Oh My God! A black woman "hit" a Cop!

[Solomon]

Lock her up immediately. My God, you can't hit a cop. Cops are really sacred. She really hurt that cop.

He must be in the hospital. He must be on his death bed.

You people make me want to puke.

Knowing the vindictive nature of the current administration, can you even begin to imagine the kind of harassment this woman is experiencing?

Do you understand how clean and free of scandal this woman must be to even exist in this cauldron?

"Oh nooooooo", "She hit a cop." "She has no excuse".

If you were her, wouldn't you want to have a food taster? An accident "preventer"?

They knew who the hell she was and she knew they knew who she was.

They conveniently leave out the story about how it's their job to know who the congressman are
EVEN IF THEY DON'T WEAR THEIR FUCKIN LITTLE PINS. M'kay?

Oh that's right, I forgot. She changed her hair style. That's why they didn't recognize her. :sarcasm:

[bluestateguy]

1. Good point

If she was a freshman I could understand, but save for a 2 year sabbatical between the 2002 and 2004 elections, she has been in the house since 1992.

This would not have happened to some white haired old man who has been in Congress since the Ford Administration.

[Comadreja]

55. How would "Deadeye Dick" Cheney weigh in?

Shotgunning a fellow "hunter" and using the SS to prevent a deputy from getting a report (and breathalyzer test). No contact with the law until he had time to sober up.

[fujiyama]

2. She should have had her pin

but if it was the case that he grabbed her arm from behind, she likely hit him instinctively. OTOH, if he told her to stop and she ignored him and then was grabbed, well...it's tougher to say then.

I don't think we know the full story yet and it's difficult to judge at this point. I wish there was a video of the incident.

[ikojo]

3. She could have been off in her own thoughts and

honestly not have heard the cop say "ma'am, ma'am". When he grabbed her arm I am sure it startled and maybe frightened her considering that she is not popular with either the Democratic or Republican "leadership".

[xchrom]

4. cynthia mckinney is not stupid. she isn't going to just

up and hit a cop.

that would be so outside of the african-american experience it's pathetic.

more it's pathetic of those who whine ''oooh, she shouldn't have hit a cop. hit a cop. hit a cop. hit a cop. hit a cop. hit a cop. hit a cop. hit a cop.''

i SWEAR people will make a religion out of anything.

[Greeby]

5. I say she shouldn't have hit a cop

She should've hit a Republican :evilgrin:

[smaug]

6. And the difference is?

In my neck of the woods, the cops are the ReTHUGlicans. Ironically, no elected official in our county (including the sheriff) are ReTHUG; only the local city cops. And they make damn sure we all know it; having a anti-Bushevik or pro-Democrat sticker on your car will get you pulled over for no reason at all.

[goclark]

45. He was probably a friend of a " good ole boy"

and will probably have a new house in about 3 months.

[bowens43]

7. So in your mind assault is ok?

If she hit the cop she should be treated just like anyone else who assaults someone, the fact that it was a cop she assaulted (if she did) is irrelevant. It doesn't matter whether or not they knew who she was. It doesn't matter whether or not she was being harassed. If she did it, she should be prosecuted.

You damn well that if this had been a republican representative you would be screaming for jail time.

[fknobbit]

10. Without knowing any of the facts

I do believe that you do not detain a congressperson and or a mail truck from their appointed rounds. Federal law I think.

[BoneDaddy]

52. Totally agreed

I am not a fan of the police as a matter of generality, I know some great cops and I know some scumbags. I think corruption and racism and sexism are still alive and well among the police, but we need to think clearly.

For me this isn't the issue about a cop. If she did it to a regular man or woman, it would be assault. I personally don't think cops are better or less than anyone else. Assault is assault.

OTOH I would bet money that she may have had a good reason to react that way. No one knows except those present.

[Name removed]

60. Deleted message

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

[midnight]

8. Has there ever been a more tense time?

Some think if it was a Repub that we would scream for prosecution, and some think it is second nature to swing when someone grabs you. I don't know Cynthia, but her consituates say she pulls no punches. This could be a set up. Repubs. do some pretty subtle work ups.

