By Andrew Ripemoff
Well it looks like our favorite controversial lawmaker is at it again. This bombastic loudmouth maverick is spewing out more garbage, becoming an even bigger embarrassment to both his constituents and his party.
I am, of course, talking about Ken Gordon.
This time the remarks came after the Democratic state Senator spoke in support of a proclamation regarding recognition of genocide that occurred in Armenia during the Ottoman Empire - a remembrance that we can all support. I mean, after all, with a tightening economy, higher taxes, and rising college tuition, the main question on the minds of most Coloradans is: "What happened in Armenia during 1915?"
Aron Brand/Dreamstime
In his speech, Gordon compared the behavior of American Vietnam War veterans to that of Nazis and other regimes that committed genocide. The reality is (as most of us know) that American soldiers allied with the South Vietnamese in a flawed but genuine effort to give impoverished people of the region a chance at freedom and democracy. But we’re guessing Gordon missed that day of U.S. history class.
In fact is that unlike the U.S.A., genocidal regimes like the Nazis were against liberties. They had leaders in government who were strongly opposed to things like freedom of speech. Speaking of which, let’s talk about state Rep. Kathleen Curry.
In between efforts to drive energy industry jobs out of the state, Curry was busy rudely gaveling down another house member for the unforgivable sin of saying something she disagreed with. It was, as usual, Rep. Douglas Bruce. Speaking on an immigration farm bill, Bruce described migrant workers as being "illiterate peasants," which of course, is completely false. No one group in this country has a monopoly on that high distinction. The state's public education establishment is busy generating its share of U.S.-born workers who can't read, and rising property taxes have us all working off our share of indentured servitude to land Baron Bill Ritter.
Like Gordon’s comments, Bruce’s statement caused a stir. The difference between Gordon’s controversial remarks and those uttered by Bruce? Gordon is a Democrat. Thus, Senate decorum required that Gordon be allowed to finish his statement. It fact, Democrat leadership followed the example set by national Democrats who have given Barack Obama unlimited time to distance himself from his racist-anti-American-conspiracy-crazed Reverend Jeremiah Wright. The Senate required that Gordon be given the chance to later clarify the remarks. And then distance himself from them. And then apologize without really meaning it.
But of course, Republican Bruce did not have such a luxury, because our favorite champion of free speech, Kathleen Curry, cut him off for violating house rule #376, which reads:
House members, staff, members of the press and visitors are strictly prohibited from uttering any statement that may offend, or in any way upset the feelings of Representative Kathleen Curry.
After Bruce’s remarks, Curry tried her best to sound offended, shouting out: "How dare you?" (which is what liberals are taught to say when they’re in a debate and can’t think of anything intelligent to say). Curry, however, recovered quite nicely and rhetorically tore down the foundation of Bruce’s argument by banging the speaker’s gavel really, really, hard.
Predictably, Colorado newspaper columnists, editorial boards, and other non-thinking liberals fell in line and proclaimed false outrage. (Not at Curry’s hard-handed tactics. They were mad at Bruce). Even a bird watching group was offended after they mistakenly believed the comments concerned, "5,000 illiterate pheasants."
Rep. Terrance Carroll - a man seemingly addicted to getting his name in the paper - told the Rocky Mountain News that Bruce’s comments were "Insulting to the entire state." While a lot of Colorado voters may agree with Carroll, a multitude of voters have publicly objected to the Carroll-Curry censorship parade that tried to shut Bruce up.
Hundreds of comments posted at the Post and News Web sites, in addition to talk-show callers, all seem to show a certain amount of sympathy to Bruce’s sentiment. Additionally, Bruce has received over 1,100 emails - 95 percent of which he claims to be supportive of him.
Still we need to acknowledge that effective governing requires diplomacy. Maybe Democrats are right. Perhaps we should stop radical zealots from using the floor of the Capitol to spew hatred and insensitive remarks. Maybe we should prohibit offensive statements from out-of-touch, fringe politicians. And here again, I’m referring to Sen. Ken Gordon.
Fortunately Gordon is term limited, which means pretty soon he will no longer have the Senate floor to use for his tirades against brave American veterans. For his part, the liberal trial lawyer is reticent about leaving. He told the RMN: "I know there’ll be feeling of loss."
Trust us Mr. Gordon. The feeling is all yours.