SOUNDBITES — “The only thing they’re going to be putting pressure on is the grass.” — Rep. Barney Frank, who called the National Equality March “a waste of time at best” and, otherwise, “an emotional release.”
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Orpheus_lost
Frank is just another member of Congress who long ago forgot that “the little folk” still have emotions. We need our leaders to see us as people, not statistical numbers. It’d be far better to have a straight legislator who understands this than a gay one who doesn’t.
YellowRanger
I might disagree if congress and the president were going to be in town tomorrow…
But since the grass is going to be the only living thing in the area, this is actually true.
Kris
Well after tonight’s speech at the HRC fundraiser, I believe that’s all they will be putting pressure on. Everytime President Obama opens his mouth, the same ol “Pop Goes the Weasel” song keeps playing over and over.
InExile
#2 Congress is in town! Look at all the media coverage, that alone is a big accomplishment! If we are not in the media, we do not exist.
spindoc
Message to Barney…Hey, idiot, we KNOW that you have been told by the administration that your job is to keep the gays quiet and in line, well tough S**T.
Barney Frank’s Priorities.
1. Getting a shot at being speaker of the house
2. Getting a high power appointment in the Obama Administration
3. Fundraising
4. Reelection
5. Being accepted by his buddies on Capital Hill
6. Getting his favorite Lobbyists a good table at the Monocle for Lunch.
7. Getting an asile seat on the flight to Boston
8. Watching “High School Musical” on TV.
9. Finding out if Mark Foley has Zak Effron’s Phone number
Where are gays on the list? THey AREN’T!! HE doesn’t care, why should he? He is a U.S. Congressman, he doesn’t get any crap for being gay, and he never wanted to be out anyway, he is a typical self hating gay who would have still be in in the closet if his ex boyfriend hadn’t been busted for running a prostitution ring out of his office.
End of story, Barney Frank doesn’t care about gays unless he can use us to improve his own position.
adamblast
Barney Frank: Our most tireless and courageous defender of gay rights inaction.
OK, make that third most tireless and courageous, behind Barack and go-slow-Joe.
Michael in Maine
Fifteen years ago I read an editorial by Candace Chellew titled “The naked truth” in the September 6, 1994 issue of The Advocate. It captured my feelings well enough for me to have kept the issue all this time. Here is an excerpt that I will never forget:
“The gay community’s use of demonstrations as an attempt to change America’s view of us is sort of like showing up to play a baseball game and (instead of suiting up and getting on the field) painting some signs, wearing funny cloths, building floats, and marching around the field demanding that the other side let us win or at least cough up some unearned points. This strategy is unrealistic. To win the game you must play the game.”
The National Equality March is this afternoon. I don’t know how it’s going to go or what it will change. I do know that I live in Maine and what I think would be a better use of people’s energy would be to come to Maine and help the “No on 1” campaign. To win the game you must play the game.
Lulu
He’s right. The only time our lawmakers in Congress or the Senate care about their gay constituents is when they need money or votes. NEM won’t change a thing.
terrwill
I am copying a post I made on another current thread (cause its Sunday and I don’t feel like typing a whole lot…….)
I wish the majority the members of our community would take my posiiton as in post #18. We are never going to change the minds (or lack of one) in the majority of the over 45 population in regards to our rights. The likes of Barney Frank while he should be commended for all that he has done are set in their ways. The march on Washington today had a huge percentage of younger people than ever before. The vast majority of teens and twentysomes both Gay and Straight think being Gay is really no big deal. Read the posts of PopSnap who is a frequent poster here, he is a younger Gay (from his posts I assume in his teens) and his posts make a lot of sense and show that there is indeed a better future for the Gays…………
Barney and his generation viewed the Gays in a very different light. Barney grew up closeted and he had to do so to get elected and stay in office for most of his career. We as a community basically have to wait for the older generation to die off (in the case of rightwing-nutbags, fuck off and die). Portraying the Gays as the boogeyman has paid off in spades for them scaring the bejezus out of the blue-haired old laidies and Elmer on the farm has worked wonders for them. The younger generation thinks being Gay is no biggie. Even some of the evangilical churches are beginnnig to branch out into different causes which actually will benefit their members rather than scapegoating those who have different beliefs than them. That’s why I advocate our simply getting every right that straight couples currently recieve via civil unions. Let them have the freaking word “marriage” as previousley stated every Gay commitment ceremony I attended has been more heartfelt, inspiring and joyous than any cookie cutter marriage in a church or temple. Its just a word let them have it. If it really sticks in your craw wait a few years after we have equality and then try and head down that road………………
Eric
Hope Lady Gaga’s retort to Barney Frank at the rally makes it to YouTube soon!
