August 12, 2011

"Capitol altercation involves Solidarity Singers, political blogger" — i.e. Althouse

Here's the report in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
The Solidarity Singers normally meet in the center of the Capitol rotunda at noon to sing pro-union protest songs, but they take their sing-along outside on Fridays.

A heated political argument ensued between one of the singers and another man who was observing the sing-along. Meanwhile, another singer confronted Althouse, who was filming the encounter. According to the singer, Kirby Jones, Althouse aggressively forced her camera in his face and he pushed it away from him. According to Althouse, Jones tried to grab her camera out of her hands and her son struggled with the man to hold onto the camera. Althouse's son had a small cut on his wrist after the altercation.
Of course, I have it on video. I was standing filming a man who was ranting about how Jesus would be on the anti-Scott Walker side. This man blows a vuvuzela right in my face more than once. He's yelling at a man who is a Christian minister, but was never given much of a chance to say anything. Then a very angry guy comes up and violently snatches my camera, but can't get it out of my hand. He tries a second time, and he also hits me. My son detached the man's hand from mine. Anyway, I have this on video, but I need to edit and upload.

UPDATE: I responded to the reporter's phone call and she's updated the text at the link to say:
... Meanwhile, another singer confronted Althouse, who was filming the encounter. According to the singer, Kirby Jones, Althouse forced her camera in his face and he pushed it away from him. Althouse denied that she forced her camera, saying Jones tried to grab her camera out of her hands and "swatted" her arm. Althouse's son struggled with Jones to hold onto the camera, and had a small cut on his wrist after the altercation.
I held my camera up with my elbow at approximately a right angle. The man yanked my hand toward him. Twice. He wasn't even anyone I was photographing, just a guy who got up in my face.

UPDATE 2: A post with video from Meade's camera and — soon — mine is here.

195 comments:

MadisonMan said...

Interesting that only one viewpoint is given in that news report, that of Mr. Jones. Did the reporter, Emma Roller try to get in touch with you?

If not, I wonder why.

chickelit said...

This man blows a vuvuzela right in my face more than once.

Eww. TMI!

Superdad said...

Don't edit the evidence! Or at least keep the original pristine and make a copy fir editing.

laddy said...

Two sides to a story. Surely, you jest.

kurt mueller said...

Ah, the peaceful tolerant left at work again. Can UK or Greek style riots by these people be far behind should this country elect politicians who actually have the nads to reform our unsustainable welfare state?

Anonymous said...

Sounds like they, too, were too busy putting people down to sing. I wouldn't mind hearing their version of "Last High-Speed Train to Clarksville".

Scott M said...

Can we see it? Pretty Please?

Phil 314 said...

Capitol Police did not cite anyone involved in the incident, and the state Department of Administration could not immediately be reached for comment.

What the hell DO the Capitol Police do?

Lincolntf said...

Holy God. I hope it was more surprising/annoying than frightening. Good on your son for putting a stop to it. Once again, the Madison protesters demonstrate that they are the lowest form of political animal in this country. Hateful little idiots, every one of them. Solidarity!

chickelit said...

What the hell DO the Capitol Police do?

Handcuff doors?

TMink said...

This is what hoolaginism looks like. Them, not you guys obviously.

Trey

Trooper York said...

"This man blows a vuvuzela right in my face more than once."

He has a vuvuzela?

He must be Bob Wright.

Trooper York said...

That's some serious union protest queefing going on right there!

MadisonMan said...

Kirby Jones is not a common name. I don't see anyone by that name living in Madison, for example. Rather, google doesn't.

There is a Kirby Jones who travels a lot to Cuba and is part of Alamar Associates. There is also a Kirby Jones who is a career coach in Chicago. I wonder which Kirby the one in the altercation is.

chickelit said...

Madison has become a model for what the nation might look like were a Tea Party candidate elected to POTUS in 2012.

I'm sorry liberals, but where are the violent Tea Party antics that match this unilateral nonsense? You guys can reach and stretch and try to blame Oslo and Giffords on the Tea Party, but regular people don't buy it.

Man you guys are ugly in the mirror.

Ann Althouse said...

"What the hell DO the Capitol Police do?"

The police took down our statements, and I said I didn't want the man arrested, actually. The police told Chris that by intervening to stop a man from grabbing and hitting me that he (Chris) risked arrest for disorderly conduct, that he'd be well advised to retreat. Retreat while someone is attacking your mother?!

Trooper York said...

"Retreat when someone is attacking your mother."

Hey are the Wisconsin police really Bobbies or what?

jimspice said...

How about you upload the entire unedited tape?

Sue D'Nhym said...

Just make sure to not let the behavior of leftists ever cause you to rethink voting for candidates of the left.

Because. Just because.

Locomotive Breath said...

The police told Chris that by intervening to stop a man from grabbing and hitting me that he (Chris) risked arrest for disorderly conduct, that he'd be well advised to retreat. Retreat while someone is attacking your mother?!
====
Welcome to London on the Mendota.

Tully said...

OF course you're supposed to retreat when someone is physically attacking your mother!

If you're British. Which your son is not.

Trooper York said...

You know in the next episode of Jersey Shore Dena blows her vuvuzela right in this chicks face to stop her from hooking up with "The Situation."

Chip S. said...

So there's a perpetual protester named "Dickman" who's now been involved in at least two altercations?

I'll bet it runs in his family.

Sue D'Nhym said...

Retreat while someone is attacking your mother?!

Guess your quaint little town ain't quite so quaint any longer.

PaulV said...

jimspice, that whole video will be released after you make another stupid comment

Chip Ahoy said...

Way to go, Chris, you stud.

FloridaSteve said...

The new civility in action once again...

ndspinelli said...

Maybe that cop was a motherless child. Cops are bureaucrats w/ guns. Make sure you preserve the chain of evidence professor.

