Barney Frank Won’t Walk Back ‘Very Harsh’ Language On Gay Republicans

[babylonsister]

Barney Frank Won’t Walk Back ‘Very Harsh’ Language On Gay Republicans
Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA)Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA)
Evan McMorris-Santoro September 11, 2012, 4:45 PM 8777


Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) has taken a lot of flak for his comment during a meeting at last week’s Democratic National Convention likening gay Republican groups like the Log Cabin Republicans and GOProud to “Uncle Tom.”

On Tuesday, Frank sent an extremely long missive to critics of his phrasing. Comparing gay Republicans to Uncle Tom was “admittedly very harsh criticism,” Frank said in statement. But, Frank said, he meant it.

“Some have complained that in comparing the Log Cabin Republicans to Uncle Tom, I was ignoring the fact that they are nice,” Frank said. “I accept the fact that many of them are nice — so was Uncle Tom — but in both cases, they’ve been nice to the wrong people.”

snip//

But Frank stands by his initial assessment.

The argument Mr. Cooper and the others in the Log Cabin Republicans have put forward in their defense is that they have succeeded in getting the Republicans to reduce the extent to which they denounce us, and, in Mr. Cooper’s phrase, the fact that Paul Ryan is “willing to engage” with gay Republicans. That is where Uncle Tom comes to mind. They are urging people to vote for the anti-LGBT candidate over the most supportive LGBT candidate and platform imaginable because the “antis” are calling us fewer names and are willing to talk to some of us. It is this willingness to acquiesce in a subordinate status as long as the masters are kinder in tone, although in substance, that emulates Uncle Tom.

Here’s Frank’s full statement, along with addendum-@ link~

http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/09/barney-frank-uncle-tom-republicans-harsh.php

[Warpy]

1. Frank is retiring this year,

so refusing to retract the truth is no longer necessary for him.

Sing it loud, sing it strong, Barney!

[Tigress DEM]

11. So time to be "less" retiring until the deed is done.

He's really been the only Independent out there.

[silvershadow]

2. I'd have to say I agree. nt

[Bluenorthwest]

3. I agree with Barney and I think harsh language is called for, Log Cabin and Co are delusional

and selfish people.

[DonRedwood]

10. I agree too...

Colluding with the enemy, pure and simple. Their support of the republicans is like stabbing their gay brethren in the back.

You have to be a pretty messed up piece of ______ to do that, imo.

[RKP5637]

28. They suffer from the Stockholm Syndrome IMO. n/t

[AlbertCat]

31. They suffer from the Stockholm Syndrome IMO

Every log cabin repug I know is either
A) Rich
B) Not out to the family (which is conservative)
C) All of the above


So IMO, it's selfishness, avarice and cowardice.

[RKP5637]

35. They do such a disservice to themselves and to others. n/t

[surrealAmerican]

4. Well done, Barney Frank!

He's probably even read Uncle Tom's Cabin.

[jerseyjack]

7. I read Uncle Tom's Cabin.

Were he real, I would have had respect for him. Has anyone else on this board read the book?

[loyalsister]

14. Yes

Tom took beatings to protect his friends, and built a relationship with owners in the interest of helping a "slave community."
Log cabin republicans sell out the LGBT community for their own self interest.

[JDPriestly]

41. Read the book when I was very, very, very young.

It made a terrific impression on me at the time -- but that was pre-civil-rights movement, way pre-.

[bluesbassman]

5. "they have succeeded in getting the Republicans to reduce the extent to which they denounce us".

And that makes everything all right? Wow. I'm by no means an expert, but this seems to be classic co-dependence.

[babylonsister]

6. I met a woman today who told me she's voting republican...

she's a lifelong republican, is totally ignorant on all issues, but that's her reasoning. Could be the Log Cabin guys, too. There was no talking to her; she was too dumb to even absorb what I might say, doesn't watch news, nothing. At least the Log Cabin Republicans can't say that; denial maybe? I don't know, but am glad Barney called them out.

[progressivebydesign]

8. LC Republicans? It's greed. pure and simple.

They are of the antiquated mindset that voting republican is good for their wallet. Well, unless they're one of the 1% (the REAL 1%, not the people who make 100k and THINK they're the 1%,) they're voting against their interests. Most often it's the mistaken belief that voting republican is great for their portfolios, taxes, home value, etc. But they're completely WRONG.

[ToxMarz]

34. It's all about networking

Log Cabin Republicans I have known are not even particularly political. It is entirely about business networking. They are the people that belong to all the right clubs regardless of interest, go to all the grand openings, totally shallow brown nosers. It is just another box to check off on their branding/marketing profile. Never know when you will meet a great contact who is a staunch Republican, and still get in good with their Dem/Liberal contacts because after all they are still Gay and fabulous.

