Barney Frank & the Conversation on Gay Marriage
Earlier this month, when I was talking with my friend Dale Carpenter, that distinguished columnist and law professor held that many gay activists see gay marriage as a “trophy in the cultural wars.” That is, they’re not so much interested in the ancient institution as in the political victory of winning state recognition of same-sex marriages.
Dale’s words came to mind as I considered my letter asking my Congressman to refer Barney Frank to the House Ethics Committee because of the Massachusetts Democrat’s romantic relationship with a man who worked for an institution (Fannie Mae) while Frank served on a committee which oversaw its operations.
Shouldn’t this conflict concern those who value relationships?
If gay activists saw marriage as more than just a political trophy, they would understand that state recognition of marriage while conferring benefits on the relationship, also demands obligations from the partners. Their obsession with the notion of equality should mean they want to hold gay marriages to the same standards as traditional ones.
Now, granted Frank was not married to Herb Moses at the time the latter worked for Fannie Mae. Indeed, at the time, no state recognized gay marriages. But, they were in a committee relationship.
Shouldn’t it concern advocates of gay marriage that the most outspoken and publicly visible gay politician had such a conflict of interest? Wouldn’t they, in calling him on it, show their commitment to a standard of gay relationship equal to that of heterosexual ones?
I doubt any of them gave even a second thought to the revelation last fall of this conflict, if they had even heard of it. That (D) after Frank’s name renders him immune from criticism.
But, I think it’s more than just his partisan affiliation. It seems some of them haven’t thought through thoroughly what marriage means.
It would be a good test of their commitment to gay marriage to see if they would publicly at least criticize Mr. Frank for his conflict of interest, if not joining me in asking their Representative to refer this matter to the House Ethics Committee.
I have some e-mails to write.
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Fixed it for ya.
Comment by V the K — March 18, 2009 @ 7:44 pm - March 18, 2009
Fixed it for ya.
Comment by V the K — March 18, 2009 @ 7:44 pm - March 18, 2009
Ah, the comment thingie doesn’t care for strikethrus
Comment by V the K — March 18, 2009 @ 7:46 pm - March 18, 2009
As I’ve said before, nobody will call Bawney Fwank on the carpet in LGBT circles because he has that magic (D) after his name.
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — March 18, 2009 @ 8:04 pm - March 18, 2009
almost…almost got it…keep reaching…keep reaching for that straw…
Comment by bob (aka boob) — March 18, 2009 @ 8:29 pm - March 18, 2009
Gays will always be a laughingstock in the political arena as long as they are represented by liberal shills like Barney Fwank. Rush runs hillarious updates every day mocking this idiot. Jeff Gannon at least had balls enough to ask challenging questions during the White House Briefings. We need more gays with guts to represent our public face instead of stereotypical pansies like Fwank.
Comment by Lee — March 18, 2009 @ 9:27 pm - March 18, 2009
Has any member of Congress resigned from Congress, willingly, because they thought they have broken their promise to honorably serve the people of the United States? Right now I have a list who should resign, Democrats and Republicans. Barney Frank is at the top.
Comment by Swampfox — March 18, 2009 @ 9:49 pm - March 18, 2009
For example:
You have to be capable of acknowleding wrong doing. Liberals don’t hold themselves to any standards and therefore don’t judge each other when they fuck the pooch.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — March 18, 2009 @ 10:01 pm - March 18, 2009
Is there any wailing and gnashing of teeth, on the left, for the Fan/Fred bonuses????
Comment by ThatGayConservative — March 18, 2009 @ 10:02 pm - March 18, 2009
Bob Livingston, Republican Speaker of the House, resigned in 1998 when his marital infidelity was revealed.
Compare and contrast.
Comment by V the K — March 18, 2009 @ 10:18 pm - March 18, 2009
Larry Craig, Trent Lott, Mark Foley and Bob Ney all resigned after far less than some of these current douchebags have done to the county and economy.
Comment by Patriot Goddess — March 18, 2009 @ 10:59 pm - March 18, 2009
Larry Craig denies that he is gay and Mark Foley claims that he was molested as a child……………..
Comment by Swampfox — March 18, 2009 @ 11:18 pm - March 18, 2009
Yeah, but the point is, Republicans either resign or get kicked out when their infidelity, perversion, or corruption are revealed. But Gerry Studds, Charlie Rangel, Barney Frank, Bill Clinton, Sam Adams, John Street, Jim McDermott, John Murtha, Jim McGreevey … and so forth suffer no penalty from the Democrat electorate. Indeed, some like Clinton, Frank, and McGreevey are treated like heroes. And those few who do get criminally penalized … Mel Reynolds, Marion Berry, and Kwame Kilpatrick for example … land on their feet thanks to other Democrats who help them out.
