Rev. Yearwood Refused Entry To Blackwater Hearing Until Maxine Waters Stepped In
By Nicole Belle Monday Oct 01, 2007 5:15pmUnbelievable. Is our Congress learning? Apparently not. Big cheers to Maxine Waters for remembering that the House is THE PEOPLE'S House and citizens have a right to be there.
Yesterday I announced that the US Attorney dropped the charges against me of assaulting a police officer.
Today, Tuesday Oct 2nd, I was in line for the Blackwater hearing on Capitol Hill at 9:15 in the morning. When I got to the front of the line at 11:30, Capitol Police stopped the line. I stood there for two hours while the same officers who leapt on me three weeks ago outside of the Petraeus hearing, pointed and stared at me. I stood there, humming "we shall overcome."
Congresswoman Maxine Waters showed up at 1:30 and saw me standing there. She demanded that I be let into the hearing. Cops were swarming the door, and the honorable Congresswoman from California escorted me into the hearing. Once I got in, three cops stood near me, so I would not forget that I was in their territory.
It is just incredible that as a peace activist, a former Chaplain candidate in the Air Force Reserve, and a Minister, I would be treated so disrespectfully in the halls of Congress.
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frist? do I get anything if so?
[A big round of virtual applause, and slagging off by the jealous ones who don't have the knack-Sitemonitor]
TIME TO "SUE, BABY, SUE!"
Can't this guy catch a break? The Capitol police are acting like goons. The only thing missing are some brown shirts and black boots.
MIss Nancy doan give a fuck about some shirtailed Reverend....tryin' ta git int HER HOUSE! THE NERVE OF 'SOME PEOPLE'!
She is in charge. Check out the arrogance.....
With contact link and extra added 'Rabbit Rahm' content!
Padre, I wish you'd taken photos of the cops...'coz it really sounds like Whitey trying to keep you in your place.......utterly reprehensible. In all seriousness, I also recommend litigation, not only as a means to recover costs for your hospitalisation for your leg, but also against the specific officers who injured you, as a lesson in respect.
Keep up the fight, sir!
Maxine Waters is a national treasure, and the Rev. Lennox Yearwood is a great human being. Thank you Maxine Waters. And thank you Rev. Yearwood for being there in the fray when it matters.
I thought it was "Am our Kongruss larnin'?"
Velcome To Kapitol Heel, Ze Polize Stat.
Sounds like he is a danger to any neocon run, hate-filled, war mongering government if you ask me. Why, he might want to SAY something!!!
Rev. Yearwood rocks
Just goes to prove that it's the color of his skin that prevents him from going to these hearings.
Unfuckingbelievable.
To quote myself from 4 days ago talking about the same officers:
"I cannot understand why these officers keep their jobs, they are guarding a place where one might presume there were higher standards than elsewhere"
OMG! I quoted myself, how can I go wrong??!!
Is there any question now that the capitol police are harrassing this man, or that they intended to break his leg last time.
Thankfully they must of thought someone might have a camera somewhere, again, or they'd have probably roughed him up again.
Thank you Congresswoman Waters, I hope you, or another member of congress is there everytime Rev. Yearwood wants to get in and witness a hearing.
Why do these cops have a bug up their ass about this minister? Were other African Americans allowed in? Ms Waters should report this to these guys superiors and find out why this is happening to him.
"It is just incredible that as a peace activist, a former Chaplain candidate in the Air Force Reserve, and a Minister, I would be treated so disrespectfully in the halls of Congress."
Sir, it's just incredible that *any* American citizen would be treated so disrespectfully in the halls of Congress. I admire your fortitude, and am pleased that Congresswoman Waters did the right thing. Now if a few of her colleagues would follow her example...
They couldn't understand why he wasn't scared away by the fact that they brutally attacked him for trying to gain access to a public event, and bore no consequences forever for doing so.
Cowards, confused in the face of courage and actual strength of will.
Believing in anything strongly enough to put yourself at risk to stand up for your ideas is something that simply does not compute in their tiny, steroid addled minds.
Thank you Rev. Yearwood for your courage. I commend Rep.Waters for her actions in this matter. I am so horrified at the strong-armed tactics against U.S. citizens who have every right to petition their government. Every single politician in Washington is paid to take care of the "people's" business. The people (myself included) have a lot of work to do. We are being abused, misused,disrespected and discarded. Enough!
pissed off patricia @ 14:
check this out http://www.hiphopcaucus.org
miss_kitty @ 7:
Beat me to it. Well played!
