Paul
E. Lynch, M.D:I can see that you are all
ready to jump in. Just a couple of quick things first. I had hoped that
I could hold up this sign, and in Barney Frank’s inimitable manner read
the statement that he has sent to us, but unfortunately it will be impossible
for me to imitate Barney Frank. He is in fact, inimitable, but I will
read you the statement:
Dear friends, To tell
the truth, I am sometimes not entirely displeased when a change in the
legislative schedule prevents me from attending an event out of town which
I had agreed to months before. I find that my enthusiasm for participation
in some speeches, panels, etc., diminishes as the time for actually delivering
the remarks approaches, but in this case, I am deeply regretful that I
cannot be with you and not simply because of the troubling nature of the
issue which keeps me in Washington this morning, impeachment.
"Your
work against homophobia has been enormously important and given the effort
by the right wing to misuse psychoanalytic arguments to bolster their
bigotry, your willingness to speak out in this way is enormously important
to the country and to great benefit to the victims of this prejudice.
Your willingness to confront and expunge your profession’s own past errors
in this regard are an important example to the rest of the country. I
am deeply grateful to you for your ongoing efforts to combat this terrible
prejudice which, while diminished, still blights the
lives of so many innocent people and I deeply regret that I was unable
to come to thank you in person and to participate in what will obviously
be an extraordinarily stimulating discussion and to learn from you.
Barney Frank
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