Comment by V the K — March 19, 2009 @ 6:22 am - March 19, 2009
V, Don’t forget Kennedy (pick one)!
Comment by ThatGayConservative — March 19, 2009 @ 6:29 am - March 19, 2009
Rather than blog endlessly with the sophistic topics, why don’t you just say what you guys really mean: Gays in America should just be happy to sit at the back of the bus. It’s very clear as I’ve read this blog the last few years that your conservative values come before sharing equal rights with other Americans.
By the way: Craig announced resignation, then took it back and subsequently didn’t run again; Lott retired and didn’t run again. Both of them didn’t resign. And as far as the others you mention who didn’t resign, keep in mind that it was the electorate who returned them to their offices. It’s the public who makes the ultimate decision
Comment by Kevin — March 19, 2009 @ 7:11 am - March 19, 2009
keep in mind that it was the electorate who returned them to their offices. It’s the public who makes the ultimate decision
Exactly. Democrats don’t care about corruption and sleaze when it’s Democrats that do it. That’s why sleazy Democrats are returned to office. You guys don’t care about ethics, morals, or decency. Just power. Thank you for admitting that, Kevvie.
Comment by V the K — March 19, 2009 @ 9:20 am - March 19, 2009
Kevin, Trent Lott did resign. He announced it 11/26/07 and actually resigned on 12/18/07, three weeks later. I concede that you’re correct on Craig, I forgot about his pulling his resignation- my mistake. As unlikable as Craig is, it is kind of amazing that he didn’t actually break the law, unlike others in Congress who have and continue to serve.
Comment by Patriot Goddess — March 19, 2009 @ 9:22 am - March 19, 2009
By the way, I am aware that Trent Lott was pork-grabbing, amnesty-loving a-hole, but I am unaware of him being involved in anything like bribery (Alcee Hastings, John Murtha), tax evasion (Charlie Rangel, Tim Geithner, Tom Daschle) or sex-sleaze (Barney Frank, Mel Reynolds, Sam Adams, Gerry Studds). Could someone enlighten me what his scandal was?
Comment by V the K — March 19, 2009 @ 10:34 am - March 19, 2009
#5 – Boy, you yourself are sure trying to overreach, boob. Try again.
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — March 19, 2009 @ 10:53 am - March 19, 2009
He made an un-PC joke. That’s way worse than any of the Dem’s sins, right?
Comment by Patriot Goddess — March 19, 2009 @ 10:53 am - March 19, 2009
Sorry, I was referring to Trent Lott.
Comment by Patriot Goddess — March 19, 2009 @ 10:54 am - March 19, 2009
Funny how the DNC MSM got its collective panties in a bunch when Trent Lott gave a salute to Strom Thurmond on his birthday and made an innocuous reference to history, yet they turn the other way when The Snob nominates known tax cheats and possible felons to his Cabinet.
Hypocrisy, thy name is liberalism.
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — March 19, 2009 @ 11:46 am - March 19, 2009
Isn’t Blarney Frank some sort of Oxy-Moron?
Comment by heliotrope — March 19, 2009 @ 11:57 am - March 19, 2009
NDT, one thing I’ve learned about libtards like Kevvie and boob, after working so many years with them in the public sector, is that they are still frozen in childhood. They are perpetually re-living their fourth birthdays.
Like children, they can’t concentrate on one thing for an extended period of time, especially something important. It’s too much for them. Everyday it was something new. They literally made things up to prattle about. Chaos is in their genes.
And like the children I know, I don’t ever take them more seriously then they take themselves. Nonetheless, don’t underestimate their viciousness or capacity for hatred. They’ll try to smear you without any conscience – just look at people like Joe the Plumber or Sarah Palin. How sad.
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — March 19, 2009 @ 1:07 pm - March 19, 2009
Top Aide to Schmuck Schumer Indicted for Pension Fraud. It’s okay, he’s a Democrat.
Comment by V the K — March 19, 2009 @ 3:34 pm - March 19, 2009
#26 – V, that’s an example of Nasty Pelosi’s “most ethical Congress ever.”
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — March 19, 2009 @ 4:06 pm - March 19, 2009
# 25:
peter: just so ya know, in that context, “every day” is actually two words, not one. damn, i learned a lot by my fourth birthday, huh?
