McKinney's hair change - what does it really tell us about security

[Mabus]

The big excuse is that McKinney's hairstyle changed and the cop didn't recognize her. Let's say there was a known terrorist who managed to slip his way into the US. Let's say the chatter indicates that he will do something in D.C., targeting either the WH or one of the congressional office buildings. As part of the preventive measures pictures of the terrorist are distributed among the Capitol Cops. Based on what happened with McKinney all this terrorist needs to do to disguise himself is to change his hairstyle or maybe grow a moustache.

I mean, if the Capitol Cops can't recognize a member of congress who has been on Capitol Hill for over a year (not to mention that she was first elected in 1993 and so wasn't "new" to the halls of congress) how will these cops recognize a terrorist who purposefully tries to disguise himself with something as simple as new hairstyle? :shrug:

[Der Blaue Engel]

1. To play devil's advocate

if they don't recognize someone they stop them. That's what this whole thing was about. It's not about letting people slip through because they have on a disguise.

[MADem]

4. I gotta say, I did not recognize THIS guy when he had a hairdo change

And I watch a lot of CSPAN....!

[Mabus]

7. This was the FIFTH time she's had a run-in with them

In 1993 they posted her picture to aid in recognizing her because she refused to wear the pin even then. So she didn't have a pin and he didn't recognize her. Once they mistook her white aide for her. So, if a terrorist got a pin but wasn't recognized would he have gotten in?

WASHINGTON, March 30 (UPI) -- For the fifth time since 1993, U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney, D-Ga., had a run-in with Washington security personnel when an officer failed to recognize her.

An unidentified Capitol Police officer said he stopped McKinney and asked her for identification Wednesday morning as she tried to enter a government building while talking on her cell phone. He claims she whirled around and hit him on the chest, The Hill reported Thursday.

****

In 1993, Capitol Police posted a photo of McKinney on an office wall so officers could remember who she was after she complained. Then in 1995, she complained again about being stopped.

In 1996 and 1998, she complained that White House security officials did not give her the same treatment as other members of Congress, at one time mistaking her 23-year-old white aide for her. McKinney is black. http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20060330-120057-3228r

I remember hearing Tweety say when he was congressional aide that they had to memorize the pictures of all the members of Congress.

[napi21]

2. Known criminals do that all the time. It usually doesn't work, but

they think it's worth a shot. I'm sorry, but I have to side with the Capital Cop on this one. You can call him an idiot for not recognizing a Congresswoman, BUT if he didn't recognize her, it is HIS JOB to stop anyone who is going around security...JUST TO BE SURE!

If e hadn't stopped someone he didn't recognize, and that person sorta looked like XXXX, but then got inside the House and shot someone, or some other dastardly deed, what would you have been saying then?

[Mabus]

9. I'd be asking the same question "how good is the security?"

and how well are these guys trained to recognize people? So, what if a terrorist got a hold of pin, or one that looked similar, and went around. Why isn't there facial recognition software at the entry points? Or optical scanning? Or fingerprint reader? How about actually spending some DHS money on securing buildings in and around capital hill? That's my real point.

As for the cop, I know, he was doing his job. I can't say that I blame him. He thought he was following procedure. I don't fault him.

[napi21]

24. The easiest answer would be to force EVERYONE to go through the

magnatron. Problem solved! No need to recognize anyone, no need for a pin. BUT if someone proposed THAT on Capital Hill, you'd see REAL Chaos!!!!!

[Mabus]

26. You're right about that n/t

[slaveplanet]

39. Yes, it is a dillema

This whole issue is way more complicated than people are making it out to be.

When the arrest clause was proposed, it was out of fear that enemy political factions could use the cover of sheriffs, police or other authority figures to IMPEDE political rivals from doing the WILL of the PEOPLE that, that REPRESENTATIVE/SENATOR represents.

Thus, when the Capitol Police were brought into existence much later, Their mission is to PROTECT Congressmembers and congress and the capitol grounds.

These two things run into each other in the hyperparanoid atmosphere of today.

This is why McKinney cannot be compared to you and me, when it comes a police confrontation while going about the peoples business.

If you look at DC code, it talks about justification and excuse when it comes to assualting police. In DC you are not automatically guilty of a crime if you have a reflex action to police force....I know there are tons of COMPLETE IDIOTS trying to push that meme here on DU, but it is tinfoil hat lunacy on their part and I suggest people completely ignor any of the balance of their post if they insist on that line of poppycock.


Now, the capitol police are EXTENSIVELY trained to identify congressmembers for EACH and EVERY session of congress before that particular session begins. They even have special places for this EXTENSIVE training; Georgia, and New Mexico.

