Barney Frank’s ‘Trayvon’ Graduation Quip Falls Flat
Congressman Barney Frank’s joke about a hoodie and a black recipient of an honorary degree fell flat at a college graduation.
The crowd gasped as retiring Jewish congressman made the crack at the University of Massachusetts graduation, which honored civil rights leader Hubie Jones, the Daily News reported.
“When you get an honorary degree they give these,” the Massachusetts Democrat said Sunday, tugging at the hood on his commencement gown, the paper said. “And Hubie, I think you now got a hoodie you can wear and no one will shoot at you.”
The quip was a reference to the shooting death of Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Fla. One of the reasons Martin’s alleged killer, George Zimmerman, thought the teen was up to no good because he was wearing a hoodie.
Frank later insisted he didn’t mean to offend anyone.
A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.
If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