Old Timer
That’s why I advocate our simply getting every right that straight couples currently recieve via civil unions.
If that’s what you “advocate,” then instead of spending your time with the empty Equality march, how about getting your ass out to WA State and helping with the Yes on R-71 campaign, which is all about civil unions that have everything marriage has except the word?
terrwill
OLDTIMER: Sorry Dorothy we all can’t click our heels to pop across the country to “get our asses to WA”……..However our cash can can get there to achive the same result (which I have done) is that ok? ;-P
ps: how are you able to change the font and italicize text on these posts??
terrwill
post
Old Timer
Terrwill, you were able to get to Washington, D.C., though. If you could get there, then you could at least get to Maine. But there’s no drama in Maine. You couldn’t make speeches in front of the nation’s Capitol! No matter that the building was empty, because it wasn’t about the reality. It was about the dramatic illusion, and making yourselves feel “empowered.”
You know, all of that plus a couple bucks will get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks. Next time, try actually DOING something.
plaid
for once, i agree with barney frank.
JJ
I love Barney Frank. The guy cracks me up…
WiseUp
LOL at Spindoc. You said it all. But don’t forget Barney Frank’s other priority is remembering to perfect his usual “bluh bluh bluh bluh..” to anyone who criticizes him, and he actually thinks it obscures the facts.
GeoffM
For the life of me I don’t understand Barney. I think everyone knows this isn’t really pressuring Congress, but it is incredibly even vitally important, and if he had been there today, he would fully understand why and how important this march is to our community.
I met so many young queerlings this weekend who are intelligent and now even more fired up to lobby on behalf of their civil rights….that is the hope of our future.
Frank should reexamine who he is, and what he’s in office for. He is an embarassment when he speaks against this type of thing.
Old Timer
What was “important” about 10,000-20,000 kids with nothing better to do on a nice day in October deciding to hang out on the Mall in D.C. and send twitters to each other about how great they feel?
Look, there’s real work to be done. Not that your crowd could give a shit about doing it.
GeoffM
Well Old Timer, there were more than 10-20 thou, I was there, in fact am still in DC til tomorrow.
And while you’re right about real work needing to be done instead of “feel good demonstrations”, they weren’t all kids, there were plenty of old queers in attendance! I had lunch yesterday with some older queers from ACT UP! and they came armed with their scrapbooks from the early 80s!
(And a big THANKS! for including me in the kids demo….although at 40 I’m considered either a dinosaur or daddy at this stage of the gay game!)
The Gay Numbers
Actually I would rather hope it was 20,000 younger participants than older ones. Movements are based on youth , not the old, since youth is what moves leadership forward. And, Old Timers claims bout numbers have been proven false by several sources at this point. So far all he has is his word.
ossurworld
After reading these posts, I’d say self-loathing is alive and well in the gay world. Boys in the Band has never been more relevant.
Old Timer
For some good pictures of the “massive event,” click here!
jarvisbearcub
The millions who marched against the war in Iraq didn’t “do” anything either. That’s not the point.
Swimmer - Chicago
Barney should get off his fat ass and march – even if he thinks it won’t do a damn thing – he certainly could benefit from the activity. The march got lots of media attention and that is a good thing. The full effect of the march won’t be felt until the dust settles – but I think it has done far more good than harm.
terrwill
Old Timer; If you read my post #9. I actually have contributed to many of the fights for the Gay equality in states besides my own. And it is the mindset of “Old Timers” that have left our community stagnent for years………..
dellania
Thank you member of congress, representative of the people for belittling your fellow American’s hopes for equality !
Your coterie of jesters (reporters) probably got a nice hearty laugh on that quip. When are you going to throw us another dog biscuit of wisdom old boy?