So something is obviously broken or is being PURPOSELY abused.
The question is, how does it get fixed? Preserving congressional authority, while making it so police can be free to go about the job of protecting congressional authority. Authority that is well over their own police authority. Right that is beyond their own right to be on the same premises.

Any type of electronic measure or technology can be rigged against potential rivals, so that is out of the question.

Or is a solution to change the way our government is designed, and place congress below the goonsquads, by eliminating the spirit of arrest clause, and let the goonsquads make the rules?

I think America so loves enslavement that it is for the latter, at least from what I've seen as of recent. Make the government itself, lick the boots of the police like the rest of us have to.

Even better, why don't we just let the military run everything and make the overthrow offical.

[LisaM]

3. It's too bad someone else can't test this premise

say, another (preferably white, just to test whether this is racial) woman gets her hair cut and highlighted, and see if they stop her. I can't think of any likely candidates, but there must be someone.

[Mabus]

12. and one who regularly refuses to wear the "pass pin"

I'm not particularly concerned with whether it was racial profiling. I'm more interested in the overall security issues. The GOP isn't making America safer, they are too busy making sure they get their campaigns funded and their corporate friends get their big dollar contracts. They've dropped barriers here and there but they really haven't done anything to stem real security problems.

[Solo_in_MD]

5. I don't concur with your premise about the hair change

It was the lack of the pin, not stopping when asked, and not being recognized that caused the accident. The protocol is clear, pin or ID and the consensus is that she had neither displayed.

[Catrina]

6. If that's the criteria, not wearing a pin, then he must have stopped

dozens of other members, since most at some time or other, don't wear their pins. They carry their ID.

As far as her hairstyle, I'm not sure if it was he who gave that reason. I haven't seen anything about him, or what he said so far. Neil Boortz was the first person I heard mention her hairstyle. He said she looked like a 'ghetto slut' ~ but he may have said that to defend the cop if the cop actually used that excuse. Nice defense, no racism there!

He needs more training. Personally I think McKinney has very distinctive features and is fairly easily recognizable even when she changes her hair.

[Solo_in_MD]

13. Whether he recognizes her or not

She is supposed to:
- Wear the pin or ID plainly displayed
- Stopped when asked to by security officers

Boortz is a boor, for much more than just this. Her hair style changes should never have been brought up, and it 2ill be interesting to see what is in the offical statements about that from people present.

That said, I find the double standard about womens' appearnace here amusing at times.

[Catrina]

17. What this whole thing revealed to me was that like everything else

this administration has emphasized as issues we need to be concerned about, and that we live in a 'post 9/11 world', I am astonished that those charged with protecting the Capitol Building and US Representatives are not required to be capable of at least recognizing those they were hired to protect.

Our standards of work and ethics are pretty low in this country, it seems. I'm not sure if it was always this way, or if we've all become accustomed to low standards since this administration took office.

It's just interesting that ineptitude is defended so virulently while an expectation of higher standards is ridiculed. I think I'll stick to higher expectations from Federal employees and hope this is temporary.

If I were the Chief of the Capitol Hill police I would expect my employees to be capable of recognizing those I hired them to protect. In this case, I would have sent this cop back to training school.

[Solo_in_MD]

18. You have that backwards

If they let someone through based on knowing who they are rather than showing required ID, they should be retrained/fired.

[Catrina]

21. I disagree obviously. Of course I also don't believe the whole 'terror'

all the time scare tactics. I think most Americans are in more danger from car accidents, random shootings, domestic violence etc. every day, than they are from terror.

All this terror talk does is make people THINK we need to become a police state in order to survive, alive, from one day to the next. You seem to believe this is all necessary. I won't work anywhere where I'm treated like a suspect as many Americans have been willing to do. Going to work or to a museum or a mall, should not be like going to jail.

I'm more afraid of this government than of any terrorist, to be honest. They have a far more day to day negative effect on my life.

We obviously live in different worlds regarding this issue. Living in fear is simply not an option for me.

Letting someone through because they are known is just fine. It's worked perfectly well for as long as it's been around.

You can live in an 'eye-scan' and 'finger-printing' world if you like. I won't join you, if you don't mind. I'm just not that easily scared.

The cop should have known who she was, he didn't. He was incompetent ~ I hope he is getting more training.

You make my point though. That the standards are so low, we shouldn't even expect competence anymore. We need machines to do what people used to be perfectly capable of doing. I don't think so. I think we just need to raise our expectations and hire capable workers or at least train people properly.

'Live free or die' ~

[timtom]

30. Bingo!!!

This is exactly the point I have been going after whenever I have chimed in on this discussion.