Trooper York said...

I just heard that someone else also taped it. A Zapudenda or Zapruder or somebody like that there.

There seems to be a second vuvuzela theory or something.

madAsHell said...

Gee! That's assault in my neck of the woods. I hope you press charges!!

You may dismiss this, but the violence will surely escalate.

Lincolntf said...

Unreal that the cop saw fit to say that. Did he think he was being helpful or was he being obliquely intimidating? There's no telling with those insane public employees that seem to overpopulate your Capitol.


wv: heman

guess that would be your son, not the guy who a blew a horn in your grill

Unknown said...

"The police told Chris that by intervening to stop a man from grabbing and hitting me that he (Chris) risked arrest for disorderly conduct, that he'd be well advised to retreat. Retreat while someone is attacking your mother?!"

Is this an accurate description of the self defense laws in Wisconsin? Here we are allowed to use reasonable for in defense of a third person.

David said...

Watch your back, Althouse.

chickelit said...

I would prosser charges.

madAsHell said...

oh....I see that you didn't have the man arrested.

Enable much??

twincrest said...

Do these singing people ever work? My wife & I went to a wedding in Madison a few weeks ago. We walked 3 blocks on State Street & never saw so many bums & street people in one place. The number of empty store fronts was amazing. The wealth distribution folks have not succeeded in making small businesses thrive. We were told by the hotel bellman to go to State street & enjoy the stroll. By the way, my wife & I grew up in Chicago.

Gabriel Hanna said...

The police told Chris that by intervening to stop a man from grabbing and hitting me that he (Chris) risked arrest for disorderly conduct, that he'd be well advised to retreat. Retreat while someone is attacking your mother?!

Yes, the cops expect us to be passive and retreat, even in our own homes. If not they will arrest you. It's easier than arresting the people who cause the trouble--after all those people are violent and aggressive and a cop might get hurt. But law-abiding people don't cause trouble for cops, they're the perfect people to arrest.

This is why some Southern and Western states have "castle doctrines"--that when attacked in one's own home or car, one has no duty to retreat.

Dr Weevil said...

A few weeks ago various blogs linked to a report in (I think) a serious medical journal that blowing a vuvuzela spreads as many germs as sneezing without covering your mouth. Blowing a vuvuzela at someone from close range is therefore arguably assault in two different ways, for the germs as well as the damage to the target's hearing.

Here's a related question for lawyers: isn't spitting on someone legally a form of assault? This seems to be worse, since spitting doesn't damage hearing.

Anyway, I'm too lazy to search for the link, but thought I'd mention it, since it seems to strengthen our hostess' ethical and (if she wants to sue) legal case.

I'm also very curious as the evidence that defending one's mother from physical assault is actually disorderly conduct under Wisconsin law. Was the policeman misinformed? Or does the Wisconsin legislature have one more stupid law to repeal?

Unknown said...

The justified response to a vuvuzela is here:
http://www.gocomics.com/baldo/2010/06/10/

chickelit said...

DrWeevil said: Here's a related question for lawyers: isn't spitting on someone legally a form of assault? This seems to be worse, since spitting doesn't damage hearing.

Ben Masel could not be reached for comment.

Cedarford said...

The police told Chris that by intervening to stop a man from grabbing and hitting me that he (Chris) risked arrest for disorderly conduct, that he'd be well advised to retreat. Retreat while someone is attacking your mother?!

===============
Madison cops are trained in Britain?
Who knew!!

Superdad said...

NO Lamar its not. In Wisconsin you can use reasonable force to defend another - reasonable is generally described as proportional.

But it is an accurate description of what Madison police will do. They will arrest you and then let you prove your defense.

Chennaul said...

The police told Chris that by intervening to stop a man from grabbing and hitting me that he (Chris) risked arrest for disorderly conduct, that he'd be well advised to retreat.

So IOW they went all English on you.

btw in comments at JSOnline they are already suspicious about :

Anyway, I have this on video, but I need to edit and upload.

I think they're going to want The Full Monty.

Chennaul said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Chennaul said...

Yes-

A Zapruder of the vuzuvela.....

Thanks Troop that's flaring my dyslexia big time.

Mark said...

jimspice, my guess is the only "editing" will be to isolate the incident so we don't have to fast forward through hours of useless giant puppets (or their moral equivalent).

For the police, it's easier to arrest fundamentally honorable and peaceful citizens than it is to protect them from the dishonorable and violent.

Fred Drinkwater said...

The warning to Chris was that he "risked arrest for disorderly conduct."
Regardless of the law, anytime you are involved in an altercation you "risk arrest." The cop on the scene will use some discretion about that, of course, but discretion goes both ways.
That said, if I were in Chris' shoes, I would certainly interpret the cop's remarks as a "put that civilian in his place" type of thing.

WV: elshe might have had to take matters into her own hands.

Amartel said...

The Borg Hive engages in role play. Some of them have vuvuzelas and are singin' protest songs. Some of them are dressed as cops. Don't be fooled, though. None of them care about YOU.

ndspinelli said...

Suggestion: Having played both unedited and edited surveillance video in court many times, editing has a sinister connotation, particularly for people who don't like what's on the tape. I'm sure you want to shorten and make it a better presentation. However, I've learned if I have less than a half hour of tape it's usually best to just play the raw footage. Take the conspiracy theories out of the equation. Be less artistic and more investigative.

BuckIV said...

Retreat while someone is attacking your mother?!


Well, if the attacker is pro-union you should retreat and give them your spare change, to do any less would be uncivilized.

Lincolntf said...

Those people commenting on/at the WSJ column are lost. They're doing the old "culture of right wing hate" fan dance. They love being violent, and cheer on every raving asshole who screams down a schoolgirl or manhandles a woman, but they refuse to publicly own it. Like that makes a difference. We all know who, and what, they really are. Deep down, so do they. Loathsome, fearful, little grubs, petrified that their true nature will be exposed.

