'American Blackout' (film), and What I Didn't Know About Cynthia McKinney

Wow. I just saw the last half hour of this documentary on cable and I was totally floored. I plan to tivo it the next time it comes on. Produced by GNN, the film highlights McKinney and her struggles against Bush Co. All I could think of was you guys. (Awww)

American Blackout
Here are two scenes that I thought might interest my fellow ATS'ers.

Scene I
January 2005

She approaches Capitol Hill with a young black man. He appears throughout the ½ hour I've seen, but I'm not sure who he is. As she's walking, a uniformed civil servant, likely police or some kind of security, approaches her, shakes her hand, and says “Welcome back.” He is black. As she continues her walk, she notices a guard shack, a few rows of flowers and says to the camera that they're new... genteel barricades. A guard approaches her with a hand stretched out, as if to stop her from continuing down the walkway. He's white. There's some talking, but I had to put the captions on to get it all. I guess the microphone wasn't close enough.

He asks, “Who are you guys with?” The young man accompanying her responds, “'Who is she with?' She's a congresswoman.” Backing off, the guard stuttered, “Oh, I'm sorry, I as-as-as...” He trails off, sheepishly. McKinney, with her voiced raised , explains to the camera, “That's just the typical kind of treatment that I receive. It's typical. So I'm not surprised, and I'm not offended.” The whole time she's talking, the guard is just kind of muttering, “I'm sorry, I'm sorry.” When she said she wasn't offended, he says, “I hope not. I'm sorry, ma'am.” He looks truly apologetic. “Thank you,” she says. She looks kind of like, Well, this happens everyday. It's not his fault. He goes back to his shack and she walks away.

Still walking, but looking back smiling, she says, “'Some things never change.' That's what Tupac said.” `

Scene II
[I'll be paraphrasing the dialogue in this scene, because my 'immediate playback' was running out, and I only had time to jot notes, not write it word for word.]

Footage of her at some committee. Rumsfeld is there. Then it cuts to her being interviewed about this meeting. She explains, “We were at a meeting and the chairman was adhering to a strict five minute rule. Right before they get to me, the chairman says that Rumsfeld would like to break for lunch.”

They cut back to the footage of the meeting. The chairman says, “We'll accommodate the remaining questions at a breakfast.” Rumsfeld interjects, “At a breakfast in about two or three weeks.” McKinney asks, “Will this meeting be open to the public?” The chairman replies, “If you bring the omelettes.” The camera pans to Rumsfeld, where you can see him, and all the (white) men behind him, sharing a hearty chuckle. Unfazed, she continues, “The reason I ask is that I have an important question, and I think the public may be interested in the answer. I want to ask whether the September 11th wargames could have possibly impeded our ability to defend ourselves against the attacks of the same day.”

Greg Palast says, “Cynthia McKinney has a sort of political Tourette's.”


What I didn't know about Cynthia McKinney

When McKinney got into all that trouble over hitting that policeman, I did a little research on her because, quite honestly, I had never heard of her. What I found was that she was outspoken. I wasn't sure what she was outspoken about. She was also described as a 'conspiracy theorist.' I also found out that she had had run-ins with the Capitol Hill Police before.

This film really filled in a lot of blanks. First of all, she is one of us. Yeah, I said it. Those of us who don't buy the official 9/11 story have all considered that the wargames on 9/11 were part of the Big Conspiracy. I wouldn't be surprised if I found out she had been an ATS'er the whole time. And I am glad she was there, high enough in government to have access, to ask the question.

Second, the Capitol Hill Police were bothering her. I thought she handled it well in the film, but I could also imagine that one day she wouldn't be in such a gracious mood.

Considering her political views, we can safely assume, I think, that TPTB wanted her gone, and they accomplished their goal. That incident was used to get her the heck out, and it worked. Even here, there were people who hated her. Like she was the one who didn't have a plan for Iraq.

Anyway, here are a few links about the film. I hope you check it out.

GNN's American Blackout Page
GNN Synopsis
IMDB: American Blackout

Thanks so much for posting this. I've been trying to tell everyone about her and her views, also that she is treated pretty badly at times in DC. I'm glad they made a documentary about her. She was the first and only Congressperson to ask for an investigation right after 911. I hope she makes a comeback (again), they keep trying to get rid of her, but she keeps coming back. Yes, she is one of us, she's for the People. She has been disagracefully misrepresented by the media and the White House.

Originally posted by forestlady
She was the first and only Congressperson to ask for an investigation right after 911. I hope she makes a comeback (again), they keep trying to get rid of her, but she keeps coming back. Yes, she is one of us, she's for the People. She has been disagracefully misrepresented by the media and the White House.

That's really what struck me the most. Before I saw it, I thought she was outspoken on 'black issues', whatever those are, (like poverty, crime, and no health care doesn't affect us all). Now I realize that the media persona that has been created for her was designed to isolate her.

Sad that it worked, especially with us. We're supposed to be more discerning than the sheeple.