I'm referring specifically to the "security" meme.

For many years (since the early sixties, at least), whenever I hear(d) the phrase: "Driving is a privilege -- not a right" I have silently asked the question, "Oh? Isn't that an interesting concept?"

We must learn to challenge our axioms -- our basic assumptions. We all get so caught up in false dichotomies, we fail to notice that the temperature of the water has been increased again -- ever so slightly.

[Mabus]

33. Excellent points

One of the reasons that I made the original post is because of issues that aren't being talked about instead of the ones being constantly crammed down our throats. Most people took the cop's side, McKinney's side or they ignored the whole thing. Most people then went onto other sidetracking issues while ignoring the more obvious ones. This is done time and time again. This administration and the most of the media concentrate on things they think will garner ratings and facilitate their distraction from real problems.

I had not thought about how ineptitude has been so vigorously defended in this adminstration as a result of this incident but you are right. Not only that but Bush gives the most inept medals. But back to your point. You are right. Ineptitude is excused and the world goes on. This is one way to kill dialogue on real issues. Instead of looking at the larger picture and its implications we're stuck in the mud and all this leads to is mudslinging.

As for your comment I would expect my employees to be capable of recognizing those I hired them to protect I couldn't agree more. That's why in my hypo in the original post I mentioned they (the cops) were forwarned that someone would be coming and given their picture. If they can't recognize someone they have more than likely seen multiple times in the past (i.e., someone they were hired to protect) what are the chances they would recognize someone they were given a picture of but ended up not looking like the picture they were given? Yeah, they were be on a higher alert but if they culprit didn't show up the first week or month (or if they weren't alert-fatigued already), they'd go back to their usual practices and then the guy could slip in.

Lastly, I recognize people all over town that I have worked with, met or seen during the course of my various jobs over the years. I've gone to parties and run into people that I haven't seen for years and I'm not really sure where I met them but I recognize them. Hell, the other day I went to my local store and I immediately knew that there was a new employee because I didn't recognize her. She was unfamiliar.How do I know them? I recognize them because I saw them often enough that their faces are familiar to me. I've run into people that I had a passing acquaintance with that I haven't seen in years that have gained weight, lost hair or changed their hairstyle and color and I still recognize them. Maybe I was paying way too much attention to my surroundings and not enough to work but I don't think so based on my work evaluations (and promotions).

[johnson63]

8. McKinney's hair change - not a real issue...

The real issue is that it really isn't secure at all. If all that is required is facial recognition to get in. It is not secure. What if a terrorist group found someone who looked a lot like Cynthia McKinney or one of the other Congress members? If all that is required to get in and around the security measures is to have the police recognize you as a member of Congress or the Senate, is that really responsible? It sounds like it would be really easy for someone to get in and do significant damage or devastation.

I don't know about the rest of you out there, but I have to use a special card to get into my building and my office at work. I don't get to skirt security. I work for a computer software company. Shouldn't entry into Government buildings by the workers there be as secure as where I work?

These are our law-makers. Is this how it was meant to be - anyway? ...with the law-makers not having to actually follow the law? When this country was started, did George Washington say, "Let's get together and make up a bunch of laws that everyone will be required to follow - except us - 'cause we have the power and get special privileges."?

I'm getting about tired of the privileged elected with the big attitudes. I am in Atlanta. I'm really embarrassed that she is supposed to be representing me. I do understand that miss-understandings can and do happen. People make mistakes. When I make a mistake, I take responsibility for my actions and try to make things right.

WHY? Why could she not have just said, when the cop asked, "I'm sorry, I forgot to wear my pin. I've changed my hair so you may not have recognized me. I'm Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney." Then she could have said, "I appreciate you being so thorough. I feel safe that you are here."

NO! She had to claim that she was inappropriately touched. It was racial profiling. Why does she want to start that up? There was nothing racial about it. I correct myself, I have not seen or heard of any evidence of any racial motives involved in any way here. Cynthia McKinney is the only racist I see involved in any of it. The next time she apologizes, maybe she could actually say she's sorry for what SHE did. NO! She's just sorry that the incident occurred. She didn't even say that she was sorry for HER own actions. Poor little Cynthia, she's just sorry that she's a victim.

I'm sorry if I offended anyone with my opinions stated here. I am directly offended by Cynthia McKinney. She is not the victim. Nothing has been shown that she is any kind of a victim. Just the opposite. She is the victim-izer. Why don't we all get real now. She needs to resign, so we can deal with real important issues that she has distracted everyone and our country from.

[Mabus]

10. That was my real point - thank you

How good is the security? You nailed it when you said Shouldn't entry into Government buildings by the workers there be as secure as where I work?

