May 20, 2004

Resolution decrying hate group reasonable

It was distressing to read that Sen. Jennifer Veiga's resolution concerning tolerance in Colorado was defeated, not least because Fred Phelps was identified by name in the resolution ("Anti-hate measure dies" Legislative Briefings, April 29).

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Not only was this resolution measured and reasonable in its condemnation of hate and bigotry in Colorado, but it rightly and legitimately condemned Phelps and his virulently homophobic and anti-Semitic Westboro Baptist Church.

Phelps' followers recently visited Denver to, in the words of the WBC Web site, engage in a sidewalk demonstration "opposing the homosexual lifestyle of soul-damning, nation-destroying filth."

Carrying signs with repugnant messages, Phelps and his group proclaim to have conducted some 20,000 such demonstrations during the last nine years, at, among other places, "funerals of impenitent sodomites, like Matthew Shepard."

Phelps and his adherents have not left Jews and Christians out of their sights either. On Jews, the WBC has made such statements as: "The American Jews are the real Nazis who hate God and the rule of law." About Christians, the WBC Web site states: "Most Christians today are Christians by name only, and should be ashamed of themselves."

The Colorado legislature, through the power of the resolution, regularly sends messages of praise, remembrance, condemnation and commemoration. Phelps' group came to Colorado to spread its message of hatred and intolerance. Why would anyone object to identifying this man by name in a resolution declaring Colorado no place for hate?

Evan M. Zuckerman
Associate director, Anti-Defamation League, Mountain States Region
Denver

Vast police support for Turney troubling

Letter writers who say that "the Turney family is now devastated" and invoke the names of good officers killed in the line of duty along with this deplorable character is over the top as far as I am concerned. Ditto for those that want to label us "cop haters" or "not law-abiding."

If Denver Manage of Public Safety Al LaCabe were not shackled to the "altar of politics," he would have the freedom to say that the shooting was not justified. He and the mayor have to walk a fine line since lawsuits will certainly be filed on both sides and they will have to work with the police department after this difficult situation is resolved.

Seeing so many members of the police department out to support the actions of Turney is deeply troubling. I have heard and seen in print that this is what the Childs family should expect and deserve since, after all, they are the ones who called the police. I would hope that expecting a better outcome because you called the police is not unreasonable.

The dots here are easy to connect. Paul Childs probably would be alive today if anyone but Turney had shown up at his doorstep that day. Or, Paul Childs would be alive today if Turney had made the choice to take a step back and let fellow officers armed with Tasers confront the victim. From every account I have read, Turney was not backed into a corner, nor was any family member in physical danger.

Turney has done this before. Just how many times does he get to kill before the Denver Police Department holds one of their own accountable for unreasonable performance of duty? I think I know the answer to my question and it scares me.

Ginter Speyer
Estes Park

Denver police did well in dangerous incident

There has been a lot of bashing of the Denver Police Department lately. I would like to take a minute and offer some praise for how a recent situation was handled.

The situation involved the apprehension of a carjacking suspect featured on the cover of the May 10 Rocky Mountain News. Denver police exercised excellent judgment and superior police skills in arresting the suspect without injury to anyone.

The high-speed pursuit was appropriately called off when it entered a high-traffic and high-population area, yet the cops were still able to track and eventually apprehend an armed suspect who had stolen two vehicles at gunpoint. Their prompt action kept the suspect from escaping and kept the area residents safe.

Let's give some props to the men and women who put their life on the line everyday. Let's also realize that they do accomplish many good, positive things to keep Denver safe for all of us - things that are often overlooked. Thank you to all the officers who brought this incident to a safe resolution and removed a dangerous person from the streets.

Dr. Michael Diorio
Englewood

Thanks to 23, school funding 'recovering'

The News editorial of April 28, "Moment of truth for state budget," proposes a common-sense approach to dealing with solutions to Colorado's budget problems - solutions that are absolutely essential for the state's future fiscal integrity.

However, the News says that the average voter is unlikely to share lawmakers' sense of the state budget being under siege "because school funding, thanks to Amendment 23, has continued to expand at a robust pace." By using the word "expand," you certainly give your readers the wrong impression. Had you used the word "recover," you would be at least partly correct.