[zanne]

16. If she was a Repub, it wouldn't be national news....

The incident was reported to the media by a right-wing Republican, a fact that the media reported at first, but now seems to be forgetting about entirely. It's just another RW tactic to smear opponents.

[alphafemale]

I remember Zsa Zsa Gabor arrested for slapping a cop too.

I don't think anyone can get away with slapping a cop.

[Devlzown]

9. I wish we had a Congress full of

Cynthia McKinneys. Until I hear more info about this incident, I give her the benefit of the doubt.

[fknobbit]

11. Me too

Even if she is dead wrong she has at least shown some cahonies, unlike our other elected Dem officials.

[Solo_in_MD]

13. Key point

A bunch of people here at DU are defending her based purely on her voting record and claiming "da man is out to get her". The Capitol Hill Police are used to dealing with people in power, and are generally very smooth, even with the general public. The macro portions of what is being reported seem quite plausible. (No pin, walked around, was not recognized). Less sure is how times he asked her to stop. Who touched who and how is a down to the he said/she said level.

The tin foil theories on both sides, the knee jerk attacks, the knee jerk defense, the race card all seem pretty silly. Have to believe a simple apology could have worked all of this out. So would wearing the the ID pin. Surely this is not worth a courts time or all the ink and bits that have been used over it.

[Solomon]

61. There's no such thing as a damn RACE CARD. You need to get that

through your head. It's a made up term specifically created to deny that racism exists. Good to see it works soooo well.

[Solo_in_MD]

64. Surely you jest

There is undeniably racism in this country, and not all of it is against african americans. There are undeniably cases and situations where african americans claim racism and none exists. Making such a claim is called playing the race card. Sometimes its valid, sometimes its not. Asserting racial bias falsely, hurts all the legitimate claims. IMO, its an accusation that should be made only after there is substantive proof that it has indeed occurred.

There is no proof of racism in this incident, but a lot of knee jerk reactions on all sides. She should have worn the damn pin, and apologized immediately, and this never would have been heard of.

[Binka]

74. Surely You Need To Bone Up On Your Reading Comprehension

Solomon was pointing out that the term "RACE CARD" is a RW phrase that is used to condescend and dismiss that there is a RACE WAR raging in America. The term belittles and insults the magnitude of the struggle for racial equality. Cards is a mother fucking GAME this is NO game. The term is derogatory, inflammatory, and used by the OTHER SIDE.

Words matter and you displayed a tremendous amount of ignorance by using that term.

[cosmik debris]

12. I read the thread

and I did a search in google for Cynthia Mckinney, and I still don't have a clue what you are talking about. Have mercy and give me a little background if you please. Thank you.

[H2O Man]

14. I think that it is hard

for a specific population to fully understand or appreciate how another group of people view this. If you have not been pulled over more than a dozen times for nothing other than the color of your skin; if you haven't had your children IDed a dozen times on the street for nothing except the color of their skin; if your mother and her mother haven't been disrespected by some dim-wit dressed in blue, simply because of the color of their skin; if you haven't had an elderly relative warn you to be careful about talking publicly the way Cindy talks publicly, because black and brown folk ALWAYS pay a price for talking that way ..... then this incident can indeed appear very different.

But to a lot of DUers, it's very clear.

[Solomon]

62. Thank you H20 Man. As I said before, some of us grew up with an

entirely different view of the police. Where I grew up they harassed and assaulted us everyday. If you did or said anything, you were guilty of "assault on a police officer."

In fact, I was thoroughly floored when I went to college and saw how the other half of the world views cops. Saints they are to most people.

[H2O Man]

66. Right.

And many of us have children or nieces and nephews who are still being subjected to a side of some police officers/security guards that many on even a progressive forum are totally unaware of.

In the past few days, Court TV has had a case where three officers are being tried for severely beating a brown-skinned man, breaking bones in his face. I'm sure that a couple of the folks found on this thread would believe that the victim was at fault. It's sad, as there is no good excuse for that level of ignorance today.