You are right, it is harder for some people to get into their work places than it is for someone to try to bypass the congressional security system.

[BuelahWitch]

27. But by the same token

as a government contractor I had to go through an extensive background check to get the temporary job I have with a local agency office. But Bush appointees commit (and have committed) crimes right and left.
Who did their background check? Moe, Larry and Curly???

[Mabus]

28. Based on your past posts

I'd do a background check too. And check it twice! :P

The problem is, you were honest on your application. They knew who to call. Now, if you had given them fake names and told your friends to answer the phone "Hello, Company X" when your potential employer called them you'd be set.

Although there are other ways around these pesky background checks. Think about the church and the selling of indulgences:

Give money to the GOP. For every 10K you donate, or get your friends to donate, you get to leave off a reference. 20K - two references and so on.

You can also repent and become a fundie. If you do this, anything you have done is automatically forgiven. You are also given free passes in the future.

In 1517, Pope Leo X offered indulgences for those who gave alms to rebuild St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, a situation that took on the appearance of "selling indulgences." The aggressive marketing practices of Johann Tetzel in promoting this cause provoked Martin Luther to write his 95 theses, protesting what he saw as the purchase and sale of salvation. According to tradition, he nailed these theses to a church door in Wittenberg. From this controversy the Protestant Reformation was launched. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indulgences

[BuelahWitch]

31. Hey, I'm just waiting for them to find out I know Kramer & Spike

I'm sure I'll get the boot once they find out I associate with those two anarchists...

Are you sure a woman can become a fundie and all will be forgiven? Won't they be concerned that the combination of my raging hormones and living in a college town with a bevy of young men at my disposal is
keeping me chained to a life of sin? If I were a guy of course, they'd look the other way, but we all KNOW it was Eve who made Adam eat that damn apple...

[Mabus]

35. LOL

Funny, they were telling me the same thing about you. :rofl: I can't even tell you what they said about your cat. I'm too much of a lady to do that. Besides Canine doesn't translate well.

If you're a woman there are additional requirements. First off you have to turn off your brain. Next you have to turn off your hormones, your sex drive and then you can expect a life like this post. This is the "pay off". It is only through denial of life's pleasures that you can turn your newly found sexual frustration into hypocritical behavior. See, this is the stage where you begin your life of real boozing, multiple sexual affairs and other hypocritical behavior. This the only way you can get a real idea of what you are condemning. Oh yeah, don't forget to join your local megachurch. You can find one of the 1337 of them here: http://hirr.hartsem.edu/org/faith_megachurches_database_denom.html

[BuelahWitch]

43. I'm glad you led me to that post

I would never have found it otherwise!

[CottonBear]

11. She has apologized and we can move on to more important things now.

The CBC asked John Lewis to talk to her. He did and then she publically apologized. I accept her apology. However, I totally diasagree with you regarding resignation. Congresswoman McKinney was one of the only Democrats to ask the tough questions about 9-11 and demand answers from the Bush administration. She exposed the Army's awful and inhumane practice of dropping look-alike food aid packets and cluster bombs in Afghanistan which resulted in the killing and maiming of many, many Afghanis including innocent children.

I too am from Georgia. I can accept the apology and move on. Ms. McKinney needs to stay focused on exposing the lies of the BFEE.

Welcome to DU. :hi:

[Solo_in_MD]

14. You call that an apology?

It was a mealy mouthed statement written by a lawyer in case this actually gets to court. The right time to apologize was right then. While her politics are good, she really blew this one and its going to impact her effectiveness for some time to come. Hopefully she is able to get re elected.

[CottonBear]

16. I didn't say it was a good apology.

I agree with your other points and I hope she'll be re-elected too. We need all the Demcrats we can get. Maybe John Lewis can be her mentor or at the very least help her to stay out of trouble.

[johnson63]

40. She apologized? ...did she?

I thank you for your kind welcome. When Cynthia McKinney apologized, what she said was not anything like taking responsibility for any wrong doing on her part. You call that an apology? You can't be serious. If I got an apology like that from one of my children, it would not be sufficient.
A summary (my interpretation): She said 'I'm sorry that any of it happened'. Did you hear her say that she was sorry for anything (name one thing) that she did? I don't accept her apology. If she had actually given a legitimate apology - I would gladly accept it.

It is terribly irresponsible and deceptive to turn this racial. She incites conflict - when none is there.

As far as I can tell, she also brought up some stuff about 9/11 that made people think. That's all. It's a theory. Nothing has been exposed. I may not like the way things are being run in our beloved country, but I'm not going to accept anyone's theory - as Fact. Once there is some hard evidence - Real evidence - Facts - I will concur.

