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Victor Davis Hanson: The Congresswoman and the Admiral
Tribune Media Services ^ | April 6, 2006 | Victor Davis Hanson

Posted on 04/06/2006 2:28:14 PM PDT by quidnunc

Georgia Democratic Rep. Cynthia McKinney's recent run-in with a security official at the nation's Capitol reminded me of an earlier dust-up.

On New Year's Eve 2002, while I was a visiting professor at the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, the superintendent — the distinguished three-star Vice Adm. Richard J. Naughton — tried to enter the academy without wearing the photo ID required of all military and civilian personnel.

Naturally expecting that the young Marine sentry on duty would recognize his all-important superintendent, Naughton boldly tried to pass. But instead, the Marine asked him to produce identification. Angry words and some sort of altercation ensued between the admiral and the enlisted man.

Later, Naughton claimed he couldn't "remember" whether he had "touched" the guard, but he did concede he "might" have done so.

After a lengthy, ultimately damming investigation, Naughton resigned — first from his post as academy superintendent and then subsequently from the Navy altogether. During the investigation, some skeptics at Annapolis had doubted whether Naughton would pay any price. But his exalted rank, along with his race and gender, won no exemption.

I mention the Naughton case to illustrate that such mix-ups at government checkpoints are not unusual — and that eventually public pressure catches up with aristocratic arrogance and even the powerful are held to account.

Cynthia McKinney recently had her own Naughton moment when she tried to enter the Capitol.

-snip-

(Excerpt) Read more at tmsfeatures.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 109th; mckinney; usna; vdh; victordavishanson
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To: Wristpin
These Congress pins could easily stolen out of lockers, off clothing, out of cars, etc.

Or just have a copy made from recent photos. I'll bet the design is not changed very often. Otherwise, it would be "too hard" for our reps to remember which pin to wear.

21 posted on 04/06/2006 5:01:14 PM PDT by El Gato
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To: quidnunc

When I was a wet behind the ears midshipman, three of us went swimming on the beach on base, then walked down the beach with our uniforms in bundles. We decided there was a possible shortcut back to the base and took it.

We got throughly lost, entered a "restricted area" and came up to small bunker with two marine guards in full combat togs. I walked up to one to ask directions. His M14 snapped down with a naked bayonet an inch from my stomach accompanied by a stentorian "Halt!". I had my id card and showed it to him. When I moved again, the rifle snapped down again with the bayonet near my belly and a repeated "Halt! Sir!". Moments later a squad of marines deployed on the sand dunes around the bunker, rifles pointed at us, and a machinegun being set up to cover us wee midshipmen.

All worked out. We got a ride back to the pier in a jeep with the Segeant of the Guard who informed us that we shouldn't be there, ought be reported, would be in a great deal of trouble if we were, but wouldn't be as long as we "never did that again"

Never learned what was in the bunker.


22 posted on 04/06/2006 5:01:41 PM PDT by Wisconsin
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To: baltodog

That's odd. I had heard from others in the nuclear Navy that Rickover was a bastard and difficult to work with. Of course, with a name like "Hyman", I probably wouldn't be a very nice person, either.


23 posted on 04/06/2006 5:03:11 PM PDT by Alien Gunfighter (Secular Misanthropist)
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To: layman
Her so-called apology today was obviously crafted by a scumball attorney ... maybe even Bill Clinton himself ... in that, if you listen to it closely, it only apologized for the fact that the incident attracted so much attention

That's the typical 'Rat sort of apology. "I'm sorry.... I got caught".

24 posted on 04/06/2006 5:06:29 PM PDT by El Gato
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To: quidnunc
During Air Force BMT in 1990, I was doing dorm guard duty about 2am. Our TI showed up banging on the door and screaming to be let in. He recognized me and I him... but the rule was nobody could enter without displaying proper ID. He pressed his ID up against the window with his thumb intentionally over the photo part of the ID. Even though he threatened to kick my ass as soon as I opened the door, I refused. He finally displayed the ID properly and I let him in. (Of course we all knew this was a mind game and he had they keys to open the door at any time).
25 posted on 04/06/2006 5:14:56 PM PDT by operation clinton cleanup
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To: narby
I was pulling dorm guard when the TI bullied himself in behind a person I had cleared into the dorm. I would have never opened the door for him without clearance, but I didn't understand that I was permitted and expected to physically restrain someone trying to enter by bluster and force.

Haha! Our TI used that same tactic... I learned a lesson from that poor dorm guard!

26 posted on 04/06/2006 5:24:37 PM PDT by operation clinton cleanup
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To: quidnunc; neverdem; Lando Lincoln; .cnI redruM; yonif; SJackson; dennisw; monkeyshine; Alouette; ...
Thanks!



    Victor Davis Hanson Ping ! 