But we saw the first attack on him by the cops and he did not resist arrest or do any harm to the cops. The minister was the one to come out of it with a broken leg. Hell, he was outnumbered by about six to one.
I'm surprised they didn't taser him just for the hell of it.
blogenfreude @ 19:
"Congress, working hard to put food on your family, and making wings take dream."
Hell no our congress isn't learning.
They are all bought and sold and paid for.
Rev. Yearwood rocks. And two thumbs up to Congresswoman Maxine Waters! And I hope all of Congress took note of what happened to Yearwood.
pissed off patricia @ 20:
Like I said, they may have thought there was a camera somewhere
Bil Biloxi @ 23:
They sure did.
The lesson they learned?
They'll work harder to make sure the press doesn't find out next time.
There's nothing stopping the public from revoking all powers of the US government, establishing a new Constitution, and making the Capitol Police wear silly hats. Then we'll have a real oversight system. Oh, and let the Reverend go where he wants.
Cythraul @ 25:
The public will be watching them closer. That's allowed. Or isn't this America with an oversight sytem?
Wonder how long it will be before cell phones and cameras are banned from visitors attending meetings in that building?
This is utterly ridiculous and embarrassing.
Thank you, Reverend, for continuing to use your rights.
Side note: CREW listed Maxine Waters as one of the most corrupt members of congress the first two years it made the list (2005 and 2006). She wasn't listed this year. I wonder what she did to unscandalify herself.
Law enforcement do not desrve respect; our only obligation is to respect the law, and place the burden on government. They must prove there is a problem. This is not a police state, despite the US government's belief.
pissed off patricia @ 28:
Just "being near the building" is "obviously" evidence of "a threat". . .
The US Senate Monday passed a mammoth 648 billion dollar defense policy bill.
Now, despite the fact Americans do not want this. And have said so . . . .
Why did they do this?
Who instead of Americans is dictating these decisions?
In Washington today, all eyes are on the Blackwater hearings. But the relentless focus on potential atrocities committed by unaccountable, grotesquely overpaid private security firms in Iraq and Afghanistan obscures the larger issue for the United States. That is, mercenary forces simply should have no place in the national defense of an American democracy.
For the details, see:
"The Meaning of Blackwater."
American citizens have the ultimate taser: Lawyers with video cameras.
Someone in the capital police force should be demoted, or fired outright. First they broke this man's leg denying him entrance to a public hearing, and now they're still playing these sinister games? Wouldn't surprise me a bit if the orders to do so are traced back to a republican congressman.
Some of these Capitol Cops need to be taken down a notch. First the crazy congresswoman was assaulted last year, and eveybody blamed her.
Second, Cindy Sheehan was arrested at the State of the Union speech for wearing a tee shirt with writing on it.
Now, a minister is assauted, injured and then harrassed again when the charges were dropped.
Maybe some of these cowboys should go to Iraq and kick down doors in Baghdad.
LongTooth @ 35:
I say let's revoke all the powers of the US government, shut down DC, move the capitol, and let the DC police get jobs as janitors. Not that there's anything wrong with being a janitor.
I don't think many in the senate give a good GD what we think or feel. Why did they pass that bill? I don't know. The only reason I can think of is that they want bush to go out of office with his war in his hands and not theirs. I know that's lame, but it's all I can think of.
Capabilty Jones @ 36:
Now you've got it right: Let's get some 42 USC 1983 claims and lawsuits going.
pissed off patricia @ 38:
The public has the power to revoke all powers. If they don't like "how we feel" about the Constitution, we can wake them up with a new list of rules. Capitol Police can't stop this.
Whose job is it to monitor the capitol police, ensure they comply with law enforcement standards of conduct, and that they are decertified if they abuse their power?
We the People.
Angry One @ 33:
I agree, however, I would argue that it should be taken a much further by emphasizing that neither mercenaries nor U.S. troops have any business being in Iraq where they are looked on with fear and contempt by the Iraqis for brutalizing and terrorizing the Iraqi people. Bring them home-all of them-now.
Capitol hill cops abusing people
Blackwater abusing people in Iraq
And all with the blessing of the republican party and probably Joe Lieberman too.
Let's get a public oversight board for the Capitol Hill Police. What's the plan for which groups to nominate and interview which people for this oversight position?
It is just incredible that as a peace activist, a former Chaplain candidate in the Air Force Reserve, and a Minister, I would be treated so disrespectfully in the halls of Congress.
