Rights and wrongs

Recently, Representative Cynthia McKinney of Georgia had a scuffle or altercation, or maybe a scuffling altercation, with a U.S. Capitol Police officer. It seems that she didn’t have on her congressional lapel pin, and he didn’t recognize her. He told her to stop, she didn’t, he grabbed her, and she hit him.

When I was a lad, I once walked up behind my buddy’s father and touched him lightly on the shoulder. I was about 15 and as fast as I was ever going to be, and I managed to back off fast enough to save my ribs. Mr. Neal was sorry, and he said so. He wasn’t sorry he’d hit me; he was sorry I didn’t have enough sense not to slip up behind him and touch him unexpectedly.

Now some House Republicans want McKinney to apologize for hitting somebody who came up behind her and grabbed her. What nonsense. The cop should apologize for rudeness.

They could just teach Capitol police officers what their charges look like. That would’ve worked because recognizing Cynthia McKinney is so easy that I think anybody who has ever seen her would recognize her the next time she showed up, with or without her lapel pin.

Nowadays we have little recourse when a government goon accosts us for any reason, even if it’s something he made up. We’re formally innocent until proven guilty, but when faced with a police officer, we’re required to submit completely to a stranger who can and may do whatever he thinks he can get away with, and he can get away with more all the time. How did we come to trust these government representatives so? Public relations. No government money should ever be spent on public relations. Ever.

A police officer forfeits free will and swears to uphold whatever political agreements wind up on the books. In turn, politicians provide for him. He’s obedient and true, a proud tool, and that’s who wants you to spread ’em.

So a Capitol police officer sees a striking and well-dressed black woman hurrying down the hall and figures she could be dangerous. I’ve met some dangerous and well-dressed black women, but I don’t think it’s a pattern. What does he think when he sees a black woman? What do you think when you see one?

A handful of people can wage war just because they want to, but a single human can’t resist a stranger’s hand. That’s not good. Cynthia McKinney’s rights to her person supersede anybody’s fear, including a cop’s. If cops are scared of black women, let’s get them some therapy. Maybe they need a hug.