Barney Frank Apologizes For His Weak Trayvon Martin Commencement Joke

May 29th, 2012 - By Brande Victorian

Source: jamestyler.org

Sometimes I think public figures try to be the first one to make a joke out of something that really isn’t humorous because the stuff they come up with is usually more silly than funny.

Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank is apologizing for a weak joke he made at the Dartmouth commencement on Sunday when he hooded Hubie Jones during the ceremony. He told the civil rights leader:

“you now have a hoodie you can wear and no one will shoot at you.”

Not necessarily offensive, borderline insensitive, definitely dumb. The crack reportedly received nervous laughter and a few groans from the crowd which suggested not only was it too soon for a comment like that but there most likely won’t ever be a time when you can make light of Trayvon Martin’s killing.

Barney says he made the same joke at his own expense at three other graduation ceremonies so I guess he figured fourth times the charm. He explained that he didn’t mean any harm by it, instead the purpose was to “ridicule the notion that a hooded sweatshirt is somehow sinister.”

Thanks, Barns. We’ve got it from here.

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JAI4SRENU2A5WKRTELXXYJPDSI Kayla

    I see where he’s coming from. It just came out the wrong way. All is forgiven. It’s water under the bridge now.

  • FromUR2UB

    Well, I got it.  I think it was just an unfortunate, ill-timed comment, but not vicious or mean-spirited. I suspect it was a clumsy attempt to compare and contrast the two events.  It didn’t work because for some things, there will never be a lighter side to them.  What happened to Trayvon Martin is the worst fear of any family with young black males, and it was especially hurtful because he wasn’t doing anything that should have brought harm to him.  The 60th anniversary of Emmett Till’s death is approaching.  All of his family members are gone, but even after this many decades, his death is still a tender spot because of the way it happened.

  • iBlog

    I don’t think he meant to be offensive. Just a joke gone terribly wrong.

  • http://twitter.com/wizkidworld Jay

    The thing is I didn’t find it offensive.  It’s the truth.  He was making fun of the notion that a black man in a  in something so simple as a hoodie is considered dangerous, but I guess looking at it, hitting on the sore spot of Trayvon Martin is too soon.

  • An informed observer

    How is making a joke out of someone being shot to death ever funny? Regardless if its a few weeks months or years from the event, how do you make light of something like that? I dont get humor like that. Some people say too soon, i say this- would you ever make a joke out of your parent dying? If you say no ( like most sane & sober people) why make a joke at someone else dying?

    • Thisis me

      he wasn’t making a joke out of him being killed he was making a joke out of the fact that people are stupid enough to believe a hoodie=danger and people use an excuse for trayvon to have been murdered. he was defending trayvon

  • RedButterfly81

    My grandmother always tell me: THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK!

  • Ms.Blue

    I honestly don’t think dude meant it to be offensive. I think it just came out wrong. I think he was trying to say that the graduate now has a hood he can be proud of and one that would signify intelligence and honor. Obviously someone wrote that speech for him and he didn’t deliver the words they way they were intended.

  • CA Pullen

    I read the news blog and your on line magazine everyday to seeewho will beat the punch as saying something ignorant on a daily basis.Barney Frank today.  I am looking to  see who is next on the list of stupid and ignorant comments.

  • TRUTH

    Goes to show you these people, whom we elect, don’t give an eff about anybody but their race.  It’s a crying shame.  And if you think Obama can do much to change that, think again.  He is just continuing the “whiteman agenda”  SMH!!

    • Thisis me

      it’s sickening the people who kiss up to the obamas like they’re gods

  • http://kimster-thatswhatshesaid.blogspot.com/ Kimster

    It’s incredibly sad the number of political and social figures who have used Trayvon Martin’s killing as the punchline to some offensive and mean-spirited joke. This guy four times, apparently. Maybe if they think about the fact that Martin’s parents are both celebrating Mother and Father’s Day this year with one less son, they will feel a bit differently before opening their mouths.

  • Sophie

    whomp whomp jerk…

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