She’s not Cynthia McKinney, so it can’t possibly ever get as bad, but…how hard is it for a member of Congress to have easily accessible I.D.? In this case, to wear a bloody pin even (a remarkable security measure). From Roll Call:
Another female member of the Congressional Black Caucus went unrecognized by a Capitol Police officer Wednesday. This time it was Rep. Corrine Brown (D-Fla.) who wasn’t wearing her Congressional lapel pin. But, then again, she hadn’t changed her hairstyle, either.
Brown was stopped as she entered the Cannon House Office Building on Wednesday morning to attend the weekly Democratic Caucus meeting. When the Congresswoman walked into the building and around the metal detector, as Members are allowed to do, an officer — also a black woman — stopped Brown and asked for identification.
“If you don’t recognize me, call your supervisor,” a clearly irritated Brown said, according to eyewitnesses.
Another officer on the scene quickly confirmed that Brown was indeed a Member of Congress, and Brown went on her way.
Brown’s chief of staff, Ronnie Simmons, who was with the Congresswoman at the time, said he thinks the officer may have been new and “just didn’t recognize” Brown. He said the Congresswoman could understand how, with so many Members going through that door at one time, an officer might not know all their faces.
However, he said, “I think the officer was a little bit curt with the Congresswoman.” Simmons said his boss feels that the Capitol Police officers “probably need just a little more sensitivity training.”
I wasn’t a cop, but as an intern at the Heritage Foundation back in the day I remember having the hardest time telling one white guy from another. Someone should have offered me sensitivity training after I confused Chip Pickering with Mark Foley (really bad eyesight).