Comment by bob (aka boob) — March 19, 2009 @ 6:53 pm - March 19, 2009
[...] Barney Frank & the Conversation on Gay Marriage [...]
Pingback by GayPatriot » “When did the gays get so mean, anyway?“ — March 19, 2009 @ 7:30 pm - March 19, 2009
16: Or perhaps Democrats are better at forgiving people for their mistakes and giving them another chance? I’ve noticed that Republicans are more than willing to eat their own kind for their transgressions (long as they’re more of the pawn type and not closer to the top of the food chain)
Comment by Kevin — March 19, 2009 @ 11:31 pm - March 19, 2009
You remember. He did the same thing Chris Dodd did when he praised Sen. Byrd (D, KKK).
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2004/apr/08/20040408-122244-5534r/
Just so you know, I knew what an arrogant prick was back in third grade. Damn shame you’re so pitiful that your only recourse is to go after folks for grammatical and spelling errors.
Then why don’t liberals encourage Republicans to do the same instead of demanding the termination of those who face trumped up charges like DeLay and Foley? Spare us your “holier than thou” Bullshit. If liberals were really “more forgiving”, they never would have fabricated the Foley non-scandal and wouldn’t have had to empanel multiple Grand Juries to get rid of DeLay. Not to mention DeLay would have had his day in court years ago.
Nope. For that, you’d have to recognise the wrong that was done in the first place. Liberals won’t even do that. They’ll circle the wagons and slander anybody who attacks as part of the “vast right-wing conspiracy”.
You’re so full of it, Kevin, if you had the common sense God gave to a turd fly, you wouldn’t show yourself here again after that load you just dumped on GP.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — March 20, 2009 @ 6:09 am - March 20, 2009
Of course, you’d be aware that the Bible says to forgive the sinner. It doesn’t say anything about keeping them employed so your party retains their grip on power.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — March 20, 2009 @ 6:11 am - March 20, 2009
And just because Bawney Fwank is an asshole doesn’t make gay marriage any less of a right (and it is a right. It always has been and it always will be). But rights can be abused. The right to free speech is abused and made a mockery of every time a leftist opens its mouth. If Bawney Fwank had been allowed to been married to Herb Moses, the marriage still would have been a sham, not because of their gender but because of their intentions. It would have been a marriage of convenience.
By the by, just to satisfy my curiosity, would you hetero supremacists (VtheK, Livewire, etc.) agree to have your “marriages” downgraded to civil unions rather than befoul the sacred, untouched-since-time-began (NOT!) institution?
Comment by Attmay — March 20, 2009 @ 9:43 am - March 20, 2009
#34 – “If Bawney Fwank had been allowed to been married to Herb Moses, the marriage still would have been a sham, not because of their gender but because of their intentions. It would have been a marriage of convenience.”
You mean like Bill and Hillary’s? God knows there’s no love lost between those two egomaniacs.
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — March 20, 2009 @ 11:58 am - March 20, 2009
#28 – “peter: just so ya know, in that context, “every day†is actually two words, not one.”
Try again, boob. “Every day” (two words) is a noun clause. “Everyday” is an adjective. Both are considered acceptable grammar in the proper context.
“damn, i learned a lot by my fourth birthday, huh?”
Only if you are five now. And given your postings, that would be a willing suspension of disbelief.
Checkmate.
Regards,
Peter H.
Comment by Peter Hughes — March 20, 2009 @ 12:00 pm - March 20, 2009
[...] goes to something Dale Carpenter has said about how gay activists see gay marriage as a “trophy in the cultural wars.â€Â While gay activists see it as a trophy, liberal pundit use it as a club with which to attack [...]
Pingback by GayPatriot » Name-calling: the supposedly smart set’s preferred means to respond to gay marriage opponents and others offering a politically incorrect point of view — April 20, 2009 @ 12:18 pm - April 20, 2009
[...] One of the main reasons I find it difficult to embrace the gay marriage, er, marriage equality movement, is that its proponents seem more interested in the abstract notion of “equality” than in the real institution of marriage. Its advocates are less interested in promoting marriage than in winning, to borrow an expression from my friend Dale Carpenter, a “trophy in the cultural wars.“ [...]
Pingback by GayPatriot » Joy Behar Challenges Ability of Gay People to Fulfill Obligations of Matrimony; Gay Groups Silent — January 31, 2010 @ 7:46 pm - January 31, 2010