[Karenina]

63. Thank you, sir.

:loveya:

[H2O Man]

67. Thank you.

I know that you know. And that is what is important.

[1monster]

70. I came from a rural white bread area. There were only two black

families in our school district, so as a child, the only racism I witnessed was on television.

Then when I was sixteen, I got my first paying job in a large furniture store.

And for the first time, I was exposed to racial epithets. Some of the epithets were not confined to use against people of color, such as jiberoni, a word that I've never heard elsewhere.

On the rare occasions that a black couple came into the store looking for furniture, I was dispatched to follow them throughout the store and watch them. I was sixteen and scared of my boss, scared of my parents, and scared of losing my job. I was also highly embarrassed. I tried to be as unobtursive as possible, but I'm sure they knew why I was always in the same section of the store as they were. Fortunately, it was a very big store and I was able to stay far enough away from them that I could not hear any of their conversations.

That sensitized me to the racism that exits in our world today. Some of that racism is, I think, unconscience, but it does exist. I've seen lots of it.

I moved south in 1974 and was really shocked at the segregation that still existed.

In truth, things are better here than they were thirty years ago, but ethnocentrism seems to be part of the human condition.

We certainly have not wiped out racism, but we wer making some progress..... I'd like to think that it will continue.

on edit: I never could spell "epithets" correctly the first time!

[slaveplanet]

15. The security is there to protect the congresspersons

It is their duty to know who they're supposed to protect.

It what we pay them for.

When a cop puts their hand on a congressperson it is like putting his hands on and then accusing thousands of people at once.

Bottom line

[pimpbot]

68. huh??

Do you realize how many people go in and out of that building all day? We have no idea how many cops were working that checkpoint, how many years this guy has been working there, or any other facts.

In my opinion, this "bypass" of the checkpoint seems like a weakness in security. Something that a REAL badguy could exploit.

[slaveplanet]

72. The problem is

Congress sits above all agencies
Agencies sit above employees

Congress cannot be subordinate to the employee or even the agency when en route to session.

They don't hire some temp agency to find security guards. These guys are vetted.

[DrGonzoLives]

76. Gee, should we throw roses on the ground where they walk?

Or perhaps sweep the sidewalks in front of them too?

This is not about "being subordinate." I'm an engineer on a military installation, yet I can't get in without an ID badge and the occasional random search. Does that mean I'm somehow "subordinate" to security here? Should they let me through just because someone recognizes me?

[QC]

17. What if Tom DeLay had hit the cop in question?

Would we defend him? Somehow I find it hard to picture.

[H2O Man]

18. Or if Tom DeLay ran over the Easter Bunny.

There are millions of examples of things that didn't happen which fall into the general nonsense category we might consider.

Or we could stick to reality.

[mondo joe]

20. And the reality, as QC points out, is that we on DU are sometimes

very inconsistent.

If a Republican did the same thing a Democrat is accused of doing, what wouuld the DU response be?

[annabanana]

25. If a black, female Republican Congresswoman did it? ~

[QC]

30. If anybody did it.

But again, we are talking about consistency, and that's a tall order for some people here.

For the record, I like McKinney, but if she did what she is accused of doing, it was wrong.

[annabanana]

34. please check post #19. .

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

29. Excuse me but inconsistency is sometimes needed for survival in politics.

Yes, we WILL propagate stories that make Republicans/conservatives/rightwingers look bad. AND we will NOT propagate similar stories that make Democrats/liberals/leftwingers look bad.

You got a problem with that?

[QC]

32. If you're talking political strategy, fine.

If you are promoting the idea that the rightness or wrongness of an action is a matter of who does it, then yes, I have a problem with that.

