December 8, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E2191 family, and all of the other small businesses alition for the People’s Agenda, a ‘‘con- Only nine of the 20-plus CBC members who that continue to serve America and drive our sensus’’ was reached that McKinney would had reached ‘‘consensus’’ on standing with economy. I wish them well and Godspeed in deliver the apology and abandon efforts to their sister the night before, bucked Pelosi’s defend herself in the media (although not her petty dictatorial edict—and straw-boss Mel their future ventures. legal team). Watt’s attempt to enforce it. f The next morning, at the appointed hour, Once upon a time, the CBC could collec- McKinney was prepared to offer her apology tively call itself ‘‘the conscience of the con- THE MCKINNEY AFFAIR—RAM- to the House. But Mel Watt had already put gress.’’ No more. PAGING RACISM AND A COW- the word out that CBC members were to re- MULTI-PROFILING AND SHEER MALEVOLENCE ARDLY CAUCUS nege on their part of the deal. The Caucus By bowing to Pelosi, Black con- must not stand with McKinney when she gresspersons reinforce her and other white’s HON. CYNTHIA McKINNEY stepped to the microphone. Mel Watt, Nancy belief that they can pick and choose the Af- Pelosi’s poodle, attempted to enforce his rican American leaders and representatives OF GEORGIA Mistress’s wish that McKinney appear ut- they deal with, and isolate the rest, while IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES terly isolated and alone. Nothing should dis- still retaining mass Black support for the Friday, December 8, 2006 tract from the Democrats’ non-strategy of Democratic Party. Such Blacks are enablers doing and saying nothing until mid-term of racism, and must eventually pay the price Ms. MCKINNEY. Mr. Speaker, I submit the elections in November. The Republicans at the hands of their constituents, who are following for the RECORD. must be allowed to self-destruct without in- no different than the Black Georgia voters [From the Black Commentator, Apr. 13, 2006] terference. McKinney’s charge of racial who sent McKinney to Washington six times. profiling was a distraction from the Demo- Worse, in urging McKinney to drop the ‘‘ra- THE MCKINNEY AFFAIR—RAMPAGING RACISM cratic non-strategy—so she must be shunned. cial’’ aspect of her defense—to pretend that AND A COWARDLY CAUCUS Mel Watt was the enforcer—the designated she was not racially profiled, when they (By Glen Ford and Peter Gamble) shunner-in-chief. know that police profiling is near-uni- There are profound lessons to be learned Pelosi appears to harbor a deep hatred for versal—they do grave injury to fundamental from the ongoing travails of Congresswoman McKinney, whom she cannot control. Most Black interests. Cynthia McKinney (D–GA), under siege by recently, the 51-year-old Georgia lawmaker Days after his attempt to pound McKinney white America at large, the leadership of her defied the Leader’s orders, voting in favor of into dust, the duplicitous Mel Watt related own party, and the chairman of her own cau- a Republican bill, cynically modeled on to the Charlotte Observer his own scary run- cus. Democrat John Murtha’s measure for a in with Capitol police ‘‘a year or so ago’’: In the aftermath of McKinney’s run-in quick exit from Iraq. She was among only ‘‘I was running to the floor to vote and an with a Capitol Hill police officer, we have three Democrats, and the only CBC member, officer said, ‘Can I see your ID?’ and I said, witnessed an orgy of unadulterated defama- to do so. McKinney also ignored Pelosi’s ’No’ and kept running. I looked back and he tion that is actually directed at Black order that Democrats boycott hearings on had his hand on his gun. Then another (Cap- women in general. In rejecting and denounc- Katrina and leave the field to Republicans. itol) police officer said, ‘Member.’ He recog- nized me (as a House member). It just so hap- ing McKinney’s defense, her tormentors dem- However, Pelosi has been the aggressor all pened that the first (officer) was white and onstrate that the very concept of racial along, bent on bringing the CBC and other the other one was black . . . I was probably profiling was never sincerely accepted progressives to heel as she pursues her spine- very rash. In retrospect, I thought to myself, among most white Americans, and that 9/11 less non-strategy for victory by default over ‘You had to be out of your mind.’ I was try- is just an excuse for undoing decades of legal the GOP—a scenario that by definition re- quires to mute their own ing to get to a vote and he had a job to do.’’ and political struggles against the abomi- Watt understands very well that the Black demands, to be quiet and compliant. When nable practice. officer, who didn’t go for his gun, but instead McKinney returned to congress in January So virulent and shameless have been the called his white partner off, was intervening 2005 after a two-year hiatus, Pelosi denied attacks on McKinney—spewing caricatures in a case of racial profiling. Yet Watt’s de- her seniority, bumping her down to freshman of the six-term lawmaker that reflect whites’ sire to stay in the good graces of his Leader, status despite her previous ten years on The own hallucinatory