School funding began to recover only in the last three years and only after voters decided to save the sinking ship of K-12 education by overwhelming approval of Amendment 23. It's important to note that the ship was sinking because of more than 10 years of underfunding that amounted to $530 million.

Additionally, your use of the word "robust" to describe the pace of school funding is questionable. Amendment 23 set a period of 10 years to recover school funding. This was more than reasonable, considering what was lost and what was needed. The recovery formula of inflation plus 1 percent shows excruciating patience and admirable concern for taxpayers on the part of the framers of the amendment.

Should we, once again, make funding for our kids' education the scapegoat for failure to deal with the state's financial problems?

Walt Heidenfelder
Lakewood

Amendment 23 wrong

The News' editorial of May 9, "One last chance for legislature," posits that the "last chance" is to alter the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights and Amendment 23.

It is the duty of citizens to take care of government. That means to be watchful counsel. Legislatures and citizens alike make mistakes. This fact is the reason our brilliant Founders engineered the trial-by-jury system and the Electoral College, as examples.

Amendment 23 was a mistake by the voters of Colorado. It is time the News admits this. To view TABOR and Amendment 23 as equal in legitimacy is simply wrong by standards of good government.

Charlie Judd
Aurora

'Honor your father and your father'?

Having just celebrated Mother's Day and looking forward to Father's Day, I believe we desperately need to consider where we're headed with the whole issue of same-sex unions. Yet many don't seem to understand why such unions will destroy our society and politicians are exhibiting a curious lethargy regarding the proposed federal marriage amendment.

When we think of the commandment "Honor your father and your mother," we might not have realized that homosexuality is implicitly excluded.

"Honor your father and your father" or "mother and mother" doesn't make sense because we instinctively know there's no life in such unions. Allowing same-sex unions to be called "marriage" will mean disaster for the family and what it means to be in committed life-long relationships.

With elections coming up, it's critical to support the federal marriage amendment and the ideal time for our voices to be heard at both federal and state levels. The basic structure of our society is at stake and I hope this precious and blessed institution is not left to die through our inaction and judicial activism.

Mark Young
Loveland

Why stay Republican?

It is beyond me why Log Cabin Republicans ("Gay Republicans launch ad blitz," May 11) choose to remain in the Republican Party, a party that seems to have been taken over by a group of fundamentalist theofascists whose dearest goal is to impose their narrow-minded brand of religion on the rest of us whether we want it or not.

Those of any sexual persuasion who truly believe in low taxes, limited government, free markets, personal responsibility, and individual liberty will certainly find themselves more comfortable in the one U.S. political party that embraces all of these principles without compromise - the true party of liberty, the Libertarian Party.

George H. Griffin
Golden

The tough question for abortion advocates

Syndicated columnist Molly Ivins asks this direct question in her pro-choice column of April 28: Who decides?

The pro-life answer is, the same ones who decide for the helpless and physically dependent just-born infant: the parents. The parents decide to give the child the love, care and nurturing he or she needs, even when inconvenient and difficult. It's a no-brainer and so natural, isn't it? If the parents make other choices, our society tries to intervene for that child.

Yet, have that very same child in the mother's womb, no less helpless or physically dependent than the just-born infant, and magically we've invented a choice over the past 40 years. That child, thanks to illogical abortion laws, has no right to life. That raises this question for abortion advocates, a question so painfully difficult for them to directly answer: "When does life begin?"

Rich McLean
Aurora

Reinstate Barnett

It's really amazing to me how a few women can turn a fine university like CU upside down with just the accusation of rape. As far as I can tell, they have no real proof and they think they bear no responsibility even though they willingly put themselves in jeopardy.

What's even worse is that President Elizabeth Hoffman seems to be more concerned about selecting her least undesirable political option regarding Coach Gary Barnett, rather than doing the right thing.

Unless hard evidence surfaces against Barnett, the right thing for Hoffman to do is to reinstate him.

Rick Lau
Littleton

Culture drips with evil

Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell says he mystified over how those soldiers who carried out horrific acts against Iraqi prisoners ever got into our military ("And still more abuse," May 13). Sen. Campbell, open your eyes! Everywhere you look in the U.S. you can find filth, smut and all forms of perversion being openly peddled. From the Supreme Court right down to the lowliest court in the land we endorse and approve of all things evil. This is the state of our culture. Campbell lives amongst it; he can't be that naive.

Susan Sutherland
Thornton

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