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Wed 19 Aug, 2009 07:43 am
DARTMOUTH, Mass. " Rep. Barney Frank lashed out at protester who held a poster depicting President Barack Obama with a Hitler-style mustache during a heated town hall meeting on federal health care reform.
"On what planet do you spend most of your time?" Frank asked the woman, who had stepped up to the podium at a southeastern Massachusetts senior center to ask why Frank supports what she called a Nazi policy.
"Ma'am, trying to have a conversation with you would be like trying to argue with a dining room table. I have no interest in doing it," Frank replied.
He continued by saying her ability to deface an image of the president and express her views "is a tribute to the First Amendment that this kind of vile, contemptible nonsense is so freely propagated."
@dyslexia,
I can fully understand why Barney Frank would get upset and I agree that such a poster is inappropriate. However, Barney Frank is the representative and it only reflects poorly on him to insult a constituent (even if this person deserves it). He should have taken the high road and ignored her or said something negative about the poster and how inappropriate it was rather than saying arguing with a dining room table. His second comment was much more appropriate and he should have simply said that " make a negative remark on a person’s action, not on the person themselves.
So basically, he is saying, "I could argue with you and win the argument easily, really easily, but you know what? I won't even lower myself to debate with you." This simply means that he is unable to support his position with rational discussion, and is simply using insults as a distraction.
@Linkat,
Come on Linkat!
The lady was an idiot-- there is nothing wrong with saying so. In fact, Barney Frank was pretty restrained (I would have been much more direct).
He was speaking for his constituents...
@Brandon9000,
Brandon...
The lady was brandishing a Nazi poster.
What "rational" discussion would you expect to have with her?
It is an amusing reminder of the frailties of human nature to observe that the self-appointed tribunes of the people have assumed for themselves the innate superiority that they so loudly (and persistently) decry in others.
@ebrown p,
You may be right - but in my opinion he would look better if he took the high road. All you hear in the news is his insults - that will be what people remember - not to women idiot.
By keeping his comments to her actions rather on her, it shows her inappropriate actions without Barney coming across looking bad himself. His comments about her personally make him appear as if he feels superior and looks down on her.
There is a way to state your case - and look better for it or look just as bad or worse for it.
@Linkat,
Quote:You may be right - but in my opinion he would look better if he took the high road. All you hear in the news is his insults - that will be what people remember - not to women idiot.
I bet he wins reelection in 2010. His constituents appreciate putting conservative wackos in their place (I know, I live in a nearby district).
@ebrown p,
I live nearby as well and know how loved he is - but why would you make yourself look worse?
@Linkat,
To some extent, I think the nut cases pushing this count on the civility of the majority of Americans, both of conservatives who are hesitant to rebuff them and of liberals who try to use logic to rebuff a position where no logic is present. Maybe a public embarrassment is what this woman needs though I doubt it will do any good.
@Linkat,
Quote: I live nearby as well and know how loved he is - but why would you make yourself look worse?
Whether he looked worse or not is a matter of opinion-- I thought he was overly restrained.
@engineer,
This is a bit of the point I'm trying to make - it isn't going to help him - well maybe a few people will say about time some one told that loud mouth off.
It ain't gonna change some one like that - some one who is unreasonable - so to me just ignoring is actually the best. They are trying to get a rise out of you - and that is what the woman accomplished - she got a rise out of Frank and he simply got caught in her trap. Why else would you have such a crazy poster? Even if you do not support Obama or his health plan - a reasonable person argues the valid points - not a poster comparing him to Hilter. She did that simply to cause a stir which is exactly what happened.
@ebrown p,
True for Barnery Frank he was restrainted.
@Brandon9000,
Quote:This simply means that he is unable to support his position with rational discussion, and is simply using insults as a distraction.
This sentence is more apropos of the dingbat waving the poster Brandon...all you have to do is replace he with SHE
She is unable to support her position with rational discussion
@Linkat,
You don't seem to consider the possibility that this woman
actually believes that Obama's plans are equal to Hitler's, and that the Democratic party is acting like the Nazis....
@ebrown p,
ebrown p wrote:
Brandon...
The lady was brandishing a Nazi poster.
What "rational" discussion would you expect to have with her?
Brandishing a Nazi poster is stupid and not helpful, but I do note that Frank refused to do anything but make insults, and, in particular, didn't support his position with reasons.
@dyslexia,
dyslexia wrote:
yeah, right.
Oh, my, what a trenchant insight. Now I know that your position must be true.
Like many liberals, you only want to mock and cannot support any of your positions, nor are you inclined to.
@panzade,
panzade wrote:
Quote:This simply means that he is unable to support his position with rational discussion, and is simply using insults as a distraction.
This sentence is more apropos of the dingbat waving the poster Brandon...all you have to do is replace he with SHE
She is unable to support her position with rational discussion
We have no information about that, but we do know that Frank preferred insults to reasoned argument.
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