[mondo joe]

35. No problem with political strategy and spin.

But I'm not pretending it's something other than that.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

43. It wouldn't be

If it hadn't crossed the border of acceptability (for reasons of racism or otherwise). Let's explain by example:

Mocking Kerry's "helmet hair": no problem.
Mocking Hillary's looks or voice: no problem.
Mocking Michael Moore's weight: no problem.
Calling Cynthia McKinney a "ghetto slut": BAD.
Calling Chelsea the "White House Dog" when she was 13: BAD.

[mondo joe]

44. But I agree with you on those points.

That doesn't mean I'm prepared to abandon any sense of rule of law and its application to all people.

I can't argue that the law should apply to EVERYONE if I'm willing to make excuses for people on my team.

[H2O Man]

31. "Inconsistent"

might well define the attempt to mix what is real with what is not. Mr. DeLay has only punched an imaginary cop in a couple people's fantasies. In such a fantasy, you may well have driven the get-away car. What if it was you who ran over the Easter Bunny? Would DU defend you? Is it "consistent" to add this to a discussion of a reality-based event? Or is it nonsense?

[mondo joe]

36. Thanks for the strawman.

[H2O Man]

38. Consistency

would dictate that you point out the DeLay nonsense is a strawman. I doubt you are up to it.

[annabanana]

40. (looks like you're being tag teamed)

I think you're up to it...:)

[mondo joe]

41. I assure you, if Delay did the SAME thing I'd have the SAME response.

Can you?

[H2O Man]

65. I am assured

that you have a very limited range of responses. Satisfied now?

[mondo joe]

71. Sure. I'm limited to a single, rather than a double, standard.

Glad you noticed.

[QC]

21. So why can some people assault cops but not others?

The fact that McKinney is popular around here and DeLay is not is not a valid answer, by the way.

[H2O Man]

26. You seem to be

defending Tom DeLay's assault upon the Easter Bunny. Oh, wait! That's no more real than Tom's not getting support on DU for hitting the cop! Because neither happened.

[QC]

28. No, I simply believe in intellectual consistency. n/t

[H2O Man]

33. Right. n/t

[annabanana]

22. Delay "looks like" a congressman... the cop would NEVER

have grabbed such an "obviously" important person..

[Terran1212]

19. Watch this clip of her past history with Capitol Cops

http://www.house.gov/mckinney/ABvideo2.mov

[annabanana]

23. I could only get the audio, but it is TELLING

The same people who would follow her around a department store are manning the security booths....

[BIG Sean]

24. Yeah...People should be able to hit cops all they want!

In fact, it should be part of their Job descriptions. Citizens should be able to wake up...scratch their ass...and say. "you know, I really am in the mood to smack somebody today, thank God there is that local cop walking a beat all night in the rain just so I can smack his face!"

People like you make me SICK!

Your post is crap.

[annabanana]

27. So totally missing the point here...n/t

[Solomon]

75. I'm glad the feeling is mutual. You make me sick too.

(Reply to BIG Sean)

[Katherine Brengle]

37. Um...

I haven't been following this one, so please excuse my ignorance, but...

Isn't it illegal to assault a police officer? Or any other person for that matter?

[alphafemale]

39. Assault is illegal period. Ask Russell Crowe.

Or from my post above...Zsa Zsa Gabor.

She also pulled this slapping a cop foolishness.

She was also arrrested.

[mondo joe]

42. Though not one expected Zsa Zsa to be a reasonable law-abiding

person, or even to exert much self control.

I'm disappinted in McKinney, to whom I am very grateful for the stands she's taken.

[goclark]

46. But we do expect that George Bush would be a "reasonable

law abiding citizen" and he KILLS innocent people and so do his thugs, IN OUR NAME.

[mondo joe]

47. And last time I checked, Dems had a big problem with that.

And we said things like "No one is above the law".

[goclark]

48. Guess "Lil George didn't get the message nt

[mondo joe]

49. No, he didn't. But did we?

I'm still holding on to the principle that the law applies to all, personally.

[goclark]

50. Keep holding on to that principle

I read about it in history books but while "Living Black" I KNOW that the law is not applied equally.


Don't get me wrong, I understand that IF she is found guilty, I am 100% sure that she will have ALL the LAWS applied to her.