       Let me know if you want in or out.

Links: FR Index of his articles:  http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=victordavishanson 
His website: http://victorhanson.com/     NRO archive: http://www.nationalreview.com/hanson/hanson-archive.asp

27 posted on 04/07/2006 4:19:52 AM PDT by Tolik
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To: Tolik
Nailed it.

Oh the hallowed halls of victimization.

Bring us your haughty, America, your arrogant, and make sure they are victims at the expense of all else.

Make sure all know that lies and victimization trump all else.

Make sure Al Sharpton stands tall next to you oh Tawana Brawley McKinney.

Make sure you divide the country because oh you are a victim.

Let us see your victim-hood so we may again know the face of the panderer, the liar, the miscreant, the bearer of FALSE WITNESSS.

You are commandment breaker Cynthia Tawana Brawley McKinney. And you will be brought to justice! I ask Cythina Brawley McKinney. Does bearing false witness bring you power or will it just destroy your soul. We will dance upon your heavenly destruction singing praise to the Lord that the iniquitous is once again removed from the midst of the truth loving.
28 posted on 04/07/2006 4:52:20 AM PDT by A message
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To: SLB; Squantos

Have I mentioned that this wench was my congresscritter for 10 years? And that I organized a FReep of a "veterans town hall meeting" she had 4 years ago? Went to bed one night represented by Newt, in the old GA 6th, and woke up represented by this moonbat. They've adjusted the lines, and I'm back in the 6th District, thankfully.

Some good stories here in the thread.


29 posted on 04/07/2006 5:00:26 AM PDT by FreedomPoster (Guns themselves are fairly robust; their chief enemies are rust and politicians) (NRA)
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To: A message
Of course Rep. McKinney the FemNag Wacko and Racist will get off. Funny the Black Cacus has nothing to say. They realize this piece of Sh^% is endangering their safety too. What happens when some Terrorist makes a Fake Pin comes into the Congress with a suicide Vest? All Hell will break loose. Where will the Demorats be then? Blaming the Republicans no doubt.

Dumb asses we are at war. An Asymmetric War at that. No uniforms no boundaries etc. Well when we have two dozen or more Dead Congressmen or Senators we can think Rep. McKinney and her apologists for the slaughter.
30 posted on 04/07/2006 5:04:31 AM PDT by Khankrumthebulgar
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To: narby; quidnunc
On my first night of dorm guard, the TI kicked on the door and ordered me to let him him...

I freaked out, didn't challenge him, pushed on the bar, and allowed him to enter.

He proceeded to verbally rip at me, waking everyone in our flight up.

I regained my composure, and explained to him that the door latch was broken and there was nothing I could do to prevent him from entering...he went to the other side of the door to investigate the latch.

As soon there was 1/4-inch clearance between him and the door, I slammed that freaking door shut, looked at him through the little window, and shouted, "Sir, may I see your ID card and your authority to enter!"

I got a round of applause from the flight I was "guarding", the TI simply shook his head in self-disgust and left, never to harass me again!
31 posted on 04/07/2006 5:15:28 AM PDT by baltodog (R.I.P. Balto: 2001(?) - 2005)
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To: Wristpin

Not only that, but the absence of the pin should cause the guard to not let that person in. At some of the places I have worked in and out of the navy, I had to show a security pass. Even though the guards knew me - no pass, no entry. Thems should be the rules!


32 posted on 04/07/2006 5:17:46 AM PDT by 7thson (I've got a seat at the big conference table! I'm gonna paint my logo on it!)
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To: Alien Gunfighter

I heard Rickover had a hardon against the Navy due to the way he was treated - as a Jew - while in the Academy. Seemed he decided to spend his career by getting even. Not to farfetched. I ran across an officer - Joe Murphy - who did the same thing. On one ship, prevented a CPO making SCPO by s**ting on his eval. All because the CPO made a joke at his expense when he was LTJG. On the ship I was on, one officer went berserk working under him. He lived to make others miserable.


33 posted on 04/07/2006 5:28:55 AM PDT by 7thson (I've got a seat at the big conference table! I'm gonna paint my logo on it!)
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To: quidnunc
" ... America has learned to apply the rules to a Vice Adm. Richard J. Naughton; now it must also insist on them for Rep. Cynthia McKinney. "


Wishful thinking, I'm afraid.

A military person is very easily taken down, but as we have seen in the Hillary "900 Republican FBI Files" Clinton case, the politician is a class above the rest.




34 posted on 04/07/2006 5:46:27 AM PDT by G.Mason (The "Kick Me Here" sign the Republican Party gave me kept wearing out, so I had it tattooed on.)
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To: baltodog

LOL. That's good. There are so many good stories from the military.


35 posted on 04/07/2006 7:19:38 AM PDT by narby
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