Young man, are you listening to me? I said, young man, what do you want to be?

As a kid my whole concept of government was one part "Schoolhouse Rock" and and one part Norman Rockwell. When I first started to "get" the concept of Congress, elected representatives from all parts of the country, I pictured a place where Eskimos, native Americans and businessmen all met to hammer out the people's business and pass our nation's laws. Since I saw America as made up of people of men and women of all races, finacial backgrounds, shapes and sizes I assumed Congress, as a micro-representation of our society, would be the same.

I know, I know. I was a naive little bastard.

When I was older and in college and really started reading up on the history of our government I was surprised to find out that in the past there had been fights on the floor of Congress and duels over disagreements between Representatives. I found this strangely appealing. Not the part where people actually got hurt, I wasn't pining for any more Alexander Hamiltons. I was attracted by the concept that once upon a time those that were elected to office actually cared passionately about the issues before them. Passionately enough to physically fight for them if necessary. To risk life and limb.

I know Cynthia McKinney can come off a little crazy in interviews. There's a certain "boy who cried wolf" aspect to her charges of racism and the timing wasn't the best as it gave the Republicans an issue to jump on. As if they really needed an issue to jump on. If they got nothin' they just make stuff up. War on Christmas, anyone?

But I can't help but wonder if Congress might actually be a little better off with twenty more Cynthia McKinneys. Because from where I sit she looks a lot more like the country I live in than Tom DeLay or Dennis Hastert. And nobody can say she's not passionate.

Badges? We ain't got no badges! We don't need no badges! I don't have to show you any stinking badges!

This seems to be the best legal answer with regards to McKinney:

McKinney Trial Moved to The Hague

4/5/2006

EWM- (April 5, 2006) Succumbing to the reality that the U.S. legal system is not up to the task of handling the “trial of the century,” officials announced today that the cop-beating trial of Rep. Cynthia McKinney will be reclassified as a war crime and moved to The Hague.

McKinney is accused of striking a Capitol Hill police officer who accosted her for bypassing a security checkpoint in the Longworth House Office Building. McKinney, a black woman, says it was a case of “racial profiling.” The burley cop, who was not injured, says his “feelings were hurt.” A tourist who witnessed the incident says, “Christ on a cross, can these morons just get over it?”

Judicial officials say the sheer enormity of the incident justifies the tribunal being moved to The Hague, the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, because of its global implications.

The incident began when McKinney walked around a metal detector used for visitors that are not part of the “royal class,” otherwise known as Members of Congress. When the officer failed to recognize her as a Congresswoman and grabbed her arm, she allegedly stabbed at him with her cell phone.

Eyewitness Muse

You're going to need a bigger boat.

When first I heard of rep. Cynthia McKinney's run-in with the Capitol Police and subsequent arrest warrant I thought the story a little weird but in keeping with my egalatarian view of the function of congresscritters it seemed fairly clear that she deserved the legal trouble that ensued. You don't get to "hit" an officer. Unless you're George Bush and you run your bike into a Scottish policeman. Apparently bumbling stupidity is the only acceptable exception.

The event was doubly dissapointing because whatever the circumstances the event provided easy cannon fodder for the blathering nincompoops of Right Wing talk. "Look-- another Democratic Congresswoman run wild." And run wild they did.

The resulting brouhaha has forced me to spend time thinking about something that should have been a minor incident for lack of Republicans desperately looking for something, anything to point to and claim Democrats are just as corrupt as they are. My conclusion: how in the hell can anybody comment on this incident in the first place when it's not clear what the hell actually happened?

McKinney is accused of hitting a Capitol Police officer that tried to stop her when she avoided a security checkpoint. What does "hitting" mean in the context of this accusation and why does it justify prosecution? Is the policeman hospitalized? Bruised? Do congressmen regularly avoid the checkpoint as has been widely reported or not?

In light of these questions I'm not sure Nancy Pelosi's decision to pile on was the wisest choice either morally or politically. When the Right Wing sharks are on a feeding frenzy it doesn't make sense to throw out more chum and bloody up the water even more. Better to beat 'em off the boat with your oars.