Restroom Access Bill in the News: What’s Missing Is Insensitive ‘Potty Talk’ on GOP Leader’s Blog
Thursday, March 01, 2007 at 10:07 am
- 16 Comments
The St. Paul Pioneer Press sought out a Republican party official and blogger as a voice against a bill working its way through the state legislature. But in quoting the official, the Pioneer Press failed to note that his blog has included questionable and potentially insensitive statements regarding the bill in question.
The bill, House File 1015, guarantees restroom access to people suffering from diseases such as Crohn’s Disease and ulcerative colitis, which make it more difficult to control one’s bowels. The bill would allow those so afflicted to use businesses’ private restrooms, waive liability for businesses that do and create a fine for employees who refuse to allow customers to use the restrooms.
In the article, Pioneer Press reporter Rachel Stassen-Berger sought out comments from Michael Brodkorb, GOP chair of the 38th District, a former consultant for Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., and author of the blog Minnesota Democrats Exposed. Stassen-Berger quoted Brodkorb as objecting to the bill, saying, “In my heart of hearts, I just don’t believe that we need legislation that dictates that level of involvement in businesses.”
Brodkorb had also expressed his objection to the bill on his own blog using far less diplomatic language. Indeed, both Brodkorb and others who commented on his site mocked the bill, dubbing it the “Freedom to Poop” bill, and ridiculed the idea that anyone would need access to private restrooms.
more inside
In his initial post on the bill, Brodkorb summarized the bill as follows: “Any retailer that does not allow people with ‘eligible medical conditions’ such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, or any other inflammatory bowel disease like irritable bowel syndrome or presumably ‘mud butt’ would face a $100 fine for not allowing these non-customers to use the bathroom at their establishment.”
A number of commenters on the site quickly joined in mocking the idea.
A poster calling himself “Biggster Kahuna” said, “I certainly hope our nanny-state friends in the DFL will have the courage to appropriately amend this bill to include protections for our Minnesota men and women, our neighbors, suffering from Chronic Masturbation Syndrome.” Another commenter, “Dumbing it Down for the Left,” said, “Now they are talking about parking issues, and how malls and gas stations will have to have frequent pooper parking places. This is way too funny.”
Jamie Delton asked, “Where does the Poop lobby hang out? The Poo-dle Club? What happens when the republicans repeal the Freedom to Poop Act? Will the Septic Solidarity Movement congest congregate at the capital to protest alongside the DFL? How will the DFL power brokers deal with the emerging group led by the Young Turds, the name given to the cutting-edge vanguard of the new movement?”
Tom Swift, a former St. Paul school board candidate, asked, “Will this card entitle me to call the police or fire department to rush me to the nearest toilet in the event I’m caught outside the range of a comfortable stroll to one?” And commenter “RabidRepublican” said, “I hope this never passes. It would be way funnier for someone to just take a crap on the floor of the businesses that won’t let them use the can. I suppose next the badas* govt (sic) will make a law making that illegal.”
Brodkorb never indicated that any of these comments were out of line, and instead accused liberal bloggers of “changing the subject” when some complained about the vitriol. He also commissioned a graphic for his site purporting to display the “Freedom to Poop” card, and Brodkorb said the bill would get his vote for most ridiculous DFL legislation.
Crohn’s Disease affects up to 600,000 people in North America. Its symptoms include abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea and weight loss. Ulcerative colitis is rarer, affecting approximately one in 10,000 people. Both fall under the umbrella of inflammatory bowel disease. These and similar iterations of IBD can negatively affect quality of life due to the pain, diarrhea and vomiting associated with them.
Editor’s note: We mistakenly mis-identified Michael Brodkorb as the chair of SD 37, he is in fact a paid political consultant and chair of SD 38. Minnesota Monitor regrets the error.
16 Comments
Comment posted March 1, 2007 @ 2:22 pm
If Brodkorb’s fan club really cared about disabled people rather than mocking them…. They’d make some donations to the Crohn’s and Colitis Federation of America Minnesota Chapter:
http://www.ccfa.org/chapters/minnesota/
Here’s the deal: I’ll personally match the first $100 the Brodkorb fans put up as donations for the CCFA Mn chapter. Let’s see them put their money where their newly-found professed compassion is.
Flash will be the fiscal agent. Whatever he receives (and you folks know where to find him) by March 10, I’ll match up to $100.
