Today I heard something that just sent me through the roof. I'm sure all of you have heard by now about what the
Democrats in Congress are trying to do regarding the ENDA bill. The Democrats (under the advice of Nancy
Pelosi) have decided that in order for this nondiscrimination bill to pass the part of the amendment that includes
transgendered people must be taken out. I'm sure all of you have also heard an overwhelming cry from the greater
gay community and its allies that this is not to be tolerated. It is believed that we really do need to stand together
as a whole community instead of a divided one.
What really raised my ire was hearing Congressman Barney Frank during a telephone interview on Sirius OutQ's
Michelangelo Signorile show. When Rep. Frank was told about how many (and I do mean MANY) in the gay
community felt that it would be better to hold off on the bill until we knew that Congress could truly pass an all
inclusive nondiscrimination bill he responded with how it was intellectually dishonest. Intellectually dishonest? With
all due respects Rep. Frank, I find your calling this very notion as intellectually dishonest! You try to justify it by
comparing it other bills, specifically those involving healthcare for children, and how those same children would be
harmed if the bill for their needs hadn't been passed incrementally. Guess what Barney? We in the GLBT
community are not children and to compare their situation with ours is intellectually dishonest!!! Another reason I
find your excuse to be intellectually dishonest is because at the end of the day we are talking about job
discrimination! This is the big issue here and instead you and your Democratic colleagues have decided to
change the topic and make it about transgendered people! That is intellectual dishonesty!!! Discrimination is
discrimination and IT IS WRONG!!! We are talking about eliminating discrimination in the work place and through
your weak-minded ideas you are passively discriminating against a group of people you've been entrusted to
protect!!! I find this to be particularly sickening. If you feel so strongly about this Rep. Frank then why don’t you
and Rep. Pelosi approach members of the transgendered community and tell them personally why you’re
removing them from ENDA. Please be sure to make a mental note of their faces as you tell them that Congress
views them as some sort of “poison pill.” Lastly, you want to pass a stripped down version of the bill now because
of a lack of votes needed to push through the all inclusive version of ENDA. So tell me Rep. Frank, when do you
think you will have the votes in Congress to include the transgendered??? What makes you think you'll magically
have those votes a year from now, or 5 years from now??? For you to even justify this tactic is intellectual
dishonesty!!!
I am truly disgusted by this Rep. Frank. I understand fully that compromises are required many times in order for
progress to be made, but this is one compromise that many people in the GLBT (notice the "T" for
transgendered?) community are not about to tolerate. We have drawn a line in the sand on this issue and we had
deeply hoped that you and the rest of the Democrats in Congress would have done the same.
Democrats in Congress are trying to do regarding the ENDA bill. The Democrats (under the advice of Nancy
Pelosi) have decided that in order for this nondiscrimination bill to pass the part of the amendment that includes
transgendered people must be taken out. I'm sure all of you have also heard an overwhelming cry from the greater
gay community and its allies that this is not to be tolerated. It is believed that we really do need to stand together
as a whole community instead of a divided one.
What really raised my ire was hearing Congressman Barney Frank during a telephone interview on Sirius OutQ's
Michelangelo Signorile show. When Rep. Frank was told about how many (and I do mean MANY) in the gay
community felt that it would be better to hold off on the bill until we knew that Congress could truly pass an all
inclusive nondiscrimination bill he responded with how it was intellectually dishonest. Intellectually dishonest? With
all due respects Rep. Frank, I find your calling this very notion as intellectually dishonest! You try to justify it by
comparing it other bills, specifically those involving healthcare for children, and how those same children would be
harmed if the bill for their needs hadn't been passed incrementally. Guess what Barney? We in the GLBT
community are not children and to compare their situation with ours is intellectually dishonest!!! Another reason I
find your excuse to be intellectually dishonest is because at the end of the day we are talking about job
discrimination! This is the big issue here and instead you and your Democratic colleagues have decided to
change the topic and make it about transgendered people! That is intellectual dishonesty!!! Discrimination is
discrimination and IT IS WRONG!!! We are talking about eliminating discrimination in the work place and through
your weak-minded ideas you are passively discriminating against a group of people you've been entrusted to
protect!!! I find this to be particularly sickening. If you feel so strongly about this Rep. Frank then why don’t you
and Rep. Pelosi approach members of the transgendered community and tell them personally why you’re
removing them from ENDA. Please be sure to make a mental note of their faces as you tell them that Congress
views them as some sort of “poison pill.” Lastly, you want to pass a stripped down version of the bill now because
of a lack of votes needed to push through the all inclusive version of ENDA. So tell me Rep. Frank, when do you
think you will have the votes in Congress to include the transgendered??? What makes you think you'll magically
have those votes a year from now, or 5 years from now??? For you to even justify this tactic is intellectual
dishonesty!!!
I am truly disgusted by this Rep. Frank. I understand fully that compromises are required many times in order for
progress to be made, but this is one compromise that many people in the GLBT (notice the "T" for
transgendered?) community are not about to tolerate. We have drawn a line in the sand on this issue and we had
deeply hoped that you and the rest of the Democrats in Congress would have done the same.
Is this the ENDA for Us??
Let Ben know what you think