[yardwork]

18. It's not even accurate, probably. The Republican platform is worse than ever.

[Lucy Goosey]

9. Good for him!

Log Cabin Republicans have absolutely no right to get all butthurt over his comments.

I mean, they've "succeeded in getting the Republicans to reduce the extent to which they denounce us"?! Seriously? That's Stockholm Syndrome.

[ibegurpard]

12. the log cabin repukes have had nothing to do with mainstream acceptance of gays and lesbians

For one, Ellen has single-handedly done more for that in 20 years than all of their combined repuke ass-kissing in the same time period.

[Politicub]

17. +1 - the GOP is laughing at the idiocy of the log cabiners

[jtuck004]

13. LaBoetie wrote "The tyrant, indeed, has nothing more than

the power that you confer upon him to destroy you. Where has he acquired enough eyes to spy upon you, if you do not provide them yourselves? How can he have so many arms to beat you with, if he does not borrow them from you? The feet that trample down your cities, where does he get them if they are not your own? How does he have any power over you except through you? How would he dare assail you if he had not cooperation from you?"

You go Barney.

[porphyrian]

15. . n/t

[Politicub]

16. Gay republicans repulse me

Except for pure greed and self-loathing, I don't understand how any GLBT person can support the GOP.

[YOHABLO]

20. Because They're Greedy and Don't want to Pay Taxes.

[Heather MC]

19. So the Gay Republican stance is "be nice to the master he won't hit as hard"

Delusional indeed

[Cha]

21. Thank you, Barney Frank!

People who vote against their best interests Really are like Chickens voting for Colonel Sanders!

[Auntie Bush]

22. It's beyond comprehension that any Gay or Lesbian could ever vote Republican!

Talk about voting against your own interests!!! But, I guess a lot of uneducated ReThugs do that regularly all across the country.

[Hells Liberal]

23. I really hate calling anyone an "Uncle Tom".

Uncle Tom was a heroic figure in Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin."

The use of "Uncle Tom" as a perjorative comes from white, racist minstrel shows, done in blackface, to lampoon black people and anything that might humanize them.

I share Barney Frank's frustration with gay repubs. I have a friend and sometime business associate who is a lesbian with one foot in the closet as she works for pro-business/anti-regulation repubs. Her sexuality is kind of an open secret with the people she works with.

She's a good friend and I love her, but her association with the repub party just does not compute with me.

[rurallib]

24. I hope MSNBC or Current hires Barney

I hope he's around somewhere where he can let rip on those that need it.

[defacto7]

25. They'll be used till they're needed no more....

Then the repugs will flick them off like a fly on an elephant's ass.

[heaven05]

26. yep

you go big guy!

[Tom Ripley]

27. I stand beside Barney Frank

[GodlessBiker]

29. Barney is so correct here.

[geckosfeet]

30. Barney, you old rascal you.

Got to love him.

[Swede Atlanta]

32. The Log Cabin Republicans are.....

GOP apologists. They are, or aspire to be 1%-ers that like to have sex with others of the same sex. That's it.

So they apologize all over the place for their own party's treatment of them. What kind of sick behavior is this? I think it may be called co-dependency.

The GOP Log Cabiners are delusional that they can get the CURRENT GOP party to every view them with other than hatred unless of course they will contribute to, campaign for and vote for their bigoted anti-LGBT candidate.

[NYC Liberal]

33. Just look at their reaction to Obama's support for marriage equality

and you'll see their true colors. If they were sincere they'd have welcomed it. Instead, they attacked him.

[baldguy]

36. Gay Republican = Jewish Klansman

[Honeycombe8]

37. Don't you just love Barney Frank? He really IS frank. nt

[dickthegrouch]

38. Awwwwwwww. Did Barney wuffle a few feathers?

Good.
Maybe it's time the people hurt by his remarks looked at the amount of hurt their stance is causing the rest of us.
Denounce the GOP, denounce Mittens, Denounce LCR, all completely useless to anyone who is merely surviving.

Keep it up Mr Frank.

[kestrel91316]

39. NEVER apologize to repukes. Ever. They'll shank you the minute you

turn your back.

[JRLeft]

40. He is 100% correct. I standby his statement.

[closeupready]

43. Barney is absolutely correct, as ever.

K&R

[hifiguy]

44. Why should he? Barney's retiring and he's always

been one to tell it like it is. He's speaking nothing but the truth.