Fascists don't care who you are or who you think you are. Your not that naive are you?
Lapel cameras on private citizens to gather evidence of Capitol Hill Police misconduct.
I tried to email Ms. Water a note saying job well done but her site only allows people in her district to email her. Oh well. I wish someone would demand an investigation of the capitol police. Who gave the orders not to let him in?
What are they afraid of, exactly?
L.A. Confidential @ 45:
Well, we can march on DC and sing loudly. "Proud to be Americans." Or would that be scary to dare to exercise our rights?
Canadian Observer @ 48:
They're making excuses to harass people. They like to intimidate people. They want to dissuade people from taking action.
Pre-emptive justice through intimidation. It's illegal. The more the Capitol Hill police do this, the more the public can pre-emptively, lawfully organize to monitor the security personnel.
Get a load of this one.
Democrats propose tax surcharge for war
4 minutes ago
WASHINGTON - Arguing it is unfair to continue to pass the cost of the war in Iraq to future generations, three senior House Democrats Tuesday offered a longshot plan to raise taxes to pay for the $150 billion bill for the war in 2008.
The tax plan, unveiled by Reps. David Obey, D-Wis., John Murtha, D-Pa., and Jim McGovern, D-Mass., would require low- and middle-income taxpayers to add 2 percent to their tax bill. Wealthier people would add a 12 to 15 percent surcharge, Obey said.
Top Democrats immediately shot down the idea, and it came under scathing assault from Republicans for linking funding for U.S. troops overseas with tax increases.
"Just as I have opposed the war from the outset ... I am opposed to a war surtax," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
http://tinyurl.com/2v2vyu
I found this via BuzzFlash
"BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The State Department's initial report of last month's incident in which Blackwater guards were accused of killing Iraqi civilians was written by a Blackwater contractor working in the embassy security detail, according to government and industry sources."
Seems the foxes get to report what is or isn't going on in the hen house.
Congresswoman Maxine Waters should file an official complaint, and some of those "police" should loose their jobs. Its racist discrimination, and should not be tolerated.
Here's the link for the blackwater story
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/10/02/blackwater.spot.report/
MakeThis @ 49:
What rights?
Hey...remember how they handled Rep. Cynthia McKinney...called her weird, radical, targeted her campaign? They just don't like Afro-Americans in Lala land. It's not to hard to recognize.
jjj @ 56:
Divide and Conquer
I guess since 9-11 ( no, I'm not channeling Rudy) these cops have been made to feel like they are a front line against terror on the hill. Someone should remind them that they aren't.
emerald @ 47:
Try this, and perhaps you're not using the correct zipcode from her district. Enter the correct zipcode and zip-plus 4 into this form and you can send her a direct e-mail, unless she has an auto-delete freature. There are some other people here with e-mails.
well, he is black, and i think we all know how america feels about them.
this is one of the problems that bush/cheney have created in the USA
A FUCKING POLICE STATE
just you wait, bush/cheney will have blackwater on our streets before long
so he can declare martial law and disband Congress.
Welcome to the new POLICE STATE, courtesy of the republican party.
I'll assume that some Democrats still have a backbone: Let them step up to the plate and challenge/dismiss the thugs/pricks that would do this to this man.
Seems fairly clear that the new Nazi Party is creeping into all sectors of our society. Intimidation: The preferred tool of cowards.
It's an hour past cocktail time and I'm getting cranky. Watching what I could of the blackwater hearings today made me realize, we are so fu*ked.
pissed off patricia @ 58:
Letters to editor, speaking before the city/municipal council, and also starting 42 USC 1983 claims, and complaints to the police officer standards and training in the State AG office. In the case of Congress which oversees the District of Columbia Capitol Police, the Sergeant at Arms is responsible for the leadership. They can be fired. Did you know that officers can be decertified if they engage in abusive treatement, and lie to the investigating boards?
Let's hear it for Maxine Waters.
dadams @ 61:
they can't make all americans assent to tyranny. It's impossible They can't get food to people in Louisiana in the wake of Katrina. What are they going to do call out the national guard? they're in Iraq, remember. The US leadership has no ability to enforce their martial law.
pissed off patricia @ 63:
No, the President and Blackwater have a war crimes problem. That's their issue. Burden of defense is on them. Not our war crimes problem. Theirs. Stop giving up before they've had a chance to fail before a war crimes tribunal.
This is the United States of America.
The people will not tolerate a Dictatorship.