She deserves no credit for anything that I can remember - except inciting hatred and racial tension. She has a few skeletons laying around too. I think we need to get someone effective and honest in this district before she does more harm, and before they dig anything else up. She is an arrogant, trouble maker and who abuses power.

[niyad]

25. I see you are quite new here, so will bid you welcome. By the way, did

you call for the resignation of dick cheney, who SHOT A MAN IN THE FACE, and didn't even face a REAL police inquiry, or a grand jury, and had the victim apologize to HIM? if not, then you have absolutely NO standing for asking for cynthia's resignation.

[johnson63]

41. Are you in her district?

Thanks for you warm welcome. :sarcasm:
Maybe I do have every right to ask for her resignation. Maybe you don't have a right to tell me what my rights are. As far as Dick Cheney goes, did he have the victim apologize to him? Where on earth did you hear that? Did Dick Cheney publicly (or otherwise) demand an apology from the man that he shot? I never heard that. Will you provide me with some solid information that supports that. That is quite interesting. I didn't know that you'd have to face a Grand Jury for a hunting accident. Please site some examples of this also.
All I know is that if Cynthia McKinney would act like a responsible adult and own up specifically to her part in this, I would feel very differently.

[LisaL]

15. Well, maybe that's why when they show someone on AMW,

they usually show several pictures with possible alternate hairstyles, mustaches, etc.
Maybe capitol police should do that for McKinney, since she refuses to wear her pin.

[Rose Siding]

19. Security at the Capitol is jewelry based.

[Mabus]

20. and that's the problem

For all their screaming about terrorists and invoking fear since 2001 they haven't done anything to actually make any place safer. I can recall at least three times that they have evacuated congressional offices because of fear (although I suspect it had more to do with poll numbers or quashing news stories) but what have they done to improve security?

[Rose Siding]

22. They're all talk

The WH has a "plan" for facilitating phone calls after an emergency -on 9/11 no one in the Congress could get ahold of anyone, cells and blackberries didn't work- so there's this card that's supposed to somehow ID priority users. About 2/3 of the members asked had never heard of the thing. The head of committees covering Homeland Security didn't have one.

A few hundred people and they are incapable of implementing their own program.

ALL talk.

[Mabus]

23. And this is the real story that the media isn't covering

:hi:

[Catherine Vincent]

29. Cap police should pay attention to everyone's face also.

If he realized it was McKinney, then he should have let her go and then maybe written her up later. They know congress people are always rushing to get in and cast a vote.

[YouthInAsia]

32. It tells ME that white people DO think ALL black ppl look alike.

[Jade Fox]

34. A million opinions for every fact in this debate.....

Without seeing video of the McKinney incident, NONE OF US REALLY KNOWS WHAT HAPPENED!

Given McKinney's politics, it's disturbing how many DUers have assumed the worst about her. But 95% of the posts are clearly based on what the poster decided happened, since as I mentioned, the facts are few and the opinions many.

[Mabus]

36. I totally agree

that's why that is not the real issue being discussed. I sure as hell don't know what happened and I'm not taking sides. I don't have enough information to make one.

[Jade Fox]

37. Sorry, I know I was off topic.....

but I read one too many post by people "outraged" by something they are completely ignorant of.....

[Mabus]

38. No problem

I just wasn't sure where you got the idea I had attacked McKinney. I didn't think I had.

I just checked to make sure and so I can say this with a clear conscience, this is the first thread that I have participated in that mentioned the McKinney incident at all. I didn't feel I knew enough to form an opinion and so I didn't. Instead, I sat back watching and reading what others said and that's when my hypo occurred to me. Although, I do understand your frustration. I feel it a lot on some topics.

[ecstatic]

42. It's hard for people to distinguish individuals of other races

It's somewhat easier for Blacks and Whites to distinguish between Black/White faces because it's all we see on TV, but it gets harder when it comes to Mexicans, Middle Easterners, Asians, etc. Nevertheless, everything will be OK because although a simple change would make a non-white person harder to identify, that problem is balanced out by racial profiling (the stopping of most minorities at the door). :sarcasm:

[Mabus]

44. Tell me about it

I'm half American Indian and I get mistken for everything but American Indian. After the OKC bombing my brothers (who live in OKC) were stopped multiple times, especially the one that drives a Mercedes, until Timothy McVeigh was identified. How's that for racial profiling. On 9/11 they were visiting me and were planning on leaving that afternoon. When 9/11 happened they were afraid of being stopped trying to get home and ended up staying with for the rest of the week. It was that damned Mercedes again.