Posted on 07/19/2004 7:22:18 AM PDT by MadIvan
Democrats say comment sexist and homophobic
LOS ANGELES - A spokesman for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said yesterday that the governor would not apologize for calling lawmakers "girlie men," despite criticisms from Democrats that the remark was sexist and homophobic.
Schwarzenegger said during a rally Saturday that Democrats were delaying the budget by catering to special interests, and that the lawmakers were "girlie men" if they refused to admit it. He also said Californians should vote out lawmakers who stand in the way of passing the budget.
"If they don't have the guts to come up here in front of you and say, 'I don't want to represent you, I want to represent those special interests, the unions, the trial lawyers' if they don't have the guts, I call them girlie men," Schwarzenegger said to the cheering crowd at a mall food court in Ontario.
The governor lifted the term from a long-running "Saturday Night Live" skit in which two pompous, Schwarzenegger-worshipping weightlifters repeatedly use it to mock those who don't meet their standards of physical perfection.
Democrats said Schwarz-enegger's remarks were insulting to women and gays and distracted from budget negotiations. Sen. Sheila Kuehl, a Santa Monica Democrat, said the governor had resorted to "blatant homophobia."
"It uses an image that is associated with gay men in an insulting way, and it was supposed to be an insult. That's very troubling that he would use such a homophobic way of trying to put down legislative leadership," said Kuehl, one of five members of the Legislature's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Caucus.
"It's ironic that the governor would try to find a metaphor for weakness when his real problem is that we're being too strong," she added.
At a rally yesterday in Stockton, the governor gave a speech almost identical to the one he delivered in Ontario but without the "girlie men" remark. Spokesman Rob Stutzman said the line was dropped because Schwarzenegger had already sent the message he wanted to send, not because he regretted his remarks.
"It's a forceful way of making the point to regular Californians that legislators are wimps when they let special interests push them around," Stutzman said. "If they complain too much about this, I guess they're making the governor's point."
Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuez, D-Los Angeles, said that while he wasn't upset by the remark, his 13-year-old daughter was.
"She's a young girl who knows the governor and really likes him a lot and didn't find the term to be a positive term, and finds it to be derogatory," Nuez said. "It was no question a very, very insensitive comment to make. I personally am not intimidated or threatened by it, but I think it really is beneath Gov. Schwarzenegger."
Assemblyman Mark Leno, a San Francisco Democrat who is chairman of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Caucus, said he was glad Schwarzenegger didn't repeat the "girlie men" remark yesterday, saying it was "as misogynist as it is anti-gay."
"To disparage a group of law-abiding, tax-paying citizens is just wrong," Leno said.
The governor said in his criticism of Democrats that they were working for unions and trial lawyers because of their support for two labor bills. One law prohibits schools from contracting services with private companies and the other gives workers authority to sue their employers to enforce labor laws. Democrats and the governor also disagree on local financing issues.
Democrats say they back the bills because they help workers. Kuehl said Schwarz-enegger, not Democrats, was giving in to special interest groups.
"He's the one caving in to the tort reform special interests," she said.
The legislators denouncing Arnold should apologize for implying that all gay men are lisping, mincing fops who keep cupboards full of loafer-lightener.
Homosexual Agenda - In A Way. Humor alert. The second article on Schwarzeneggar's (sp) use of the word "girlie men". If you haven't seen the first article, use the keywords "girlie men" for a search.
Good Arnold; bad Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Caucus.
Let me know if anyone wants on/off this pinglist.
"The Democrat's humorless PC reaction to Arnie's joking is exactly the kind of stuff that sent me down the conservative path as a youth."
The same response is happening with many young males and women (20 to 30 something) in California.
A very high % of the young male union workers (construction not NEA unions) voted for Arnold this spring and bounced Davis out of office.
911 was a wake up call for many young Americans who vote. Then in California, they helped to boot out Herr Davis and to vote Arnold in with a wide margin.
"Hey, it's an insult to women calling those men, girls! ;-)"
My wife agrees with you. However, she won't use my term, maggots, so she will call them the Girly ones.
Arnold rocks ping. Priceless, absolutely priceless.
They should listen to him now, think about it later and cry about it some other day.
I think this comment shows restraint and generosity on his part.
He should have really called them what they are-
political whores!
Oh that's rich! Nevermind the hollywood crowd, ACLU, memeber of congress and others who attack Christians, Pro-Life groups, gun owners...
What he should have said is that the DemocRATS were purse swinging, limp wristed panty waste.
"And I was talking to my daughter Amy last night, and she told me that she thought that nuke-yu-ler weapons are the biggest problem we face."
I feel bad for Arnold, the way the media is portraying this. The state ligislature needs to answer questions that they were elected to answer. Obviously they will not do so, and they are indeed like girliemen, who simply cannot give a straight answer, and are asking more money and funds and subsidies to speak the truth. THis is girlie extortion indeed.
Also the state Legislature's hypocritical calls for Kum ba ya bipartisanship is a threatening enough stand right there.
oh ok....
So its OK for the left to call our President nasty names, and its totally unacceptable for the right to do the same??
jeez... what a bunch of girly men....
(and my 13 yr old daughter thought it was funny)
They are just trying to divert attention away from the real problems that Califoria is going thru.
"Girly men" was much more kind than what he could have said. They would be wise to just take it like a man. Oh, wait, they aren't. Never mind.
The same goes for the "girlie men" in the Kall-i-forn-ya legislature. LOL.
Congressman Billybob
Latest column, "John Kerry & John Edwards: You've GOT to be Kidding"
He could have been more specific and called them 'eunuchs'.
;-)
I guess if he had just called his opponents Nazi's, or "the most crooked, lying bunch," or traitors, or some of the other terms the left likes to fling around, it would all be okay? They are a bunch of girlie man hypocrites, is what they are.
"There are more Arnold fans out there than "girly men" fans. You are right that the DNC will be on their case to get this settled. Arnold is smart to take this battle to the public. By diminishing his foes and making them the butt of jokes he has gained the upper-hand in this battle. People will show up at his speeches and appearances just to hear the next quip. In the meantime his message gets front page play."
Even in California the land of "fruits" and nuts, the girly maggots are maybe 5%. Then add another 5% of their families to back them.
That leaves a lot of other voters to be swayed by Arnold.
His comments will be on every talk show in California for two weeks until the girly maggots back down.
He has the left wing mediots in a real bind. When they print or air his remarks, they will register with the pro gay choir, however, many others will agree with Arnold.
It is like Dick Cheney telling Leaking Leahy what he could do to himself. The left winger mediots keep bringing that up, and it is backfiring on them.
I can tell you, that the Rats with half of a brain in N California after Arnold massed the vote that he did to become governor, are really scared of Arnold. Some hate him even more than GW.
Thank you, Governator for making this week so enjoyable for conservatives!
When men stop acting like men, they should be called GIRLIE MEN". This is what happens when we are too PC. Men stop acting like REAL MEN. ROCK ON Arnold!!
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