie26]

102. I dunno if she's guilty,

but it sure looks bad that she canceled the press conference. That sounds a lot like her lawyer advised her that she shouldn't speak to the press about this incident, because her statements can be used against her at trial.

[Yupster]

88. A Republican in that district?

Not too likely.

[AndyTiedye]

108. With Diebold, All Things Are Possible

Republican Electing Machinez

[w4rma]

40. You've got to be kidding. (nt)

[Vinca]

41. I really like Cynthia McKinney, but I'm wishing she would suck it up,

put pride aside, maybe even put the truth aside, and have a groveling news conference and apologize to the cop. Even if she wins in the end, nothing good is going to come of this. The 'pukes need an offset to Delay and they're apt to turn Ms. McKinney into the AntiChrist. As that creepy John "Too Tan" Boehner said about the Dubai ports deal, this needs to go away.

[AndyTiedye]

51. They Can Just Put a "White Congresscritters Only" Sign on the Bypass Lane

to avoid any confusion in the future. :grr:

[oasis]

94. Harry Belafonte and Danny Glover are supporting her on this. They

will bring more heavyweights into the ring if need be.

There is more to this than meets the eye.

[oblivious]

96. She should grovel you say!!!!! What??? OK, here's her news conference.

Congresswoman Accuses Capitol Police Officer of Racial Bias

At a news conference at Howard University, Ms. McKinney, a Georgia Democrat, said her physical altercation with the unidentified officer, who was screening visitors to a House office building on Wednesday, was the officer's fault.

"Let me be clear," Ms. McKinney said, surrounded by supporters at the historically black university. "This whole incident was instigated by the inappropriate touching and stopping of me, a female black congresswoman. I deeply regret this incident occurred, and I am certain that after a full review of the facts, I will be exonerated."

One of her lawyers, James Myart, said the case typified a pattern of police harassment of black Americans. "My belief is this is no different than that: 'they all look alike,' " he said.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/01/washington/01mckinney.html

[Vinca]

103. Actually, after hearing the news conference,

it's clear she was entirely out of line. For starters, she's changed her hair - drastically - and looks completely different to me and, most likely, to the cop. Secondly, it's not like she was tackled. She was tapped on the shoulder and asked to stop. That's what security people do if they're unsure of who a person is - they have them stop. Compound this with Ms. McKinney's earlier remarks which have been reported - about not needing the consent of white people to enter the White house or something like that - and it's apparent she's got a problem and it's not her color.

[Janice325]

42. Well, hell!!

The administration has to do something to defer attention from Scalia and that photo,dontcha know!:sarcasm:

[Sadie5]

43. The officer who grabbed her

should have used more tact than he did. If he on the chance did not recognize her, he should have done a better job of finding out who she was instead of grabbing her arm as he did. I would fight back too if someone grabbed my arm as I was walking along. BTW, how long ago did McKinney change her hairstyle, long enough ago that the police should have noticed?

[slackmaster]

64. We don't even know how long that officer had been on the job

n/t

[NVMojo]

47. it's ok for Jeff Gannon to come and go at will in the White House ...

but not Congressional reps. Oh the double standard ...

[lies and propaganda]

49. brings back Sheehan memories

seems like theres alot of douchebaggery on the Hill :sarcasm:

[msgadget]

59. Here we go

Is this man in hospital, scarred, emotionally damaged...? Otherwise, once he recognized her and APOLOGIZED for grabbing her there'd be no need for additional drama. Slapping him for the sheer hell of it would've been wrong but she's a public figure and considering the mail she must get, I can't blame her for lashing out at someone grabbing her from behind... This could've been settled with apologies from both parties. Makes ya wonder... :tinfoilhat: :)






Edit for spelling

[BiggJawn]

65. You just don't TOUCH the Polizei.

A lesson I'm afraid we all will be learning before too many years....

[Yupster]

89. Agree msgadget

They should hold a joint news conference where they each apologoize and give each other small humurous gifts. This shouldn't be blown out of proportion.

