Which one gets to be the "Girlie Man"?
Posted on 07/19/2004 6:06:45 AM PDT by mneville
LOS ANGELES (AP) - A spokesman for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Sunday that the governor would not apologize for calling lawmakers "girlie men," despite criticisms from Democrats that the remark was sexist and homophobic...
(Excerpt) Read more at apnews.myway.com ...
Schwarzenegger dished out the insult at a rally Saturday as he claimed Democrats were delaying the budget by catering to special interests.
"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 Schwarzenegger's remarks were insulting to women and gays and distracted from budget negotiations. State Sen. Sheila Kuehl 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 five-member 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.
Schwarzenegger's criticism of Democrats stems in part from their support of one bill prohibiting schools from contracting services with private companies, and another giving workers authority to sue their employers to enforce labor laws. Each side accuses the other of caving in to special interests.
At a rally Sunday 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 Nunez, a Democrat, 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," Nunez 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.
Something I always knew about Democrats...
I agree with Arnold, 100%. Too bad he doesn't put his money where his mouth is. He's been a total RINO.
Already posted here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1174047/posts
Yeah... Arnold is homophobic.
Is that why he was best man in Bob Paris' gay marriage?
LOL!!
Lord knows!, we don't want strong leadership in any governor's mansion!!
TS
We're gonna PUMP (clap) you up!
TS
sounds right to me...
GirlieMenGirlieMenGirlieMen...
I absolutely love the name "Girlie Men". Arnold has put his thumb right on it. Go for it Arnold.
If the bra and panties fit, wear them, Girlie Men.
Guess the pollsters told Gore that Down's syndrome sufferers aren't likely to complain about that type of comment. Shame on him.
"for calling lawmakers "girlie men," despite criticisms from Democrats that the remark was sexist and homophobic."
If the shoe fits...
WTG Arnold!
Which one gets to be the "Girlie Man"?
To all the transvestites, gays, metrosexuals, et al, ad nauseum, I would quote Bette Midler thusly, "FM if they can't take a joke!"
I wonder why being called a "girlie man" is an insult. If they are in touch with their feminine side and are not homophobic....what's the problem?
ARNOLD, DON'T APOLOGYZE!
This extension of the same horrific public implications once reserved for the n word to words such as this is laughable. They are freaking sissified girlie men if they won't debate face to face. Tough tits if the fruitloops in the genepool can't stand a little straigh talk.
Re my tagline, both uses perfectly a pros pros in a sports setting.
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