Obama sez: Don't wake up to Senator Buck!

Writing for Daily Kos, Joan McCarter reports that President Obama is urging Colorado voters to support Michael Bennet in his Senate race against Ken "Homosexuals Are Like Alcoholics" - Buck saying, "don't wake up Nov. 3 to a Sen. Ken Buck...."

I'm heading out to vote now.

The Center dismayed by U.S. Senate candidate Ken Buck's statements

The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center of Colorado (The Center) was dismayed to learn that a Colorado candidate for U.S. Senate believes the outdated notion that homosexuality is a choice and compares homosexuality with alcoholism.

U.S. Senate candidate Ken Buck (above) compared homosexuality with alcoholism during his comments on Sunday morning's "Meet the Press." Buck told moderator David Gregory that he believes being homosexual is a choice and "birth has an influence, like alcoholism and some other things. But basically, I think you have a choice."

Center Executive Director Carlos Martinez said Buck's comments don't reflect the views of the majority of Coloradans.

"It is unfortunate that an individual seeking an elected position that would represent the people of Colorado would choose to say such things, a nervous mistake or not," Martinez said. "What is clear is that such comments are not reflective of the truly inclusive nature of this state."

Rep. Mark Ferrandino, one of four openly gay or lesbian Colorado state legislators, has fought for years to protect and advance LGBT Coloradans.

"I've been proud to be part of this state making significant progress in fighting for the equality of all Coloradans with recent passage of the Designated Beneficiary Agreement Act and expanding health insurance benefits to domestic partners of state employees," said Ferrandino. "It is frightening that such dangerous, and blatantly incorrect, rhetoric is coming from a candidate so detached from the majority of Coloradans."

Recent polling has shown that economy and jobs, rather than social issues, are the most important issues to voters. "It is imperative, however, that voters also pay attention and take into consideration candidates' perspectives on equality as they prepare to complete their ballots," said Mindy Barton, legal director at The Center. "Coloradans should elect people who are aware of the diverse nature of their constituency."

Polling from the Pew Research Center released this month found that 90 percent of registered voters say the economy will be "very important" to their vote while nearly as many (88 percent) rate jobs as very important. Just 32 percent say the issue of same-sex marriage is very important -- the lowest percentage for all 13 issues tested.

HRC to Ken Buck: You’re a Dangerous Extremist Who Needs to Get His Facts Right

Today on NBC’s 'Meet the Press', Colorado Republican Senate candidate and Tea Party darling, Ken Buck called homosexuality a choice and compared it to alcoholism – a theory debunked by the American Psychological Association and the American Psychiatric Association. Buck’s extremist views and prior lapses of judgment show he is not worthy of representing the citizens of Colorado in U.S. Senate. The Human Rights Campaign – the nation’s largest LGBT civil rights organization – in partnership with One Colorado, call on Mr. Buck to correct his dangerous statements immediately.

“Mr. Buck’s ill-informed views are not only factually inaccurate, but they are extremely dangerous,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese. “In the past six weeks a number of teenagers have taken their own lives after being the victims of anti-gay bullying and harassment. When public figures like Mr. Buck make statements like he did today, kids struggling with their identities question their self-worth and other kids justify bullying. Ken Buck must correct his remarks now.”

“This is yet another in a long line of examples showing that Ken Buck is out of touch with the majority of Coloradans,” said One Colorado Executive Director Brad Clark. “Instead of focusing on common values of respect for all people, Buck is spewing divisive, extreme rhetoric. His claim that homosexuality is a choice is yet another example of his extreme views falling out of step with everyday Coloradans.”
Buck’s judgment is lacking. In 2005, as the Weld County, CO district attorney, he declined to prosecute a rape suspect, saying the details appeared to show the victim consented to the sexual encounter. Buck accused the victim of having “buyer’s remorse,” and regretting her relationship with the perpetrator.

In an interview after his appearance on 'Meet the Press', Buck said issues affecting the LGBT community will not come before the Senate. In reality, the Senate will likely take up over a dozen pieces of equality-related legislation. After being pressed on his comments that being gay is a choice, Buck said he is not a biologist and has not studied the issue.

“It is evident that Ken Buck’s views are out of line with the fair-minded people of Colorado,” Solmonese added. “He has proven to the people that he lacks good judgment and cannot be trusted to serve in the United States Senate. He says he is not an expert on LGBT issues. He will be making a lot of choices about issues he is not an expert on. We now know his extremist ideology will always win out.”

Hats off to Mr. Ken Buck

I posted about this editorial yesterday but didn't realize it was written by Ken Buck, conservative Republican DA who is arguing IN FAVOR of the hate crimes statute, which puts him at odds with the majority of Republicans. AND he's running for Senator, and coming forward with this opinion, which is really brave of him considering his party's stance on the issue.