[neuvocat]

70. Way to go, Bushies.

Looks like y'all gave up on trying to look like you don't hate black people.

[symbolman]

71. I hope her lawyer countersues for KIDNAPPING

Did you knnow that if you STOP someone, or even grab and move them that it is LITERALLY KIDNAPPING. Now THAT is a CRIME.

Changed her hairstyle? If they can reconize that someone changed their hairstyle then they should be able to recognize THAT PERSON, admission of guilt.

What is she supposed to do, have GUMBY HAIR like CondoLIESa?

They could have had someone follow her without impeding her and seeing where she went, to watch if she was recognised by OTHERS, etc.

She's a VERY VOCAL person, very high profile, I don't believe they didn't know her and I'd bet my life on it that she gave that cop every chance to realise who he was dealing with.

This is a set up.

And it's genius in particualar is the stereotypicalization of Humanity for police use. This kind of thinking makes Ragheads of us all.

This is OUR FIGHT, do NOT let them get away with this. It's to allow the right to make broad statements about the corruption of congress in the next election, to get her out, to make ALL BLACK PEOPLE LOOK ALIKE.

[Mind_your_head]

74. Thank goodness she didn't SHOOT SOMEBODY IN THE FACE!

Then she'd be in REAL trouble! :eyes:

[truthpusher]

76. It's only a matter of time...get em' of the street while we can....

[Mind_your_head]

77. Get what off the streets while we can????

Dick Cheney and friends? Yeah, I'll agree with that!

If you mean guns in general, no.....you won't find a 'taker' with me.

Irresponsible people? Are you talking about Tom Delay, and our own Vice President, who? should have their priveleges restricted/taken away?

Don't penalize the huge population of people who ARE responsible.

These guys are MORONS. There are a lot of ppl who aren't losers/morons/stupid (and perhaps they'll even end up protecting you some day...who knows). :shrug:

[truthpusher]

106. I was refering to the extremely deadly and dangerous democratic slappers..

[davekriss]

85. Touche!

Best post on this matter by far!

[lostnfound]

87. Best one-line answer I've heard!! Great one! nt

[dchill]

80. This will probably work for them...

as a tool to make liberals look "crazy" - unless they actually arrest her. I think they already jumped the shark with this type of maneuver with the strong-arming of Cindy Sheehan at the SOTU speech. I actually almost hope they DO arrest her...

[yurbud]

81. will the democrats abandon her again?

[Aimah]

83. Maybe the Capitol Security workers could use some sensitivity training.

When Illinois Sen. Carol Moseley-Braun arrived in Washington in 1992, it was assumed by some that she had a husband who was the senator, so administrators attempted to issue her a spouse's ID card instead of senator's credentials. Rep. Cynthia McKinney of Georgia, who is known for her braided hair, vibrant apparel and outspokenness, has been slighted more than once. When she initially arrived at the Capitol, she was repeatedly stopped in the parking lot because security guards thought she looked suspicious. At other times, Capitol elevator operators refused to take her anywhere, telling her that the elevator was for Congress members only. When North Carolina Rep. Eva Clayton requested to speak out of turn during a House committee meeting so that she could leave and make another pressing meeting, a male colleague questioned her motives. "What's so pressing?" he inquired. "Are you sure you have a meeting?"

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1077/is_n5_v52/ai_19201534

[mvd]

84. She's being charged with a FELONY?

This is ridiculous, and suspicious to boot. Why did they feel the need to suddenly stop her? This is the kind of thing the Bush crime family does.

[Lars39]

110. Not necessarily.

The writer put the maximum sentence first, instead of the minimum sentence.

[TankLV]

101. Let me see if I have this right. Asshole Cheney fucking SHOOTS somebody

and it's no big deal - "everybody does it".

This CONGRESSWOMAN is accosted by a pig who should know better - justifiably only SLAPS him for his MISTREATMENT of a CONGRESSWOMAN, and she is being charged with a FELONY?

These people are really something.

I don't think peace will be ever possible with these people.

I can actually see another civil war in America's future if the repukes aren't defeated and marginalized and villified for the scum they are once and for all.