Barney Frank: Gay Rights March "A Waste Of Time At Best"

WASHINGTON — Rep. Barney Frank, an openly gay member of Congress, says he'd rather see gay rights supporters lobbying their elected officials than marching in Washington this weekend, calling the demonstration "a waste of time at best."

Frank said in an interview with The Associated Press that he considers such demonstrations to be "an emotional release" that does little to pressure Congress.

"The only thing they're going to be putting pressure on is the grass," the Massachusetts Democrat said Friday.

Thousands of gay men and women are expected to gather for Sunday's National Equality March.

Many gay rights advocates have criticized President Barack Obama for not moving faster to keep his campaign promises to extend gay rights, and Congress has also drawn flak for not doing more. Obama plans to speak Saturday at a dinner hosted by the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest gay rights group.

This weekend's activities in Washington probably won't have much impact with lawmakers, Frank said, because most of them are back in their states or districts for the Columbus Day holiday weekend.

Frank's comments underscore divisions in the gay community over the pace of progress on civil rights.

Obama's election, coupled with the Democratic control of the House and Senate, boosted hopes in the gay community for breakthroughs on sweeping measures to end discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.

March organizers have said they're no longer willing to quietly wait for Democratic office holders to make good on decades-old promises. They contend that lawmakers' actions should catch up to the growing acceptance of gay relationships.

Organizers say the march is only part of a broader effort that includes the kind of lobbying Frank is urging.

"We hear Congressman Frank when he says this is about getting back into your district and doing the work there," said Kip Williams, co-director of the march. But he said the march in Washington "is about building community and building a network who will go back and do that work."

But Frank, who in 1987 became the first member of Congress to voluntarily make his homosexuality public, said the real problem is gathering enough votes in the House and Senate to win passage of anti-discrimination legislation.

Gay rights advocates should borrow from the playbooks of the two most effective interest groups, the National Rifle Association and the AARP, said Frank.

"Call or write your representative or senator, and then have your friends call and write their representative or senator," Frank said. "That's what the NRA does. That's what the AARP does."

Congress is on the verge of making it a federal crime to assault people because of their sexual orientation. The hate crimes legislation was attached to a major defense bill approved by the House.

___

On the Net:

National Equality March: http://equalityacrossamerica.org/

Human Rights Campaign: http://www.hrc.org

Rep. Barney Frank: http://www.house.gov/frank/

Comments

[superstition]

12:08 AM on 10/16/2009

Barney needs a bigger dream than a cabinet post: http://www­.youtube.c­om/watch?v­=PbUtL_0vA­Jk

[Andy la rue]

03:34 PM on 10/15/2009

When you are in the position Frank is in, the 'meager' worries about LGBT rights that the everyperso­n needs to have, doesn't exist. It is all fine and well to be an establishe­d politician and not have to worry about it because you can simply pull strings to get what you need. But, for the rest of us, we DO need to worry and this march, which I proudly attended, was absolutely what the doctor ordered.

[Blurp]

10:30 PM on 10/13/2009

With friends like Barney Frank who needs enemies? I have supported Frank over the years, but this really tees me off. What could possible be his reasoning for dissing the grass roots on the eve of the National Equality March? Unconscion­able. Lobby our legislator­s huh Barney? Yeah, like we haven't been doing that! And a lot of us have legislator­s who you might as well be talking to a brick wall when it comes to gay rights. FU Barney.

[Bobmacheski]

12:46 PM on 10/12/2009

I had no idea he is gay

[jeff90125]

09:41 AM on 10/12/2009

I don't understand­. They want to make it a crime to assault a person because he/she is gay? It is already a crime to assault another person. Is a gay person not a "person"? That makes no sense.

Should it be more of a crime to assault someone because they are gay? If that is the case it would be less of crime to assault me because I prefer members of the opposite sex.

So, if you want to assault someone make sure they are straight.

What legislatio­n like that would do is to create a pecial protected class of citizen based upon their sexual preference­.

Equal Rights.... NOT.

[LintLass]

06:45 PM on 10/12/2009

See other threads. Hate crimes are acts of terror against whole communitie­s.

Including sexual orientatio­n protects people of *all* sexual orientatio­ns: including straight people. from crimes against people because of their sexual orientatio­n, presentati­on, or perceived orientatio­n.

It's not the fault of LBGT Americans that straight people aren't the ones who are put in fear by such hatred: they can take their safety in these matters for granted. But it doesn't mean gay people are to be treated better than straights. If someone is attacked and beaten by mobs and thugs for being straight, it would be a hate crime, too.

[jeff90125]

08:11 PM on 10/12/2009

So it's the motivation we are targeting. How does one determine the motive behind any sort of attack?

So the ones intend on assaulting gay people should make sure they rob them as well.

Makes perfect sense.

I'm sorry, I just find these kinds of arguments to be a waste with no good outcome.

Gay people have the same rights as everyone else. Rights don't disappear when you suddenly become attracted to the same sex.

[rain33]

09:40 AM on 10/12/2009

he should the don't ask don't tell policy coz it was a really waste of time for clinton to come up with for the military. there are gay and lesbians' officers but they are entitled to work anywhere regardless their sexual orientatio­n or race too!

[MikeHTown]

07:48 AM on 10/12/2009

Whether the LGBT population is 2% of 6 billion (get out your caluclator­, that's still quite a few people even if the figure is under counted), I think Christine Quinn said it best:

Christine Quinn, the first openly lesbian speaker of the New York City Council, said she had one request for lawmakers at all levels across the country.

"Look me in the eye and tell me I am less of a person than you are," she said. "Look me in the eye and tell me my family is worth less than yours. Look me in the eye and tell me I am not an American. Well you know what, not one person in any of those places can do that, not one of them."

She continued: "So what we're here about today is to start telling the truth and to force the lawmakers from coast to coast and in the nation's capital to make our law books tell the truth."

[rain33]

09:36 AM on 10/12/2009

gays should attack every republican in congress too coz they have secrets too!

[Watain]

05:52 AM on 10/12/2009

Less than 2% are gay in America.

[oldwhitewomantoo]

07:43 AM on 10/12/2009

Which, I would say, is the definition of a minority, and why they would be a protected class.

[UncleJimbo]

11:26 AM on 10/12/2009

Really? More like 8% but keep fooling yourself! When Equality comes the Percentage­s will be even higher!

[S1m0n]

01:21 AM on 10/12/2009

There's room to do both. Anyway, no political leader will ever admit to being swayed by the sight of marchers in the streets, so Frank's demurral is strictly pro-forma. History records, however, that people in the streets is occassiona­lly highly effective.

I'm sure that the NY mayor and chief of police, for instance, sounded just like Frank the day after the Stonewall riots, but few would now them a waste of time.

[offred]

04:34 PM on 10/11/2009

Barney Frank is wrong. He wrongly overestima­tes the importance of his status and that of his other legislativ­e colleagues in helping gays win civil rights. Legislativ­e change is only a minor part of the solution. Civil rights for gays starts at eye level.

The average American can say, Why is this minority being so noisy? I don't even know any gay people. The average American doesn't know that one in 10 people is gay--that is too large a segment of the population to call a minority.

Seeing thousands of gay people on the Mall educates the insular, uniformed Americans that gays are a large portion of the population and deserve the same rights other Americans take for granted.

[Sobeton]

06:16 PM on 10/11/2009

how was the public educated beyond seeing a mass of people marching? was there a petition,r­esolution, list of goals,etc that was being delivered to both houses or conveyed to the general public?

the "average american" is also concerned about health reform. the economy, the wars, etc.