Still waiting for Cheney to explain his little shooting.

If Cynthia had done the exact same thing, she would be behind bars!

[mondo joe]

51. So do you believe in the principle or not?

I'm not asking if it's applied perfectly.

I'm asking if you believe in the principle that no one is above the law.

[goclark]

53. I believe in the principle but our government

does not!

[mondo joe]

54. So if you believe in the principle are you going to argue for it or not?

Just asking, because as soon as we decide the law is not relevant to everyone we can drop opposition on legal grounds to domestic spying, the Plame outing and more.

[goclark]

57. I believe that REAL Democrats also believe

"innocent until PROVEN guilty."

End of message and discussion on a point that you clearly understand.

[mondo joe]

69. Innocent until proven guilty is an important legal principle.

It has no relevence to message board speculation.

That said, I have repeatedly made the point that in a dispute such as this court offers a clear avenue to set the record straight.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

56. Is It Ok That Threads Like This Make Me Want To Puke?

Are you any more legitimate crucifying the cops without knowing the facts as those that are doing so to Cynthia? I'd think not.

This whole situation is getting out of hand. Why it can't be discussed without the rage and false premature convictions of one side or another is beyond me. We have very little to base true deductions on right now, so the fact that so many have already forged such strong emotional convictions in the absence of the facts is mind boggling, as it is quite reckless and foolish.

We don't know enough yet, period. I would think the most likely situation is that she was in a rush and was frustrated that this cop had the nerve to keep after her when she didn't stop. When he finally caught up with her and put his hand on her to stop her, she struck him out of frustration with a perception of "I'm a proud congresswomen who has been persecuted against in the past and I don't know who the hell you think you are! Don't you know who I am?". I could understand her frustration in that case, but she would've been wrong. But I don't know for sure that is what transpired, though it is logically where I'm leaning. The cop very well may have had bad intention and prodded her a bit just to be a powerhungry jackass with knowledge he was intentionally provoking her. Who knows. Fact is none of us do. But to have such strong convictions already and be willing to smear either side in the absence of facts is just plain stupid. Calling out others for feeling what she did was wrong is even more stupid.

We have to wait for more facts on this one, but in the meantime I think we have to leave open the possibility that maybe, just maybe, she did overreact in a moment of bad judgement, or that maybe the cop did overreact himself. Until then though, we should be able to discuss this maturely and objectively.

[rman]

73. I see you have abandoned your "i believe my version is correct"

stance.

[Cleita]

58. So did Zsa Zsa Gabor.

I wonder if McKinney's sentence will match hers?

[johnnie]

59. If an issue like this makes you want to puke

Then maybe you have a weak stomach and should stay away from political boards for a while. Considering the last six years and what this country has had to put up with, I wouldn't rate this story at the top of the list as anything to freak out about. It is one that is happening now and is being debated here on DU, but I wouldn't go as far as to say that it is the issue of the decade.

I would suggest a few days of rest for you so you don't puke too much.

[Solomon]

77. You are making my point from being backwards. You're right, the fact

that this bullshit is even news makes me want to puke. Meanwhile, you just let Bush, Cheney, Scalia, etc. do all the murdering and assaults on people they want and DON'T MAKE A PEEP.

And as you can see, I have stayed away from DU for a while now because the bullshit stinks too much.

I tell ya, just scratch the surface a little, just a little bit, and the never ending nightmare that is american race relations comes busting out all over again. Doesn't take much.

I've seen this incident grow from a little poke, a push, to FULL BLOWN ASSAULT ON A POLICE OFFICER!

Well I want to see his damn medical records. Where was he hurt? His feelings?

If you were getting the crap beat out of you by six or seven cops, don't you think your hands would instinctively come up to protect your head and face? Apparently not if you're black. So many white people looked at that videotape and declared that Rodney King ATTACKED AND ASSAULTED the police. "See he's not following orders, he won't put his hands behind his back".

I think I've had enough of DU for quite a while.

[Karenina]

78. Oh, Solomon...

:hug: