Mary Franson, Minnesota State Representative, Compares Food Stamp Recipients To Wild Animals

In a message to constituents last week, Republican Minnesota State Rep. Mary Franson seemed to compare food stamp recipients to wild animals.

Franson's speech began by giving good news to the people of Minnesota's District 11B about a surplus in the state budget. Then Franson decided to read "this funny little quote we got from a friend."

"Isn't it ironic that the food stamp program, part of the Department of Agriculture, is pleased to be distributing the greatest amount of food stamps ever," Franson said. "Meanwhile, the Park Service, also part of the Department of Agriculture, asks us to please not feed the animals, because the animals may grow dependent and not learn to take care of themselves."

Franson's video quickly drew outrage from the internet community. Franson apologized for the comment and removed the video from her YouTube account the same day it was posted, but copies of the clip remain available online.

Franson is not the first elected official to make insulting comments about individuals receiving public assistance. In 2010, former Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer (R-SC) made similar comments, comparing people who receive government assistance to stray animals.

Bauer, who made a bid for governor that same year, eventually apologized for his remarks as well. He was defeated in the Republican primary.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article misstated the district Mary Franson represents. It is District 11B, not District 11A.

Comments

[rainlady]

12:53 AM on 07/07/2012

Stay classy! totally disregard any recipients working hard to get out of a bad situation. yes, gop -- that's actually happening....to compare to wild animals suggests that animals can do the same....so lame!

[lil lab]

09:28 PM on 06/27/2012

???

She was not comparing them to animals. Her point was if you just continue to give handouts, there will be many who "grow lazy" or realize it's easier to sit back and continue to get, get, get. You saw it with Katrina when for days they knew the hurricane was coming and they just sat there to wait for the government. Some could have simply started walking North but were paralized by the previous handouts. Clean up the waste and fraud and have the able cleaning streets and picking up trash in the parks then the true needy will be helped. However, fraud and laziness will soon be greater than 50% if not already. Currently, many in the younger generation look for the easy way, versus older generations who truely believed an honest pay for a hard days work. Today many more want as much pay for not working.

[l1tilr]

05:08 AM on 08/02/2012

that response about Katrina shows that you are no better, or as ignorant, as the representative. Walk in someone else's shoes once and see what reality is.

[ericksdoppleganger]

05:19 PM on 04/19/2012

i would really like to hear the whole rant .

[mmhae]

11:54 AM on 03/19/2012

Seemed to? Seriously, and I quote Nancy Pelosi, being on welfare is a good thing it helps the economy. What a bunch of nonense. This whole article that you are "creating" is just another attempt to create news. How about the fact that millions are making Welfare a career? Where do you expect the money to come from? Government? Government doesn't make money (they may print it) but they TAKE it from hardworking people who PAY taxes. How about getting your heads out of the clouds and start living in reality.

[Shannon Hennessy]

04:56 PM on 03/16/2012

Actually, if taken in context, her statement has some merit. WE DO IN FACT discourage the feeding of wild animals in parks because of the animals' potential to become DEPENDENT on human beings - ALSO ANIMALS - to provide food for them. Should we let human beings starve in the streets? Absolutely not, and it is ridiculous to even draw the conclusion that an elected official would suggest such a thing, republican, democrat, or otherwise. Should there be MASSIVE welfare reform in the United States across the board? Should there be INCENTIVE to NOT fall into the "entitlement lifestyle?" Should there be social programs available to all in need - including supplemental support w/ survivability funding for people who have jobs but cannot makes ends meet up for food, prescription medication, and child care? Absolutely. It is AGAINST THE LAW for me to feed a family of raccoons the way too ripe fruit in my fruit bowl at the end of the week... but I am EXPECTED to work and pay taxes, rent, utilities, car insurance, and every other living expense required of me AS WELL as have part of my tax dollars allocated to support a horrifically broken welfare system in the United States that does little or nothing to promote NOT BEING ON the welfare system. I don't find the rep's statements offensive... but I DO INDEED find them no small amount of ironic, given the state of the US's "social outreach programs" as a whole.

[Denson Malone]

07:33 PM on 03/11/2012

It is hard to believe that some of our elected officials are so out of touch with the financial hardships many American family's face due the economy. Here in Minnesota food shelves are struggling to keep their shelves stocked because of the high demand. Hard working Minnesotans have to humble themselves to reach out for help. Yet good Christian folk such as this do not make asking for help any easier. May God bless these ignorant selfrightous fools with a sense of compassion and clarity.