Chennaul said...

If you get your zap ruder stuck in your vuzuvela-

Call titus.

MadisonMan said...

The police told Chris that by intervening to stop a man from grabbing and hitting me that he (Chris) risked arrest for disorderly conduct, that he'd be well advised to retreat. Retreat while someone is attacking your mother?!

If that were me, with my mother, and I were arrested, I would insist on a jury trial. Who would convict a son of protecting their mother?

The proper response to someone blowing a vuvuzela at you is to hit it at them, hard, so it splits their lips. If you can make it look accidental while you do that, all the better.

Peano said...

The police took down our statements, and I said I didn't want the man arrested, actually.

A very blonde response.

Irene said...

Oh boy. I suppose Isthmus will put its spin on this story soon.

chickelit said...

Gabriel hanna wrote: This is why some Southern and Western states have "castle doctrines"--that when attacked in one's own home or car, one has no duty to retreat.

Someone elsewhere likened the Madison leftists to the defenders of the Alamo. These analogies seem incongruent because they are both defensive strategies.

I think the cops & the left are General Santa Anna & his forces and the Tea Partyers are Jim Bowie & Davy Crockett, defending their Capitol from being storm-trooped.

Mark said...

Oh, and this reinforces one of Glen Reynolds' points; when openly filming at one of these things, try to have at least one other person also filming with you.

Lincolntf said...

Not WSJ, MJS. oops.

KLDAVIS said...

"[H]e'd be well advised to retreat. Retreat while someone is attacking your mother?!"

And, don't forget to ask, after each step, "Are you comfortable with the distance between us?" Then, continue backing away until such time as an affirmative answer is received or you can no longer hear/see the person that you were clearly assaulting with your presence.

Irene said...

Eventually they start treating everyone who's not on their side as though the adversary is James O'Keefe.

ndspinelli said...

I'm a bit dissapointed Trooper didn't make the French connection. A cop telling people to retreat even if their mother is being assaulted is very French. You're slipping Troop!

jimspice said...

I too am interested in this Kansas preacher. Out of state agitator?

By the way, I had an uncle Kirby. Killed in a rabbit hunting accident before I was born.

Triangle Man said...

@MadisonMan

The world's scariest search engine says that Kirby Jones lives in Madison.

Palladian said...

"I too am interested in this Kansas preacher. Out of state agitator?"

I smell KOCH!!!

And then there's that terrible right-winger Chris out with his terrible right-winger mother Ann Althouse, assaulting peaceful lefties!

Meade said...

California has a Castle doctrine. Texas has a Stand Your Ground rule.

Does Wisconsin need a Defend Your Mother law?

Chase said...

The police told Chris that by intervening to stop a man from grabbing and hitting me that he (Chris) risked arrest for disorderly conduct, that he'd be well advised to retreat. Retreat while someone is attacking your mother?!

Ann, please tell us what station the Madison Police are from that you gave the report too. We have friends in Southern Wisconsin ready to go stand outside and call the Police "Pussies" to their faces and on signs (they'll throw in printed names for union members for a bonus).

Really. What the hell is wrong with people in Madison? What the HELL is WRONG with the people up there that the police can't do a basic job of law enforcement?

Seriously. Your City is Majorly Fucked Up.

Irene said...

Today the Madison paper reports that another hitting incident resulted in an arrest.

In that case, the aggressor was a "Chicago man," not a lefty, Madison-minded protestor.

chickelit said...

In that case, the aggressor was a "Chicago man," not a lefty, Madison-minded protestor.

F.I.P.'s never change.

Ashera said...

Sorry this happened to you; it must have been frightening. Glad your son was with you.

Perhaps you could post two links: an unedited version of the event, for those who want to see the whole thing with their own eyes; and an edited version for those who don't want to wade through half an hour of extraneous stuff before getting to the goods.

I'm Full of Soup said...

Good for you Chris!

I expect these incideents will escalate and suggest, when it does, a quick short jab to the throat or a knee to the groin will usually get the perp to back off.

edutcher said...

Agree with chickenlittle - press charges. One of the reasons these people pull this stuff is that they usually walk away.

Keep in mind, you could have been hurt, possibly seriously (all The Blonde did was miss a step and she was laid up for 5 months).

Irene said...

Eventually they start treating everyone who's not on their side as though the adversary is James O'Keefe.

That's the way they've always worked - only now the people they're trying to intimidate are getting the truth out.

Just like O'Keefe.

So they're playing rougher.

PS Chris sounds like a good man. The picture from the dinner last night shows how proud you are of him - with good reason.

PPS If you need someone to ride shotgun next time you go to the Capitol, I can send The Blonde up there.

Dan from Madison said...

I am thinking this post needs the civility bullshit tag.

MadisonMan said...

The world's scariest search engine

Holy Cow that's a lot of information. Although there are still a few bugs in the system -- such as saying my son is my daughter. But still. The picture of my house pops up and everything!

Quelle Surprise that Mr. Jones is an east-sider.

Hoosier Daddy said...

"...Interesting that only one viewpoint is given in that news report, that of Mr. Jones. Did the reporter, Emma Roller try to get in touch with you?

If not, I wonder why..."

I like Madison Man. His naieve innocence is so cute.

Triangle Man said...

I will be interested to see the video. I am especially curious if the guy looks like he might be about 53 years old.

I'm Full of Soup said...

Kirby lives with his Mommy & his Daddy?

Sofa King said...

Triangle:

Kirby L Jones appears to have a DOB of 4/21/58 and was convicted in 1984 of felony sexual assault in Dane County, according to CCAP.

Sofa King said...

Ah, I see you were ahead of me there.

Hoosier Daddy said...

