reddit.com interviews Barney Frank (5 of 5)

[john51880]

Please vote for Sean Bielat!

[mbarkhau]

Ron Paul is smart, Barny Frank is smart (economics aside), so what? Doesn't make one iota of a difference because the system is fucked up.

[briecinc]

*Chanting*

"Barney, Barney, Barney, Barney..."

You the man, Barney.

[85More]

"You gotta be nice to people you wanna smack."

[WilltheGamer]

lol that comment cracked me up

[HCKeyWest]

I agree.  It was intended to energize the movement. Now it is vital to take that energy and translate it into the kind of tedious advocacy he talks about. Write letters! Make calls! Come out to everyone you know!

[StarStruckedSam]

i agree with Barney Frank. the follow up isnt there. they go to the march an think they made a change an they dont have to do anymore. THATS NOT HOW CHANGE HAPPENS. make the phone calls! write the letters! change hearts an minds everyday.

[unknownclips]

What a smart guy.

[paulgeoffreybrown1]

Major props to Barney F. both for this, and for the depth and quality of his answers.

BF gave props where he agrees (Ron Paul). I think his presentation of GOP ideas was 'politically reasonable' (ie. they're not all communists/traitors/fascists/t­ools etc).

On rallies v. phone banks? He's correct on the merits: wrong in the presentation. It's not 'either/or'. The world needs to see that GLBT people exist in numbers. The political effect oft he rally? Limited. The social impact? Larger.

[dfeig]

Barney Frank bucks the negative stereotypes of Congress. He is very intelligent, well informed on all this issues discussed, well spoken and convincing.

It doesn't hurt that I agree with him as well.

[icaruspnw]

I hear Frank trying to make an important distinction between mutual celebration and support and legislative activism, and don't understand why he's being demonized for it. He's not objecting to mingling and being fabulous: he's pointing out that Congress is unswayed by it. He explains simply and clearly why parades and marches seldom result in legislative gains, suggests more effective strategies, and provides examples. Why is this is a problem?

[lvecsey]

Good way to end the video. The answer was he understands the issue, is on the peoples side, and is looking to move things ahead.

[toolhater]

Wow. I'm impressed. Why isn't every congressman doing one of these?

[rg0057]

Barney fails to understand the purpose and effect of the march, which is to energize a new generation of gay activists who will return to their districts and advocate for equality there. Why not hold such an event on the mall intsead of hidden in some Hilton somewhere?

[integrit]

I don't think he's wrong here, I think the emphasis of any such movement would be much more effectively put on writing senators, and representatives, and then having marches as a secondary means of getting the word out among the community.

[icaruspnw]

rg0057: I've attended every major gay march on Washington except this last one and have yet to see a generation of anything energized to do anything other than preach to the choir. If you want to counter Frank's arguments, show me a list of legislative gains that resulted from mingling and being fabulous.

Celebration and mutual support are great. Frank's point is that its foolish to delude ourselves about what they accomplish.

[vhold42]

He's saying that the follow up isn't there, people aren't contacting their senators, and getting their families to contact the senators, they're just engaging in an echo chamber, and not really having any impact. He's saying people are going to protests and rallies to be a part of something, but in the end, they're a part of nothing politically, because it's not actually following how individual politicians vote and making a statement to or not to vote for them in the future.

[sbmillionair]

3:28

did he say, to protect us who are lesbian gay bisexual and transgender? Is Barney Frank gay bisexual or transgender? if so i did not know that.

[SweatyPyro]

Correct, Rep. Frank is gay. And I might say he makes a great symbol for the LGBT movement, and he makes some good advice.

[kaliamalia]

yes, he is openly gay.

[integrit]

He's gay.

[unknownclips]

He's openly gay.

[Grey80002]

Thank you Barney Frank, very impressive and informative... really, good information and I appreciate that.

However, why the hell does every Redditor have to ask 3-4 questions? Why can't you follow simple instructions and just ask 1 question? You derail the goal here and inundate a Congressman, in this case, willing to answer 10 questions - by grilling him and asking 40 questions, some completely unrelated. If you can't narrow down your questions to one, then you can't understand the answer.

[bazookajoe55]

I want to move to his district just so I can vote for him. Much love to Barney Frank

[goyogago]

great point about protest marches & the NRA

[brettmurf]

Wow, I hardly expected such thorough answers to these questions. Thanks for taking the time to do this, despite the limited exposure I am sure it will receive.

[trypt0naut]

Thank you for all of your hard work!

[fathom7]

You are a champion, Congressman Frank. I would be honored to have you represent my district.

[suexian]

Great interview. However, Barney sounds like Buddy Hackett on speed.

[Glayden]

I'm very impressed by Barney Frank.

All of his answers were intelligent, sincere, and thoughtful.

You can tell when someone is saying what they believe is true rather than what is politically correct or personally advantageous. Quite a few times, he said something and then immediately revised it because he thought, "well, maybe that's not exactly right, let me improve my answer so it's more accurate."

That's exactly what we need to see in our representatives, thoughtfulness and sincerity.

[sobman]

Exactly why Glenn Beck and O'Riley are so popular.

[AuralCircuitry]

This was a great response that is somehow different than most everything else I've heard. I have a strange urge to move to Massachussets now...

[jfredett]

As long as you aren't stupid, Massachusetts will welcome you with open handed headslaps and a Sam Adams.

The sign as you enter my little Commonwealth reads:

"Fuck You! Welcome to Massachusetts."

It informs life here.

[galefan2004]

Sorry, but marching is useless. Anyone see anything actually come out of it that wasn't already in the works? Didn't think so. Even worse, the estimate is 20,000 people showed up. That is probably less than estimated amount of gays in Washington DC alone, so in short, it just made the gays look like a weak force that doesn't give a crap not a power house to be reckoned with. The reason many warned against the march is it didn't have enough support in the first place.

[scumbly]

I wouldn't go so far as to say marching is "useless". I do think Mr Frank's point is totally valid - and a bit of harsh reality for those of us who've marched in nonviolent protests - namely, that it's more for the benefit of the protestors themselves than the people they need to be trying to reach. But that doesn't mean it's "useless" - even if it somehow had *no* effect on public opinion, the solidarity, support, and networking is valid and can have a positive effect for the movement.

[CorkxOnxThexFork]

Well spoken, Congressman.