visions of Black people— Pelosi, drives him to conspire against a fel- Hill. Not a peep from the CBC, cowed by it leads us to conclude that racists are con- low Black congressperson, Cynthia McKin- their Leader and, recent events have shown, ducting a kind of ritual, an exorcism to cast ney, whose recent hair makeover is said to packed with members who are themselves the ‘‘militant Black’’ out of the national pol- have made her fair game to be accosted by ity, once and for all. Disgustingly, a number fearful that McKinney’s militancy will raise Capitol police. Said McKinney: of Black voices have joined mob, in order to the bar of constituent expectations for their ‘‘Do I have to contact the police every prove that they are reasonable and trust- own performances on Black people’s behalf. time I change my hairstyle? How do we ac- worthy Negroes who won’t intrude on white On the House floor, the morning of April 6, count for the fact that when I wore my folks’ illusions of innocence. Pelosi/Watt had set McKinney up for further braids every day for 11 years, I still faced Most distressingly, the McKinney affair humiliation. Not only would she be required this problem, primarily from certain police dramatically demonstrates that the Congres- to deliver an apology that would be seen as officers.’’ sional Black Caucus has been eviscerated as an admission of guilt (by those who had al- Nobody knows better than Black officers a body. The CBC is revealed as collectively ready condemned and defamed her), but the that racism is rampant in the Capitol Police gutless, devoid of any semblance of Black absence of CBC members at her side would force. Of the 1,200 officers, 29 percent are solidarity, without which it has no reason mark her as a lone ‘‘extremist,’’ a ‘‘loon’’ Black, and many still have racial bias suits for being. whose politics could be dismissed out of outstanding. ‘‘You have, basically, a rene- hand. Why, even McKinney’s own colleagues CBC HITS NEW LOW gade police department up here, that’s been won’t stand with her. She’s crazy (like the operating under the protection of Congress,’’ We at BC had previously believed that rest of those darkies who cry racism). said Charles J. Ware, an attorney rep- April, 2005, when 37 percent of the 42 Black According to several congressional sources, resenting the Capitol Black Police Associa- House members voted for Republican bills, McKinney confronted a gaggle of CBC mem- tion. was the lowest point in Congressional Black bers, reminding them of the consensus agree- But it’s not just race. Police officers, like Caucus history. A year later, the CBC has ment of the night before, in which they had workers in any organization, spend much of found a new nadir. On the evening of April 5, promised a display of physical solidarity at their time talking shop. For Capitol police, undoubtedly on orders from House Minority the microphone in return for her conces- the subject of their shop-talk is the members Leader Nancy Pelosi, CBC chairman Mel sions. White Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur of congress they are hired to protect. Cyn- Watt gathered twenty or so members to (D–OH), seeing the commotion, hurried over thia McKinney is famous—no less so on Cap- browbeat McKinney into firing her legal to the Black circle: ‘‘I’ll stand with you, itol Hill. She is the Black woman viciously team and cease appearing before the media. Cynthia.’’ Others stepped forward to fulfill branded as a friend of ‘‘terrorists,’’ the most Watt absented himself from the beat-down, their pledge, despite CBC chairman Mel uppity African American in the federal legis- so that it would not appear to be an ‘‘offi- Watt’s treacherous machinations. lature. The cops are quite aware of what she cial’’ CBC event. Here is a partial list of those who were looks like, new hair-do or not. As congressional aides wandered in and out videotaped standing with McKinney when A McKinney lawyer got it right when he of the room, some Members dutifully echoed she read the words of apology that had been told a Howard University press conference Pelosi’s demand that McKinney not frame demanded of her: that his client was targeted for reasons of the March 28 confrontation with the police- * (MD), *Carolyn Cheeks ‘‘sex, race and Ms. McKinney’s progressive- man as a ‘‘racial’’ incident, and that she Kilpatrick (MI), * (CA), *Alcee ness.’’ issue an apology on the House floor the fol- Hastings (FL), * (CA), *Bobby The cops know who McKinney is—they lowing morning. According to several Rush (IL), *Corrine Brown (FL), *Major have profiled her politically. Michael C. sources who spoke with BC on condition of Owens (NY), *Sheila Jackson-Lee (TX), Ruppert, former Los Angeles cop and current anonymity, and based on an account given Marcy Kaptur (OH), Dennis Kucinich (OH), honcho of the popular web site From the Wil- by McKinney staff assistant Faye Coffield to Jose Serrano (NY), Bob Filner (CA), (*CBC derness, has felt the police hostility directed a weekly Atlanta meeting of the Georgia Co- members). at his longtime friend, Cynthia McKinney:

