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Ken Buck: Pathetically Perpetrating PC Pandering

by Ikonoclast | 11:00 am, April 27, 2009 | 2 Comments

Coinciding with his official entry into the 2010 U.S. Senate race, Ken Buck also produced a Guest Commentary piece in the Sunday Denver Post, with the obvious intent of raising his name recognition and profile for a statewide campaign, particularly in the metro Denver area (heart of the Post’s circulation) where he is less known.

The piece, titled “Hate-crime verdict sends message” certainly does, but not the message Buck intended.  Rather than a message of high-mindedness and prosecutorial competence, the message it sends is: “I would rather pander to political correctness and a vocal, politically active and influential interest group than stand on principle and uphold the law equally for all citizens of Colorado.”

The case in question – the murder of Angie Zapata in Greeley in June 2008 – was about as open-and-shut as one is likely to find from a law enforcement perspective: body, murder weapon, perpetrator, confession.  As noted by Buck, the Greeley Police Department did a thorough job in investigating the crime, the prosecution team put together an airtight case on the facts, and the perpetrator was convicted of murder.  Case closed, great work – except that Buck also spotted a political opportunity:

“As district attorney of Weld County, I made the decision to charge the defendant with a bias-motivated crime under Colorado law.“

Buck then shifts into full PC-pander mode, spewing pablum about how “Weld County is a tolerant community, but we don’t tolerate illegal, and especially violent, behavior.”  (Well, duh – that’s why murder is a crime.  No need to tack on the ”bias-motivated” adjective).  Oh, but “bias-motivated crimes are particularly heinous”, says Buck.  Why?  Because they are “intended to intimidate” and “send terror across an entire group of our neighbors.”

 Ah, an entire “group.”  I thought Republicans were supposed to stand up for individual, not group (or “collective”) rights.

Buck further engages in Orwellian doublespeak by asserting that “Bias-motivated crime legislation doesn’t provide special protection for some, but rather ensures equal protection for all.”  We each belong to some category “protected by bias-motivated crime legislation”, Buck asserts.

Oh, really?  In practice, application of “bias-motivated” crime statutes is highly selective, favoring some “groups” over others.  After all, according to Buck’s logic, shouldn’t serial rapists be charged with “bias-motivated crimes” against women?  Surely the effect of a serial rapist on the loose “sends terror across an entire group of our neighbors”  – i.e, women.  Oh, but they’re not among the favored groups (in this instance, at least).

What of other groups?  Are carjackings evidence of “bias-motivated crimes” against drivers?  Burglaries evidence of “bias-motivated crimes” against homeowners?  Barroom brawls “bias-motivated crimes” against drinkers?

The concept of ”Bias-motivated crimes” – or “hate crimes”, as originally labeled - got rolling with the Hate Crimes Statistics Act of 1990 – co-sponsored by a veritable litany of the loony Left, including then-Representatives Barbara Boxer and Chuck Schumer, along with Representatives Barney Frank, Ron Dellums, Leon Panetta, and Nancy Pelosi.  The concept was further popularized by the Janet Reno Justice Department with a 1997 monograph entitled “A Policymaker’s Guide to Hate Crimes.” 

For Ken Buck to align himself with these folks is disturbing, at best.

ALL Colorado citizens deserve equal protection under the law.  “Bias-motivated” or “Hate” crimes legislation violates that principle by creating groups,classes, or categories that enjoy additional special protected status.  Whatever happened to “all men are created equal” in the eyes of the law?

Buck states that bias-motivated crimes are especially “morally repugnant.”  Nonsense.  Inflicting violence on a person for ANY reason other than defense of self or others is “morally repugnant.”

Is it more morally repugnant to murder or assault someone because they are [fill-in-the-blank] than because they happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time?  Why?  What difference does it make to the victim?  It is the action, not the motivation, that is “morally repugnant.”  THAT is true equality under the law.

There is – there can be – no justification for prosecuting some people differently for the same crime based on the identity or group affiliation of the victim.  To assert otherwise is to advocate unequal treatment under the law, which violates the Equal Protection clause (14th Amendment) of the United States Constitution.

Buck has already signalled that in his view, “some people are more equal than others” in the eyes of the law.  THAT is morally repugnant.

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Category: 2010, Colorado, First Amendment, Liberty, Rule of Law
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Comments

  1.   Befairtoall
      April 28th, 2009 @ 3:16 pm

    I totally agree with “Ikonoclast”–I found this website while I was looking for a way to let Ken Buck know that this Repulican would not be supporting him in his bid for Senate. I will not support him because of his decision to use the “Hate Crime” law–for the reasons outlined above. I had the feeling months ago that Buck’s decision to use this PC law had to be because he was seeking greater fortune and fame!

  2.   Brian Kenny
      May 6th, 2009 @ 12:38 pm

    This immigrant hate-monging nutjob D/A is corrupt and needs to be locked up for his bias hate crimes using his powers as a District Attorney to ERADICATE all immigrants from Weld County!

    EXAMPLE: Good ole boy Buck, tried to have me prosecuted back in 2005 for a extremely vague and absolutely ridiculous claim that I physically abused and battered my former spouse in Colorado, when in fact I was in New York for the time in question….and for a year prior! He then obtained a warrant for my arrest (without ever notifying me of it…for a year…)WITHOUT ANY EVIDENCE OR REASON TO BELIEVE ANYTHING EVER HAPPENED…..then when confronted with hard/cold evidence to the fact that I could not have possibly committed the crime….. he alleged….CONTINUED TO PURSUE PROSECUTION OF THIS BECAUSE HE WAS TRYING TO COVER HIS BUTT FOR SETTING UP AND INNOCENT PERSON FOR MONEY!

    Great Job Sleuthdog Buck! Your a top notch prosecutor……..pretty embarrassing …..no? Tell us how you will have that Senate seat genius!

    Remember Ken……not all immigrants are criminals….just in your psychotic mind they are…..keep breaking those laws to get tax returns from them….it’s doing you wonders!

    Someone please ask Ken if he could recall how many prosecutions he obtained when he was a U.S. Attorney? Let me save you good people from his stumbling lies……..the number is 0…..

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