And we will not let Criminals Bush, Cheney, a complicit media, facists with Dual Citizenship, Christian Terrorists or Limpbagh and O'Rilley SET the national talking points. Weve had enough.
The people of United States of America
vs.
The Bush / Cheney Administration
Reason #1043 and 1044 why Bush and Cheney and the complicit media
should be handcuffed and taken to Federal Prison:
#1043 The Bush Administration is STILL stifiling FBI Whistleblowers
http://www.nswbc.org/Press%20Releases/PressRelease-March5-07.htm
#1044 There are reports that BlackWater is now training
crony Law Enforcement and creating camps around the Country.
The Smiths Go To Washington @ 68:
It's not a problem. It's evidence. Safeguard it. Mirror it. Distribute worldwide.
I guess that's what happens when you worship a compassionate creator as opposed to the one the Republicans worship
This is clearly harassment of the highest form and do not ever believe that this shit is not coming from higher authorities, because it is.
This administration really needs to go because they are really setting a bad example of this country when they interfere with law enforcement and have them attacking people for no reason and yet allow those that agree with the warped policies they are forcing on the people of this country get away with any and everything they say and do, including murder of Innocent people.
This guy should file a law suite against these officers, for a lack of a better word.
pissed off patricia @ 14:
They're afraid of him. I hope he becomes the MLK of the occupation of Iraq.
I don't know how in the world I forgot to give it up for Congresswoman Maxine Waters as she is always there for the people.
I just bet she had some real choice words for them while she slapped the hell out of their little game with this minister.
How sad this is.
I've had the pleasure of meeting Rev. Yearwood.
I've had the honor of marching with him in protests.
Today I've felt the joy of seeing him vindicated.
Reverend, the problem is you weren't in a "free speech area" -- those pens where it's still okay to use your freedom of speech. Keep it up.
When the cops can take this type unilateral action and they're not held responsible, then by definition you have a police state.
Biggus Diggus @ 75:
Permits and pens.
In a many cases you need permits to assemble. And if you do get your permit then the permit specifies some pen for your assembly. Ostensibly, this is all in the interest of public order.
Little did our constitutional founders realize that the right to assemble would be restricted by permits and pens.
The slippery slope of your disappearing civil liberties.
At least it's comforting to know that thugs and bullies still have career options.
some good news for once
this is not america ...shalalalala
These Capitol Police do this to anybody they feel like it. Look at what they did to one of the protestors down town DC. The person was arrested and the judge turned her loose because she wasn't doing anything but holding a sign. Then she and someone else was walking down the street to an eatry, when some of them picked her up threw her to the ground, cuffed her and put her in a cell and didn't book her til next morning. Of course then the judge dropped charges, because there wasn't any. The police said she wasn't welcome in DC. They wouldn't even let her tell her family where she was. AND THIS IS THE NATION'S CAPITAL. THESE CAPITAL POLICE MUST BE PART OF BLACKWATER.
They are afraid of a peace activist. They don't question the stupidity of their 'standing orders' any more than the gestapo did. (Godwin's law doesn't apply as this is indeed an apt comparison...)
I guess we can't them "peace officers" any more...maybe 'law thugs.'
We need to get this country back in the hands of sane normal peace loving Americans. Enough of these police state want to be authoritarians. Geez.
Cheers for Maxine Waters! She's got cred.
Wow! I really give him credit for going back in. Didn't they break his leg last time?
Also, Pelosi needs to step down.
Sandy Geeee @ 85:
Torn ligaments, but he thought it was broken at the time. The first incident was caught on video
Sorry messed up the link:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=qiradcejA6o
Those police nazis should be fired and get another job!
"It is just incredible that as a peace activist, a former Chaplain candidate in the Air Force Reserve, and a Minister, I would be treated so disrespectfully in the halls of Congress."
Welcome to Bush's America.
We have chosen the righteous path. †
Glad that Rev. Yearwood is well after the beating he took while being unlawfully arrested. I'm also glad to hear that he has the guts to continue to go about his way in standing up to the attack dogs of our criminal politicians.
L.A. Confidential @ 51:
Make sure to keep Bush's $500,000,000,000 tax cuts for the rich though!!!
Maxine Waters Rocks!
Old Billy @ 29:
She did stuff like introduce legislation to give Katrina victims affordable housing, and protecting the rights of individuals like Rev. Yearwood to have access to public Congressional Hearings.
Plus, CREW probably found more corrupt members of Congress other than Maxine Waters...say like NANCY PELOSI.