U.S. Representative Al Green of Houston is blasting derogatory remarks from fellow Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger, a 65-year-old Republican from Tennessee, who referred to him as “boy” during a recent interview on a Christian podcast.
The comments, which Green has condemned as racist, have drawn widespread criticism and ignited a broader conversation about race and respect in American politics.
Harshbarger’s remarks, made during a recent appearance on the F.A.M.E. Ministries podcast, were directed at Green, a 77-year-old Black Democrat, following his protest during President Donald Trump’s address to Congress in March. Green, using a cane for support after multiple surgeries, pointed the cane at Trump while shouting, “You have no mandate!”
Harshbarger, mocking Green’s actions, quipped, “Gosh dang it, boy! Put that … he does not need that cane.”
She then went on to describe the cane as a prop, suggesting that it might be hiding a weapon, even stating that one of her colleagues joked about removing the gold part of the cane to “see if there’s a gun in there.”
Rooted in racism
The term “boy” has long been considered a racial slur, used to belittle and infantilize Black men, particularly in the South. Martin Luther King Jr. called it one of the daily “humiliations” faced by Black people in his famous Letter from Birmingham Jail. For many, it evokes a dark history of racist oppression and dehumanization.
“It’s not a joke,” Green said in response to the comments. “This is not something people of African ancestry, knowing our history, that we can receive with any degree of notion that it is funny. It is not funny to us.”
Green was joined at a recent press conference by civil rights leaders and local officials from Houston, including city council members and organizations like the NAACP and LULAC. At the conference, he called on Harshbarger to acknowledge her mistake.
“I am not asking her to apologize. I never ask people to apologize. I ask people to tell the truth,” Green said. “The truth is these slurs are nothing to joke about.”
State Representative Ron Reynolds of Texas condemned Harshbarger’s words, saying, “I am deeply outraged—but sadly, not surprised. For a white Republican Congresswoman to go on a so-called Christian podcast and refer to Congressman Green— a 77-year-old civil rights icon, statesman, and man of God—as ‘boy,’ is not just offensive. It is racist. Period.”
Reynolds, a mentor and close friend of Green, continued, “This kind of language is rooted in a dark history—a deliberate attempt to diminish Black men, especially those who dare to stand up and speak truth to power.”
Reynolds also highlighted the danger of Harshbarger’s rhetoric, pointing out that such language has historically been used to demonize and dehumanize Black men.
“Rep. Harshbarger insinuated that Congressman Green, who uses a cane for medical reasons, might be hiding a weapon. Let’s be honest: that’s not just disrespectful — it’s dangerous,” Reynolds said. “It’s the kind of rhetoric that’s gotten Black men killed.”
Green’s protest, during which he disrupted Trump’s speech, was in line with his long-standing criticism of Trump, which included filing articles of impeachment against him three times during his presidency. Following the incident, Green was removed from the House chamber and censured by the Republican-led House, with ten Democrats also voting in favor of the resolution.
Green expressed frustration with the ongoing attacks, stating, “They already censured me. Now they are going to censure my cane. At some point, this has to be silly to somebody.”
The interview also saw Harshbarger make controversial remarks about LGBT+ individuals, calling them “fairies” in reference to the Biden administration’s support for LGBT+ rights. Harshbarger laughed as she made the comments, further fueling backlash against her.
Harshbarger’s controversial comments also drew attention to her personal history. Her husband, Robert Harshbarger, was sentenced to four years in prison in 2013 for distributing misbranded drugs to kidney dialysis patients, raising questions about her character and values.
As the controversy continues to unfold, Green’s allies are calling for Harshbarger to be held accountable for her language.
“We will not let bigotry dress itself up as patriotism or piety. We see you, and we will not let this slide,” Reynolds said.