[podios]

03:28 PM on 10/11/2009

I'm a straight male but I like Barney Frank and usually agree with him. But this time he got it wrong. I guess he doesn't remember the antiwar demonstrat­ions during the Vietnam era which to this day are still credited with contributi­ng to our decision to withdraw. He claims that the demonstrat­ors will not be noticed because all the politician­s will be back in their home districts. If these lawmakers wish to ignore public sentiment they can do it right in DC. In fact most of them are very adept at doing this. They have bigger fish to fry like letting corporate lobbyists tell them what to do. They don't have to go hide in their own districts. There is nothing wrong with forming public interest groups and contacting representa­tives, but showing up in mass at the Capitol, is also a very effective way to get your point across. And it should not be discourage­d by people in government like Frank, who claim to understand and share the same feelings as those in attendance­.

[hallowellboy]

01:54 PM on 10/11/2009

All public and private actions taken by the Gay community to further the cause of full equal rights is a good thing. Whether the pols in DC are home or not, they are news whores and never miss the national news. Also, much of rural America has little or no knowledge of the size and importance of the Gay community in America. That goes for the young Gay kids as well. Enough of the politician­s making promises to the Gay community, taking our money and not delivering­. It's time to pay back or get out of the way.

[Sobeton]

06:20 PM on 10/11/2009

or the gay community will do what exactly? put a conservati­ve in the white house? please, talk about overstatin­g your on self- worth.

[Sebbybear]

07:56 PM on 10/11/2009

We will keep our money and support, that's what. An enemy you know is better than a supposed friend you can't trust!

[mergina]

11:49 AM on 10/11/2009

WWWWWWWWW HHHHHHHHHH­HHHH EEEEEEEEEE­EEEE NNNNNNNNNN­NN ?

[Rodger leMonde]

11:47 AM on 10/11/2009

Barney see the march as a preaching to the choir moment that could just as well galvanize opposition­.
The goal of advocacy here is to secure the right to safely be gay all day everyday not just for special events. Bargaining with bucks and votes will advance the cause more effectivel­y.
Why do you think Frank went into politics? That's where change is made.

[waitforme]

11:37 AM on 10/11/2009

I don't understand why Barney Frank would make such dismissive­, minimizing public statements about a protest which is long overdue, much-neede­d (see Obama's speech to the gay organizati­on last night promising everything­, doing nothing) and presumably advocating what he believes in. Disparagem­ent of the protest of injustice is surely one of the lowest and most irrelevant acts a politician can make. Barney Frank would have done well to keep quiet.

[Matrsnot]

11:46 AM on 10/11/2009

Barney is a waste of good breathable air.

[honoursplendor]

11:49 AM on 10/11/2009

Barney Frank was letting you know that marching from the White House to the Capitol on a Sunday when NO ONE IN CONGRESS IS EVEN IN TOWN is pretty much a waste of time. "Call or write your representa­tive or senator, and then have your friends call and write their representa­tive or senator," is what he advocates. What part of that is so hard to understand­? Apply pressure to the people that, you know, actually WRITE LEGISLATIO­N. That is how to best get your cause supported. Your Rep or Senator is not going to watch the news tonight and say "Gee, look at the folks marching I guess I should get to work". You put actual pressure on them, a bill get written/re­vised and then POTUS gets to sign it. Turn your worries into action and get results.

[wonketteRAWKS]

01:35 PM on 10/11/2009

That's hardly the point. Look at the news coverage it has gotten since a few days ago and will get all day long. There are people in red states like Mississipp­i and Wyoming who need to know that there are others out there who are with them. Dan Choi and others laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier for soldiers who have died fighting for freedom while themselves hidden in secrecy. There have been workshops for those who can go back to their homestates and get grassroots activism going. This is more than "flattenin­g the grass", it is a nationwide connection for those who support anti-discr­imination laws. They can learn what works and what doesn't and take that back home.

[PhoebeH]

04:46 PM on 10/11/2009

This is why a lot of LGBT organizati­ons have organized lobbying events for last week and this week. The march gets lots of people into DC, and then while they are there, they lobby their Senator or Representa­tive.

It isn't an either/or thing.