"...The police told Chris that by intervening to stop a man from grabbing and hitting me that he (Chris) risked arrest for disorderly conduct, that he'd be well advised to retreat. Retreat while someone is attacking your mother?!.."

Isn't liberalism great?

Triangle Man said...

@SofaKing

I wonder if it's the same guy.

Lincolntf said...

Triangle/Sofa King, if that really is the guy, what a twist. Althouse's decision not to have him arrested may have kept him out of big boys jail, depending on exactly what kind of record he has.

Unknown said...

Kirby lives with his Mommy & his Daddy?

It's not like that AJ - he has his own space in the basement.

xv: poutso Don't poutso, Kirby.

laddy said...

Disturbing the peace is a chicken shit charge that any copper can use for nearly anything they want. The problem with asking for an arrest is that you might log time in court for no real result other than a small fine if you're lucky. The problem with getting written for disburbing is that you will be out of pocket dollars even if you you're cleared in the end. Still if someone threatened my Mom (when she was still alive), I would have defended her and not even thought about a charge as any man would do. You need real unbiased cops in MadTown.

FedkaTheConvict said...

For those of you criticizing Althouse...to me she's saying that if she pressed charges against the guy, her son would have been arrested too since they were borh involved in the scuffle.

Why would she want to see her son arrested?

Cedarford said...

FedkaTheConvict said...
For those of you criticizing Althouse...to me she's saying that if she pressed charges against the guy, her son would have been arrested too since they were borh involved in the scuffle.

Why would she want to see her son arrested?

==================
Have to admit it would have made for an incredibly juicy local and perhaps national story about a son arrested by dumb cops for stopping a registered sex offender from laying his mitts on said son's momma

Hoosier Daddy said...

"...For those of you criticizing Althouse...to me she's saying that if she pressed charges against the guy, her son would have been arrested too since they were borh involved in the scuffle..."

Well no. Not if the cops did their job properly. It's not difficult to determine who the aggressor is and they don't arrest you and haul you down to the station to sort it out.

If liberals just didn't behave like complete dicks 99.9% of the time, the world .

Steve Koch said...

Major props to Althouse and son. Not pressing charges was a good decision by Althouse because it protected her son from spurious assault charges. I've been charged with assault a couple of times (never convicted) and it is a pain in the ass to deal with.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Liberals are a frustrated bunch these days.. and its only going to get worse for them.

Chennaul said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
chickelit said...

FedkaTheConvict said...
Why would she want to see her son arrested?

What were you convicted of Fedka?

Chennaul said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Please, be careful out there professor.

Saint Croix said...

Ann, glad you're all right.

The police took down our statements, and I said I didn't want the man arrested, actually.

Because you didn't think it was a crime? Or because you think letting him get away with it will diffuse the situation?

It's an attempt to censor you. I think it's likely that guy knew who you were, and was trying to silence you. By force.

Cedarford said...

I should add that I don't really know if Kirby is a registered sex offender or not - or if he is what sort of sex assault he was involved in.
Smooth skinned little boys?
A tempting adolescent boy, making him a pederast, not a pedophile?
A woman?
An underaged girl he tapped?

BTW - One of the most cunning things the "gay mafia" ever did was disassociate gay priests tapping mostly willing teen boys from gays and their tradition of pederasty - by terming them "pedophile priests". Then explaining that pedophilia was a condition having NOTHING to do with homosexuality in who the kiddie Kuddler chose to tap.
Hollywood and the liberal media played the spin beautifully. Even more impressive when it was a time where gay Catholic priests in Ireland, USA, and Haiti were dropping like flies from AIDs.

FedkaTheConvict said...

<+>>What were you convicted of Fedka?<<

For reading Dostoyevsky.

Ashera said...

HOLY SHIT. The world's scariest search engine indeed!

They got some stuff wrong about me, but they do have the right address and picture of my property. Man, I need to find the opt-out of this.

LordSomber said...

If he was manhandling you, wouldn't pepper spray be within your legal rights?

Chennaul said...

I'm going to delete my last comment hopefully you saw it and can put that in your decision making process.

If the guy was around 22, no problem if he's around 53...you might want to think on that.

cubanbob said...

Adding to C4's last comment it would have been delightfull for Ann as a lawyer to defend her son if that were to ocuur and the subsequent lawsuit against the Madison PD.

Too bad the governor didn't go for broke and kill the police and fireman's unions as well and topped it off with a state right to work act. Maybe if the republicans get lucky next week they should go for broke and ban civil service unions outright in WI. It isn't like the unions are doing the taxpayers a favor with their money.

Phil 314 said...

The police told Chris that by intervening to stop a man from grabbing and hitting me that he (Chris) risked arrest for disorderly conduct, that he'd be well advised to retreat. Retreat while someone is attacking your mother?!

After all that has happened in and around the capitol I'm REALLY interested in what this police WOULD call "disorderly conduct"

(PS If this Capitol policemen is an example of the Capitol police in general then I can safely assume he fully understands the meaning of "retreat".)

David said...

"Here's a related question for lawyers: isn't spitting on someone legally a form of assault? This seems to be worse, since spitting doesn't damage hearing."

Spitting on someone is battery, not assault. Whether a deliberate infliction of a loud noise is battery is an interesting question. Last time I really worried about the law of battery was for the bar exam, but if the sound could inflict physical injury I'm pretty sure it would be.

The Althouse decision not to seek an arrest seems perfectly defensible to me. What obligation does she have to endure the expense and inconvenience? Anyway, the cops do not need her say so to make an arrest.

Chennaul said...

Eh, you should see this other search engine...

There is no getting off the grid.

hoop said...

The world's scariest search engine has messed up data on me, too. (That includes my gender, which makes my marriage look really awkward in my particular state of residence.)

Opt-out? Check.