[Ebony Truthteller]

03:32 PM on 03/11/2012

I do so tire of these scurrilous attack dogs the right has unleashed on the decency of all the rest of us..why is it that they almost "to-a-man(woman) seek to say anything that comes into their sick Obama hating minds ! It is as though now that Obama is the President, many of these extremist on the right feel comfortable in even trashingthe fundamental concept of A STRONG CENTRAL GOVERNMENT < it is as iftheir hjatred and incessant desire to SEE OABAMA FAIL has become somesort of cultish "stepford" wives mental indoctrination !

[mmhae]

11:58 AM on 03/19/2012

The point of the story was how welfare has become a career not what it was intended for. Obama is all for putting people on welfare as that is how he expects to be elected back in. Once on welfare if they can keep you there why would you vote for someone who might expect you to work and EARN your own way. How do you expect us to keep funding this program? At this time there are more people taking than putting in and we cannot continue. Obama himself stated that if the economy does not get better he is a one term president. He said it not me. This isn't about following any doctrine (like Obama does) this is putting our country in a better position, saving our kids future. If you want to end up like Greece just keep following Obama's program.

[JLWSAW]

06:46 AM on 03/11/2012

I wonder if she also poses as a Christian?...

[JLWSAW]

06:31 AM on 03/11/2012

...and she is the hunter going after 'these defenseless wild animals' ...what a "patriot" ( sarcasm intended ).

[gosioux]

10:49 PM on 03/08/2012

She needs to go.

[Carla van der Meer]

09:19 PM on 03/08/2012

i am sure she can't begin to imagine how hard these peoples lives must be, and she has to go and heap abuse on them?

[Northern123]

09:26 AM on 03/08/2012

Having volunteered at a local food shelf, I am appalled at her lack of compassion for others. A lot of the people coming to the food shelf are either elderly on a fixed income or people with young children, struggling because they do not and cannot find jobs, and have hungry children to feed. Food stamps are helping both these segments of our society - Ms. Franson should be ashamed of herself.

[frustratedmother]

09:25 AM on 03/08/2012

I am a 40 yrs old mother of 2 college students and 1 on the way to college this year I have a degree, own my home, own 3 cars, had money in both my checking & saving accounts, great credit score, and I invested in a 401 plan. For years I did what I'm suppose to do as a single working mother. I lost my job making $100,000 annually I lived off my saving for as long as I could also I have invested in a home based business to keep some income coming into my home. I reluctantly had to apply for food stamp and medical assistance for my family not because I wanted to but out of necessity for the survival of my family. I resent, am appalled, and insulted by this Reps comments. I am not a animal but someone who has fallen on hard times & need a little help until I can get back on stable ground.

[twbythesea]

06:35 PM on 03/09/2012

Good luck to you. Things are kind of looking up. I hope you get a job soon.

Some repubs are doing what Hitler did. Dehumanize whomever you don't like/care about, and pretty soon it becomes okay to let them sarve, be beaten to death, whatever, because nobody thinks of them as human anyway.

[mmhae]

12:04 PM on 03/19/2012

I disagree with you. Read what she posted again. She needed help and got it. I doubt that she intends to make welfare a career. She does not intend to stay on it and get her kids on it and make it a family vocation. In no way was this an insult to those who need help. It might be a wake up call to those who have preyed off of the system for generations. Again where do you think the money will come from?

[sanjagtl]

06:29 PM on 02/26/2013

I grew up middle class and got pregnant at 17 (not by choice if you know what I mean). I felt like a disgrace to my family when I applied for welfare (I certainly wasn't going to live off my parents....they all ready bought a house that I could stay in but paid rent. My 22yo daughter just had a baby last week and by no means will I let her apply for foodstamps or money (she did get medical but many get that and only that). Its hard asking for help when its needed. Its also hard looking at those who milk the system. They milk it so hard that when people truely need help they get turned away. Hang in there, a job will be found for you!!!!

[JusticeIsWhere]

06:16 AM on 03/08/2012

Stealing from the public sector and she acts as though she is the one with a noble enough standing to declare her victims, who she treats as animals, animals. And who is engaging in class warfare -- the 99%.

[Eris23Skidoo]

06:15 PM on 03/07/2012

She wants to starve human beings so that they will die off and not cost her any more tax dollars.