VerDate Aug 31 2005 04:58 Dec 12, 2006 Jkt 059060 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A08DE8.021 E08DEPT2 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMREMARKS E2192 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks December 8, 2006 ‘‘ I have walked the halls of Congress with university, the students primarily charac- The masses of African Americans know the Cynthia McKinney maybe eight to ten times. terize Black women as loud, aggressive, ar- deal—they are profiled constantly in stores, I have walked into and out of the Cannon gumentative, stubborn, and bitchy.’’ when observed outside their neighborhoods, and Longworth house office buildings with White men (and women, and some Black on the highways, when breathing while her. I have walked to hearings in the Ray- men) on and off Capitol Hill are eager to Black. McKinney’s version of events does not burn house office building with her. I have vilify and diminish McKinney, to call her a seem bizarre to them. Although the laughing walked the underground tunnels from one of ‘‘bitch,’’ a ‘‘racist,’’ ‘‘crazy’’ and all manner racist hyenas convince each other—with the those office buildings directly to the edge of of epithets. This abuse is actually directed tacit help of be chair Mel Watt—that McKin- the House floor and its anteroom with her. I against the defamers’ twisted idea of who ney is on the ropes, it is the Black constitu- can tell you one thing for certain because I and what Black women are. So diseased are ents of Dekalb County who will decide if she have seen it and I have felt it. Cynthia their minds, they see only their sickness-in- is ‘‘crazy’’ for standing up for her (and our) McKinney and her staff get treated dif- duced delusions. White supremacy allows dignity and rights. ferently from just about anyone else on the them to translate their delusions into public When McKinney arrived back in Atlanta Hill. It’s subtle, but so is the taste of dirt policy. September 11 gave them a free pass to shortly after her confrontation with the uni- when it’s in your mouth.’’ run buck wild, with no apologies, under the formed profiler, State Representative Ty- Although the Capitol police have failed to umbrella of ‘‘homeland security.’’ rone Brooks, president of the Georgia Asso- ciation of Black Elected officials, was among produce a surveillance tape of McKinney’s BLACK VOTERS WILL DECIDE confrontation with their officer, the con- those to greet and support her: ‘‘It’s really It can be no consolation to Rep. McKinney, not about Cynthia McKinney,’’ said Brooks. gresswoman captured one incident in the that she is just a convenient target for what movie, ‘‘American Blackout,’’ now being ‘‘It’s about African-Americans in America we now recognize as a great resurgence of who are victims of racial profiling every screened at sites around the country. The racism in the United States. The South rules film depicts McKinney’s investigation of vot- day.’’ a South that is not defined geographically Much of the Congressional Black Caucus ing irregularities in the 2000 elections. One but socio-politically. White Americans have segment shows the congresswoman being ac- seem to have lost touch with this reality. As become much more homogenous in the elec- a body, they have lost their moorings, and costed by police as she and her party ap- tronic and high-mobility age—to the det- must be rehabilitated, surgically. A bunch of proach the Longworth building of the Cap- riment of sanity. Their never-forsaken them have got to go. itol. McKinney turns to the camera and re- dreams of domestic and planetary racial con- BC Co-Publishers Glen Ford and Peter ports that police subject her to such treat- quest were given a Frankenstein-like jolt Gamble are writing a book to be titled, ment ‘‘all the time.’’ and boost by the Bush regime, which spoke and the Crisis in Black Lead- Does that happen to 535 members of con- directly to the predatory core of American ership. gress ‘‘all the time’’? Not hardly. myth and historical practice. Emboldened, California Rep. Tom Lantos, according to f they have snared Cynthia McKinney in one the web reference site Wikipedia, ‘‘ran over a of their IRTs: Improvised Racist Traps. She HONORING OTTO W. ‘‘BILL’’ MEYER teenager in the Capitol parking area and re- awaits the decision of a grand jury. OF MARION, KANSAS fused to stop despite screams from the The moral and political collapse of the crowd. He never apologized for the hit-and- Congressional Black Caucus could not come run either.’’ The Boston Globe reported that at a worse time—but it has occurred. Cor- HON. JERRY MORAN Lantos was not charged with hit-and-run, roded by corporate money dependent on cor- OF KANSAS but was only fined $25 for ‘‘failure to pay full porate media—with the near extinction of IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES time and attention.’’ However, a teacher ac- independent Black media—adrift in the gulf Friday, December 8, 2006 companying the student was threatened with between the needs of the Black masses and arrest by Capitol police when she chased the narrow aspirations of the minuscule Mr. MORAN of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I rise Lantos’ car, demanding that he stop. hyper-mobile Black classes and still steeped today to recognize a man who is a legend in Apparently Capitol police are quite zealous in rank male chauvinism much of Black Kansas journalism and his community, a man in protecting their lawmakers—if they are ‘‘leadership’’ cannot abide a genuinely pro- not afraid to challenge an issue even if it white. gressive, charismatic female in their midst. rocked the boat, man who let his readers In an otherwise inane, anti-McKinney arti- Many also look on in sulking jealousy at the cle, Black columnist Earl Ofari Hutchinson know what they needed to know, a man who burgeoning unity and militancy of Latinos, gave some historical perspective to recent served his country and community with strong whose grassroots are on the move and whose events: will and strong opinions, and a man who will media support their cause. ‘‘In past years, the Caucus raised heck be missed throughout Kansas. I am here The CBC cannot even support each other. when a white Republican Congressman When CBC members urged Cynthia McKin- today to honor a respected leader and punched a black Capitol police officer and a ney to forsake the truth, to hide the ugly friend—Bill Meyer. year later Ohio Democratic Representative fact of racial (and political, and sexual) Bill may best be known as the editor and was hassled by Capitol police. profiling they gave enormous aide and com- publisher of the Marion County Record. During And the Congressional Black Caucus rushed fort to the enemy. If there was one victory his 55 years of service to this weekly paper, to their defense.’’ that African Americans had achieved in the Not this time, not for Cynthia McKinney. he brought a fire to the paper establishing it post-Civil Rights era it was to make racial The Congressional Black Caucus is broken. as a challenge to the status quo. After grad- profiling legally, politically and socially un- uating from the University of Kansas in 1948 SEX AND THE FEDERAL CITY acceptable. This victory was the fruit of with a bachelor’s degree in journalism, he Around midnight on April 8, Saturday countless suitor demonstrations—all manner Night Live’s Kenan Thompson performed a of political struggles—and the legacy of the began his five and a half decade career. Bill grotesque, bewigged skit in which he con- legions of dead, maimed, jailed and humili- didn’t stop at just reporting the news. His ac- jured up a fat, sloppy, dull-witted, bellig- ated victims of profiling who became the tive role in civil issues, including the construc- erent, loud-talking, no-listening, from-deep- focus of sustained Black action. tion of Marion Reservoir and the local football in-the-ghetto character who was supposed to September 11 provided the excuse to undo stadium, helped create good news for the city be—Cynthia McKinney. Of course, this TV decades of anti-profiling victories. Profiling of Marion. minstrel’s interpretation bore no resem- is reckoned to be a good thing. Now the rac- Bill’s weekly column, ‘‘Mostly Malarkey,’’ blance to the congressperson—daughter of ists seek to reestablish arbitrary and capri- gave voice to his strong opinions. These chal- one of Atlanta’s first Black policemen, a cious white supremacy, with legislation that lenging positions often led to productive dia- former faculty member at Clark Atlanta would de facto deputize every police officer logues, but for others it led to violent reac- University, world traveler and sought-after as an agent of ‘‘homeland security’’ who speaker, six-term legislator. But that did not need not respect the constitution in the case tions. On occasion his property and the news- matter. Although SNL does superb work of ‘‘suspected’’ undocumented immigrants. paper office were vandalized. This past presi- caricaturing public personalities, its usual At that point, all persons of color become dent of the Kansas Press Association has standards did not apply in McKinney’s case. grist for the suspicion mill. Just as the Cap- woken to slashed tires, egg-covered vehicles, The skit was a dehumanizing assault on itol policeman chose not ‘‘recognize’’ Cyn- and even a bullet hole in his office window. It Black women as a group, with ‘‘Cynthia’’ thia McKinney as a congressperson, any cop takes a tough man to withstand the attacks he standing in for the female gender of her race. could willfully fail to recognize his fellow endured defending his fiery positions. A specific profile of Black women exists in Americans and strip them of their rights. Bill also endured attacks while serving our the minds of vast sections of white America. Such a regime already exists in designated country in World War II. He earned the Purple As Dr. Abdul Karim Bangura relates in this ‘‘drug zones’’ in urban America where every- issue of BC, in ‘‘an analysis of White stu- one is suspect. Heart for permanent injuries suffered from dents’’ stereotypes of Black women by pro- Yet the CBC allows Republicans and racist freezing temperatures during the Battle of the fessor of women’s studies and sociology Rose Democrats to jeer and bully Cynthia McKin- Bulge and the liberation of concentration Weitz at Arizona State University and ney into a legal cul-de-sac because she dares camps in Bavaria. Bill was decorated by sev- Wakonse fellow Leonard Gordon at the same to cite profiling. eral European countries and his own for his

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