Kevin said...

"HOLY SHIT. The world's scariest search engine indeed!"

They have my house right, but they also think that I'm a Democrat.

edutcher said...

Not entirely germaine, but...

Don't these idiots realize picking on a 60 year old grandmother with a global audience is the dumbest thing they could be doing?

Phil 314 said...

Run Away

FedkaTheConvict said...

If you think Spokeo is scary then check out Pipl

Dr Weevil said...

Saint Croix:
I think you meant to ask whether Althouse didn't press charges because she thought letting the bastard get away with it would defuse (remove the fuse or firing-pin from) the situation - not "diffuse" it (spread it all around).

Of course, putting a film of the guy's face and actions all over the "world-wide" web will "diffuse" the situation very effectively.

wv: nolet - Latin for "he/she/it will refuse". I wonder which character in the story it refers to.

Valentine Smith said...

Congrats to your son for exercising restraint (I guess). To engage in violence on your behalf would have taken this to a whole 'nother level.

Of course, If anyone put their hands on my mother, regardless of the actual danger, well you know. Restraint ain't my strong suit.

chickelit said...

edutcher wrote Don't these idiots realize picking on a 60 year old grandmother with a global audience is the dumbest thing they could be doing?

The grandmother part is news to me.

Saint Croix said...

Major props to Althouse and son. Not pressing charges was a good decision by Althouse because it protected her son from spurious assault charges.

What happens a lot with a misdemeanor is that if you go to a magistrate and swear out a complaint, the defendant will also go to the magistrate and swear out a complaint against you. The hope is that cross-complaints will make both charges disappear.

As a tactic, it doesn't really work if somebody got the crime on film.

If the cops saw the attack, I think they should have arrested the guy. It definitely sounds like an assault to me.

But if they didn't see it, it's up to the victim to press charges. And a lot of victims just let stuff like this go.

garage mahal said...

Actually we don't even need to see the video, it's been all recreated here better than any real version could have.

What you need to know:

A violent sexual predator from the East side [figures!] viciously assaulted Ann Althouse. A Mother!

Synova said...

Holy... crap. It's got a picture of my house and my street address.

At least four of the people with my name are *me* so the way to hide oneself in our future of ubiquitous revelation may be to multiply the records instead of attempt to eliminate them.

Oh, and whoever decided what our house is worth is on crack.

traditionalguy said...

I bet your son also choked the wrist of the innocent singer.

After 12 months of special investigator delay and many stories about this horrible crime, the charges may or may not be made.

Meantime you are restricted to the Enemy of the People coffee house.

chickelit said...

@garage mahal: This is a court of public opinion, not a court of Law. But insofar as you have appointed yourself public defender, what do you say on behalf of your "client"?

(remember to separate facts from issues to be decided).

Palladian said...

The "world's scariest search engine" accurately shows where I live..d 15 years ago!

Trooper York said...

garage mahal said...
Actually we don't even need to see the video, it's been all recreated here better than any real version could have"


Jeeez garage. Aren't you happy that the Packers got to fluff the Jug Eared Jesus!

Why are you picking on the blogger lady? Hasn't she suffered enough?

FedkaTheConvict said...

So where was Dirty Hippie when all this was going down?

Unknown said...

Trooper, yes, I was going to say "just like not so jolly old England."

Enforcing the law to those who give their consent: an invitation to barbarism.

Darleen said...

I hate that kind of off the cuff cop bovine excrement. It's done to scare the civilians into NOT asking for a police report.

Lazy union #@%!!##%.

Tell me, Ann, you got him saying that on camera, right? With his name and badge number?

Cuz I'd be reporting him to his Captain and asking for a written apology.

Trooper York said...

In all seriousness, Chris Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo Althouse Cohen
is a good son and a hell of a man.

You did good kid and all the Althouse community has your back.

William said...

Photographing the diurnal activities of Kirby Jones is similar in risk to feeding peanut butter to bears. Such creatures are unpredictable and irritable, especially during the rutting or protest season.....My first response was to say that you had buried the lede in that the cop seemed to act in a far more annoying way than Kirby Jones. But perhaps the charitable explanation is that the cop simply did not wish to be involved in a kerfuffle. Street wise people like Kirby Jones know enough to file counter assault charges, and it would all come to nothing in the end......In any event I'm glad you survived your encounter and recommend long distance lens in the future. Perhaps if you played a Joan Baez song while taking photos, it would soothe them, or maybe wore a tie died t shirt for camoflage while taking close ups.

Lincolntf said...

No one's declaring judgment, we're all speculating as to the severity, circumstances, identities, etc. involved. But one way or another, I have a feeling that we are going to get an up close and personal look at the quality of the people who make up the Madison protesters.

garage mahal said...

But insofar as you have appointed yourself public defender, what do you say on behalf of your "client"?

Who knows. I'm hearing a different version on Twitter, so an unedited tape would certainly clear it up no?

viator said...

AlamarAssoc

Does he look like this guy by any chance?

http://www.alamarcuba.com/images/Photo_2000_3.jpg

Joseph of FP said...

This is an example of why you should use the little hand strap that comes with most cameras… it becomes more difficult for goobers to steal.

I hadn’t yet bothered to attach the strap for my camera, but I think I will now.

Mary Beth said...

Did the police come over because they saw what was happening or did someone call them?

As for the singer/attacker, I do not understand why people who seek attention get upset when they get it. Or maybe he was upset because he wasn't being videoed.

Dr Weevil said...

I notice garage mohel doesn't give any direct quotations, or (even better) a URL so the rest of us could see what he's seeing on Twitter. Afraid we'll see just how mouth-frothingly insane some of the people (verbally) attacking Althouse are? Any death wishes or threats in the tweets? Inquiring minds want to know.

Trooper York said...

