McKinney: Officer At Fault

11alive.com ^ | March 31, 2006 | Michael King

[Cecily]

In a Friday afternoon news conference, Georgia Representative Cynthia McKinney (D-4th) said that the altercation between she and a Capitol police officer was started by the officer "inappropriately touching and stopping" her after she walked past a security checkpoint.

Prior to the news conference that, at times, seemed more like a church revival meeting, one of McKinney's lawyers, James W. Myart Jr. said that her problems with police are racial in nature.

“Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, like thousands of average Americans across this country, is, too, a victim of the excessive use of force by law enforcement officials because of how she looks and the color of her skin,” Myart said. “Ms. McKinney is just a victim of being in Congress while black.”

McKinney’s office on Thursday afternoon, released a video clip from the independent documentary “American Blackout,” in which McKinney is questioned by a Capitol police officer who does not immediately recognize her. In the clip, she implies that the questioning is because she is black.

[Proudcongal]

If this had been a suicide bomber who had gotten into the capitol because his/her skin was dark which white officers aren't supposed to question, it would be all Bush's fault.

[BigSkyFreeper]

I know about ponytail momentum physics.

Ah, a ponytailologist! :)

[SeaBiscuit]

Thanks for the ping.

Well done, mhking.

Belafonte and Glover, don't they have anything better to do than spend their time looking for what isn't there.

McKinney could have simply apologized.. it would have created respect all the way around. ..oh, but thats such a novel thought these days.

[Toespi]

“Ms. McKinney is just a victim of being in Congress while black.”

While black? Is this optional? Like did she turn black while in Congress?

[maine-iac7]

walks around a metal detector, doesn't stop when requested by the cop.

and wasn't wearing her ID - which members of Congress wear in order to circumvent the gate. (one wonders if she had not been stopped, she would have charged the officer with direlecton of duty as she could have been a terrorist.)

When I worked in MBNA, if I had gone to work without my ID, I would not have gotten in, period - even if the guard knew exactly who I was.

I hope they don't back down on this. I hope they do arrest her - she is not a above the law. If you or I had struck an officer - we'd already be cooling off in a cell.

As for WAshington and Belefonte rushing to her rescue - bring it on. There's been enough of ,"I'M black. I'm special on those grounds and I can do whatever I wish."

[xander]

Spell check would not have flagged it since it is indeed a real word and spelled correctly. Perhaps we need a context checker.

[Amelia]

Members of Congress routinely wear a lapel pin identifying them as a legislator, permitting them to circumvent the security checkpoints in and around Capitol Hill. McKinney was not wearing her pin at the time, and the Capitol police officer did not recognize her.

There are 435 representatives (not to mention 100 senators) and McKinney expects the security guards to recognize them all? She needs to follow procedures; i.e., wear her pin, if she expects to be "recognized" and not asked for identification.

I'm from Georgia, and I didn't recognize her immediately with the new hairdo - and I don't think it's nearly as flattering as the way she used to wear it.

[CGTRWK]

Yep, guilty of being white. McKinney must hate MLK Jr. Content of character, yada, yada, yada

The genuinely sad part is how McKinney and the rest of her fringe make ordinary people hate MLK.

[RebelBanker]

...this WILL be part of an upcoming South Park episode.

LOL!!! From your keyboard to Matt and Trey's computer screens!

[BobS]

I want Miss Behave's hair advice for Cynthia. I want her in the green room at FOX preparing for an interview.

[PeskyOne]

what we really need is to hear from the widows of the Capitol Police who were killed in the line of duty. Absolutely! And not only that, the Democrats should be speaking out against her behavior, not taking the easy way out offered by Nancy Pelosi. If a Republican had done this, the Democrats would be screaming bloody murder, and the Republican Party would be agreeing with them. Cynthia McKinney is not just a disgrace to her race, she's a disgrace to the human race. She and Sheilah Jackson Lee would stab the President in the back in a skinny minute, but when he's giving the SOTUA, they break their necks to push and shove to get to shake his hand and get their faces on television. What hypocrites! I hope people will call for the Democrats to prove they are ethical! So far, they aren't showing too much interest in doing the right thing!

[Miss Behave]

Opes: "CYNthiaaaaaaa!!! You need an Oprah! MAKE-overrrrrrrr!!! I'm so exCITedddddd!!! Get IN here girrrrrrrrl!!! You need some of my favorite THI-ingssssss!!! Make-overs for EVERYonnnnnnnne!!! And everyone look under your CHA-airrrrrrs!!!"

[kabar]

Or Patrick Kennedy's altercation with an airport security guard.

L.A. airport officials release videotaped incident involving Rep. Patrick Kennedy

[tet68]

"If that old fart Harry would just back up some, I could get my hands on that booty!"

Seriously, is she on crack? Her eyes look wilder than a juiced filly on the quarter mile!

[Miss Behave]

Yeah and I wear a white lab coat with a pink name-tag and I do smart things and stuff. ;-)

[BobS]

"Make-overs for EVERYonnnnnnnne!!!

Come on, women can't change hair styles in 5 minutes. Or can they?

[PGalt]

BTTT!

[Miss Behave]

I can do it in 3 minutes, while I talk on the phone AND pick out shoes. ;-)

[Howlin]

Dear lord, Leo Terrell is on Hannity and Colmes defending her.

[BlessedByLiberty]

Thanks again for the ping.

With all of the advantages and facilities at their disposal to be model citizens, role models to others, so many of our leaders - all races - abuse the privileges they have by their arrogance, disdain and disregard for those they consider beneath them.

McKinney gives the impression that she behaves in just such a manner - that lowly workers deserve to be pushed around.
Hers is a waste of a prominent position that could be held by someone with more honor.

Too many of our leaders lack the wisdom to see that they represent a decent, honorable American citizenry and should behave accordingly. Dignity and decorum are long lost in too many of our representatives.