(Cross posted)
Comment posted March 1, 2007 @ 6:12 pm
I’ll agree with you that “Freedom to Poop” is overboard However, the fact that Brodkorb had a one-time consulting gig with the Bachmann campaign in 2006 is irrelevant to this story.
Comment posted March 1, 2007 @ 6:53 pm
Well, yes and no. Brodkorb is identified as such because he is not just a blogger, he also has and will be again a paid consultant to various GOP candidates, as well as the Minnesota GOP itself. Brodkorb’s lack of independence is part of this story. I also could have noted his paid work for Kennedy, his paid work for the RNC, and so on, and so forth, but I didn’t feel I needed to belabor the point.
Comment posted March 2, 2007 @ 12:12 am
You make some strong points in your article They are weakened by mentioning the Bachmann affiliation. The Bachmann consultant gig is the most extreme politician Brodkorb’s been affiliated with.
I’ll agree with you that Brodkorb should be taken to task for this one – and his commenters on the subject have been appalling – and Brodkorb doesn’t screen commenters, but does have some responsibility to elevate the dialog. King Banaian has commented about the same legislation, but hasn’t reduced himself to the level of “freedom to poop”.
Comment posted March 2, 2007 @ 10:11 am
A paid blogger who says he doesn’t even know who is paying him. It is hilarious to watch a Soros sock puppet question the credentials of anyone else…hahahahaaa!
Comment posted March 2, 2007 @ 10:14 am
My bathroom is always open to my colorectally challenged brothers and sisters.
Comment posted March 10, 2007 @ 8:19 pm
THANKS!b Thank you for writing about this issue. Due to the nature of the conditions that affect the gastrointestinal system what we face is rarely talked about. If we had pay toilets on street corners as they do in Europe (ie the market was providing for the needs of these individuals and everyone else!) we wouldn’t have to legislate things like this.
Comment posted March 1, 2007 @ 8:22 am
If Brodkorb's fan club really cared about disabled people rather than mocking them…. They'd make some donations to the Crohn's and Colitis Federation of America Minnesota Chapter:
http://www.ccfa.org/chapters/minnesota/
Here's the deal: I'll personally match the first $100 the Brodkorb fans put up as donations for the CCFA Mn chapter. Let's see them put their money where their newly-found professed compassion is.
Flash will be the fiscal agent. Whatever he receives (and you folks know where to find him) by March 10, I'll match up to $100.
(Cross posted)
Comment posted March 1, 2007 @ 12:12 pm
I'll agree with you that “Freedom to Poop” is overboard However, the fact that Brodkorb had a one-time consulting gig with the Bachmann campaign in 2006 is irrelevant to this story.
Comment posted March 1, 2007 @ 12:53 pm
Well, yes and no. Brodkorb is identified as such because he is not just a blogger, he also has and will be again a paid consultant to various GOP candidates, as well as the Minnesota GOP itself. Brodkorb's lack of independence is part of this story. I also could have noted his paid work for Kennedy, his paid work for the RNC, and so on, and so forth, but I didn't feel I needed to belabor the point.
Comment posted March 1, 2007 @ 6:12 pm
You make some strong points in your article They are weakened by mentioning the Bachmann affiliation. The Bachmann consultant gig is the most extreme politician Brodkorb's been affiliated with.
I'll agree with you that Brodkorb should be taken to task for this one – and his commenters on the subject have been appalling – and Brodkorb doesn't screen commenters, but does have some responsibility to elevate the dialog. King Banaian has commented about the same legislation, but hasn't reduced himself to the level of “freedom to poop”.
Comment posted March 2, 2007 @ 4:11 am
A paid blogger who says he doesn't even know who is paying him. It is hilarious to watch a Soros sock puppet question the credentials of anyone else…hahahahaaa!
Comment posted March 2, 2007 @ 4:14 am
My bathroom is always open to my colorectally challenged brothers and sisters.
Comment posted March 10, 2007 @ 2:19 pm
THANKS!b Thank you for writing about this issue. Due to the nature of the conditions that affect the gastrointestinal system what we face is rarely talked about. If we had pay toilets on street corners as they do in Europe (ie the market was providing for the needs of these individuals and everyone else!) we wouldn't have to legislate things like this.
RSS feed for comments on this post.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.