"Who knows. I'm hearing a different version on Twitter, so an unedited tape would certainly clear it up no?"

So some liberal douchenozzles types deserve the benefit of the doubt over the evil blogger lady?

Show a little team spirit there buddy.

You Packer fans are all fair weather fans. I don't care how cold it gets on the frozen tuna or whatever you call that dump.

Michael said...

I am in the UK at the moment and until the riots the sentiment was that you had best not protect yoursef, much better to retreat and leave the matter to the police. Well. They have seen the police not at work and even the lefties here are considering the efficacy of surrender and flight. Good for the Professor's son to step in and the cop should be told to fuck off. If they are useless then they should step aside.

Ann Althouse said...

"Does he look like this guy by any chance?"

No. Video soon, I hope.

KCFleming said...

Madison cops worse than useless?

Man, whoda guessed that?

caplight said...

I was there with Ann, Meade & Chris. The two men were extremely provocative. The Professor's restraint was remarkable. Everything Jones says is BS. I had him a foot from my face yelling at me because I spoke with Ann & Meade. Followed me if I walked away still yelling epithets at me for the benefit of the crowd.

edutcher said...

chickenlittle said...

edutcher wrote Don't these idiots realize picking on a 60 year old grandmother with a global audience is the dumbest thing they could be doing?

The grandmother part is news to me.


Thought she visited the grandchildren in Buffalo soon after she created Meadhouse.

If wrong, I will happily stand corrected.

Nomadic100 said...

I'm disappointed that Ann asked that her assailant not be arrested. It is a missed opportunity to teach a lesson - and Ann is a professor - as well as to lay down a marker as to what is tolerable.

While it is true that a charge of "disorderly conduct" can be lodged almost whimsically, it is hard to believe that a cop would have arrested Ann's son, unless he were willing to sabotage his career.

Valentine Smith said...

This cat K Jones is gonna shit when he finds out a picture of his house is on the internet.

Not to mention his record as a sex offender.

Mary Beth said...

I was there with Ann, Meade & Chris. The two men were extremely provocative. The Professor's restraint was remarkable. Everything Jones says is BS. I had him a foot from my face yelling at me because I spoke with Ann & Meade. Followed me if I walked away still yelling epithets at me for the benefit of the crowd.

This guy sounds like he has mental health issues.

traditionalguy said...

Even a nice dog will snap at its owner when a painful wound is touched.

It seems that the Unionistas of Madison feel seriously wounded by the series of terrible losses at every turn.

And they blame the Blogger Lady for 6 months of videos of their inane demonstrations.

Herman mentioned that it is never easy when so much is on the line.

Chennaul said...

garage

If that guy on twitter says he has video-why doesn't he post it?

Lyle said...

This is awful. Shame on the dude.

Meade said...

@caplight, good seeing you.

Now no commenting while driving and Godspeed, dude.

chickelit said...

According to the singer, Kirby Jones,

Singer & activist...gotta love it!

_____________
wv = ovestin

Carol_Herman said...

Lying caught on video ... is a pretty stupid mistake.

Next, you're a lawyer. So the law is not exactly beyond your grasp, here, either.

As to the Rotunda ... no matter how the "singers" make this spin ... they're not hired by the Rotunda to sing.

And, they're not allowed to hit anyone! And, then lie about it.

Plus, no one there recognized your son.

Which means you weren't alone. Where this would have given the "grabbing son-of-a-bitch" a weight advantage!

Given you have his name ...

And, given I'm not a lawyer, either! I would go hire Ken Thompson. And, I'd start wearing a neck brace. And, I'd add a cane.

Civil Court ... ain't civil!

It's where the money IS!

And, not only do you have this on video tape! You've got a blog. And, a friendship with Glenn Reynolds ... who is a lawyer in Tennessee.

And, exactly what's the union got? Red balloons and off-key singers.

I'm rooting you can turn Mr. Kirby into a deer caught in the headlights!

(My son knows Wing Chun. He'd have been in his element.)

Oh. And, I'd like it if the next time Mr. Kirby joins the chorus, he's their soprano. Not even alto.

Anonymous said...

First time commenter here. (I've hesitated in the past because my LJ handle here happens to be similar to long-time commenter Pogo, and he ain't me.)

Even though Ann indicated that she did not want her assailant arrested, I hope that the police investigate the matter anyway, with input from Ann and others. If the video and other evidence show a clear battery, I hope the assailant will be arrested even though Ann initially said she didn't want that.

If he "did it," arrest and prosecute him. It is precisely the pacifism (as to pressing charges) of good folks like Ann, that turds like this take advantage of. It emboldens them for further and worse batteries in the future. "I can do this in broad daylight, on camera even, and get away with it." I hope he doesn't.

I eagerly await the video.

garage mahal said...

madawaskan!
Are you spying on me on Twitter!?

Not sure why he hasn't posted the video.

Big Mike said...

As for the singer/attacker, I do not understand why people who seek attention get upset when they get it.

@MaryBeth, absent the gentleman (and I use the term ironically) submitting to a full psychiatric interview, one can only surmise. However the following supposition fits the available facts:

(1) Liberals have a firm belief in the rightness, if not out-and-out holiness of their cause(s).

(2) Therefore liberals dislike it when they are held up to ridicule. Note, however that this does not stop any of them from doing ridiculous things.

(3) The Professor takes videos of liberals doing ridiculous things and posts them on a popular blog where hundreds of people can see those ridiculous things and snark on said liberals.

Therefore

(4) Liberals get thoroughly angry at the Professor.

Or, short form

(5) They wanted to shoot the messenger, but Chris wouldn't let them.

Trooper York said...

garage mahal said...
Just heard on Twitter Althouse, Meade, and some Kansas preacher with them them got into some sort of confrontation at the Capitol. LOL"

Reposted from another thread.

What does some Kansas preacher mean?

