Barney Frank: Oh No He Didn't!

Steve Rivas and Ash Bell weigh in on GP BFF B.F. (Barney Frank).

Steve: The Associated Press is reporting that U.S. Representative Barney Frank referred to Justice Antonin Scalia as a "homophobe" during an interview with 365gay.com.

The Democratic lawmaker, who is gay, was discussing gay marriage and his expectation that the high court would some day be called upon to decide whether the Constitution allows the federal government to deny recognition to same-sex marriages. Says Frank:

"I wouldn't want it to go to the United States Supreme Court now because that homophobe Antonin Scalia has too many votes on this current court."

Frankly, I think he is right.

Ash: I don't think anyone would call Justice Antonin Scalia a liberal, but a homophobe? Oh yeah, Rep. Barney Frank so went there.

On what leg does Frank's argument stand? Well Scalia, who is a strict constructionist (nominated to the court by Reagan himself), believes that the court does not have the right to legislate and that elected officials should be the ones making the decisions where the Constitution doesn't blatantly illustrate.

I understand what Frank is trying to say. And Scalia's actions are frequently a road block to equality's progress, but I think Frank may have gone too far on this one. Scalia is a lot of things: uncompromising, brash, traditionalist, but a homophobe… at least for the reasons Frank is stating? I am not so sure.