Is that some kind of code word or something.

I confess I missed something here.

Please elucidate garage.

Carol_Herman said...

Okay. Let's say it's Madison. And, you're dealing with thugs who think the only violence they know is the violence they bring to the scene.

In a day where cameras are ubiquitous. And, you'd need water cannons brought in to ruin the ubiquitous cameras ... (Which, according to Prime Minister Cameron take 24-hours notice.)

We're still watching a country with a STRONG Second Amendment. And, where only fools walk in ...

To start a fight.

As a matter of fact, I'm reminded of Tubbs handing out permits so you could park your tent on the ground; overnight.

Overhead, meanwhile, eggs flew off balconies. Must'a been birds ...

Must'a surprised those in the tents.

While the lobby doors were locked. Because when the police responded ... they couldn't just walk into the lobby. Private property. The tenants locked the front doors.

Of course, the cops could'a stood by those doors waving their badges.

Maybe, one of them was Sgt. Friday?

Maybe, the pizza guy had to punch a code to get in?

Maybe, it's just nuts to come into any neighborhood set to make trouble?

I don't know.

But posting videos, here?

Could go viral!

Call Ken Thompson! He's my favorite lawyer in America!

Glad ya didn't get hurt.

Don't get intimidated? Bullies are known to crap in their pants. When they're not smart enough to high tail it and run away.

Chennaul said...

No-I hack twitter hard to explain-I refuse to join.

If I find out the "minister" is Cedarford...might have to believe the kid.

MadisonMan said...

The grandmother is news to me too. Unless Meade is a grandfather, and she married into the title :)

I think althouse would be a very cool grandma. I learned tons from mine: How to play canasta, for example. She died way too early.

garage mahal said...

What does some Kansas preacher mean?

Why don't you ask Althouse? Maybe Sofa King could run a search on him on CCAP. Or, maybe Triangle Man and Madison Man could speculate with some internet searches. It would be highly irresponsibnle not to!

Lincolntf said...

If GM says it happened one way, we can be sure the opposite is true. The man has a very solid track record in that regard.

Chennaul said...

garage

It's weird after I made that comment I see that you were 3 hours ahead of me -with the very same question....

tell him crappy is better than nothin".

It could be like Rashomon -ish.

Carol_Herman said...

Lessons from London. (And, yes, I read it.)

Next time, should there be a next time, the Turkish and Sihk store owners (who have religious swords handy). Will slice and dice.

In the past this would have meant a call to the police.

No more. Scoundrel will be left to bleed to death. NO ONE NEEDS POLICE TO SHOW UP TO TAKE REPORTS!

The article said the police will get fewer phone calls.

Not having them on the streets will be considered a bonus.

Same could happen to Tubbs.

If the "capitol police" aren't trained to protect civilians ... and keep things "civil" ... then they're really not needed. And, they're not needed in large numbers.

Instead? A night watchman with a dog.

KCFleming said...

The Solidarity Singers are too busy singing AND putting people down.

Hey hey, they're the Lefties.

The Dude said...

The new civility!

Lincolntf said...

Film at 11? Maybe at 10 if I beg? There's a horse that's going to be extremely disgruntled if I oversleep tomorrow morning. Those beet greens aren't gonna soak themselves.

Anonymous said...

What I don't understand -- as I have said here many times -- is why do people try to prevent filming when, clearly, the people who are being filmed want to be seen? The thing being filmed is being done precisely so that others may see it and, presumably, be affected by it as the performer intends.

I mean, if a loony leftist does performance art in the forest and nobody is around to see it or record it, what's the point?

chickelit said...

Carol_Herman suggested: Instead? A night watchman with a dog.

A Madison Capitol policeman/night watchman who spins a story about conversations he has with statues "come-to-life" after hours could be quite interesting. All of the famous and infamous former Wisconsin politicians of yore could step forward in time and tell us their opinions of the significance of modern events in both Wisconsin and national politics. I'm talking an updated oration from Robert "Fighting Bob" LaFollette on the true meaning of being a “Progressive”; a soliloquy or two from Joe McCarthy on what a real political “witch hunt” means (hint: not going after Sarah Palin, Michele Bachmann); and Bill Proxmire could appear and chastise modern Democrats regarding deficit spending.

Now who should play the role of the intrepid night watchman: surely not Ben Stiller. It should be an amateur actor…an unknown…like garage mahal.

Trooper York said...

That was a legitimate question Garage.

I don't see why you won't answer a simple question.

FedkaTheConvict said...

Presumably Caplight is the preacher since he posted earlier that he was there with Althouse and others; then Meade responded telling him not to post and drive.

But what does one's vocation have to do with this incident?

Trooper York said...

That's what I don't get. If you are a preacher there is something wrong with you? What's that all about?

I mean I know you might hate his son but whats up with the preacher?

Jose_K said...

So Prosser is guilty of chocking but when a conservative is the victim they dont care

garage mahal said...

Trooper
I heard the preacher was from Kansas from someone that was allegedly present.

chickelit said...

Trooper said: That was a legitimate question Garage.

I don't see why you won't answer a simple question.


Probably because it's embarassing to garage.
"Preacher" is an interesting term: spoken by a member of a congregation, it has no more or less meaning than priest. It's a little more colloquial than "reverend" or "father." But spoken by someone like garage, or more generally a modern enlightened doofus, it is a thoroughly contemptuous term, meant to evoke at best a rural man of the cloth or at worst, to liken him to Fred Phelps.

I may be overstaing things, but that's the gist of it.

garage mahal said...

c-little
I think you should go lay down for a while or something. SOunds like you need it.

Palladian said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Palladian said...

Where I live, all the street "preachers" are black or Puerto Rican. Maybe Garage's comrades were just alarmed because they saw a colored person in Madison.

FedkaTheConvict said...

@chickenlittle: I think you nailed it. Note Althouse's description in comparison to garage mahal... "He's yelling at a man who is a Christian minister, but was never given much of a chance to say anything"

Anonymous said...

This wouldn't happen to Roesch Voltaire. He has actual black people living on his very block, which makes him feel extra special.

When he sees those black people at the fair trade coffee shop and they exchange leftist platitudes and talk about how teaching undergrads is drudgery these days -- well, that just makes him feel tingly inside.

Julie said...

The guy on twitter is @joevittie

He was live tweeting the altercation. Considering I know the Preacher, this guy on twitter is freaking nuts to think he is violent in any way, shape or form.

Trooper York said...

Oh I see. A Christian minister was there and this Dickguy was screaming in his face.

I guess that “Christian minister” is a pejorative term in Madison.

Thank God he wasn’t an Imam or something. Then it would have been a hate crime. Or something.

Since he was only a Christian minister I guess he deserves whatever he got.

garage mahal said...

Oh my GOD Julie!

You said Preacher!

Trooper York said...

I thought that Martin Luther King guy was a Christian Minister or something like that there.

Help me out Crack. Wat that true?

I ain't much on sixties history beyond what Barbara Eden, Joey Heatherton or Angie Dickinson was wearing.

Meade said...

garage,
There you are. How's our friendly bet going?

chickelit said...

garage mahal said...
c-little
I think you should go lay down for a while or something. SOunds like you need it.


I wouldn't do it if I didn't care, garage, but I'll take a break from it now.
______________
wv = "halscion" noun arch. 18th c. the heir or decendant of the salt of the earth. From hal (Gk =salt) + scion (offshoot or twig).

Trooper York said...

I think it is all in the way you say it. Like it's a bad thing.

I will give you an example.

In this weeks episode of the "Jersey Shore" the Situation picks up this blond college age chick and takes her back to the Smush room and feeds her the bracoli. After they are done he walks her through the house to a cab. It was slam bam thank you maam and the other roommates where still stuffing their faces to ward off a hangover in the kitchen. As she is walking out the door Snookie screams "See you later whore!!!!"

She said that like it was a bad thing.

See what I mean.

You are just like Snookie.

DADvocate said...

They choose a public place to sing their songs and perform their protest, but don't want to be filmed. Strange. That a couple violently attack someone filming it is stranger.

Maybe they should find a cave or basement somewhere to hold their protests. Until then, they better be glad it wasn't me and my 295 lb football player son, case there wudda been some serious ass kicking. Although, I guarantee you the pussy that attacked a woman wouldn't dare attack me or my son. (Obviously, my son's genetics didn't just appear out of the ether.)

I'm Full of Soup said...

DAD- that really is the only way left to teach losers like them.

traditionalguy said...

Trooper...Madison is a proudly atheist enclave of the best educated folks in a 300 mile radius.

This crowd wants to surround the Capitol that symbolizes to them the rule by faith traditions which Walker represents to them, and is seeking to expel him and Christians from what they claim to be their territory.

The Professor was not only "on the wrong side," she was associated with a Christian preacher's presence at that moment, and the leader's true colors emerged.

Clyde said...

If it was up to me, possession of a vuvuzela would be a capital offense. Seriously, anyone who has one of those things is a flagrant asshole.

Martin L. Shoemaker said...

traditionalguy said...

Trooper...Madison is a proudly atheist enclave of the best educated folks in a 300 mile radius.

Never confuse most educated with best educated. Many people with advanced degrees never actually learned a whole lot.

Jason (the commenter) said...

A woman is violently attacked and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel blames the victim.

purplepenquin said...

Hateful little idiots, every one of them.

All of them ganged up and attacked Ann?!!?

*rolls eyes*

Known Unknown said...

You can completely opt-out of Spokeo. I've removed myself from 4 addresses and I think all of my email accounts.

Curious George said...

"purplepenquin said...
Hateful little idiots, every one of them.

All of them ganged up and attacked Ann?!!?

*rolls eyes*"

All your "is anyone but me worried about the violence" post here regarding others comments here, and an actual assault occurs and you poo-poo it. Fuck you Penquin, you hypocritical piece of shit. You post bullshit, or outright lies, take the theoretical high road, but in the end are just a lying piece of shit.

David R. Graham said...

"Watch your back, Althouse."

!!!

Meade's camera was not on you before/during the attack! Your son's eye was.

Shouting Thomas said...

So, Althouse, your personal experience seems to be leading toward a review of Ann Coulter's new book, "Demonic."

I read the first chapter. Two themes:

1. The left's love of mob action
2. The left's love of mindless sloganeering

When are you going to review the book and relate it to Madison?

Writ Small said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Orion said...

Your son deserves credit for restraint and proper levels of force.

Had it been me, that man would have, at the very, very least, a broken arm and very likely severe joint damage. Assaulting women - What a charming demonstration of Leftism in action.

Orion

purplepenquin said...

Sounds like George needs a hug.

I wasn't dismissing the shoving match our host got into. Rather, I just find it amazing how so many people are willing to judge an entire group of folks on the actions of one or three kooks.

Based on that "logic", should everyone who is against organized labor be judged by the racist and violent rants coming from a select few of the commentators?

Michael said...

Its simple. If a preacher is at a polittical event its mixing religion and politics/church and state right? Which is illegsl or wrong?

And if the yelling man has "mental issues" wouldnt it be great if he were in an "insane asylum" instead of "Madison."

Kirk Parker said...

Michael,

The yelling man *is* in an insane asylum.

Russell said...

I'm sure this was already stated, but is this just another sign of the problem with this whole newspaper medium? Why he said, she denies routine. At least state that review of the video was inconclusive.

DEEBEE said...

To call these two clowns singers is to disrespect the memory of Millie-Vanilli