MORE ACTION NEEDED: Editorial — Say it out loud in Colorado — Sex Offender!
I am one who tends to defend journalists and values the opinions of editorial staff members. What I have found is that they tend to be knowledgeable about a topic before writing on it. So, what on earth is happening with the Colorado Springs Gazette?
Oncefallendotcom and FAC have commented. We need more people to comment on this absurd opinion piece, all based on emotions and myths.
For those who can’t access this article, here it is. It is the most absurd OpEd I’ve seen in a while.
EDITORIAL: Say it out loud in Colorado — sex offender
The Gazette editorial board Dec 24, 2021 Updated Dec 24, 2021
(Note, here are the five folks on the Colorado Springs Gazette editorial board: Ryan McKibben, Chairman; Christian Anschutz, Vice Chairman; Chris Reen, Publisher; Wayne Laugesen, Editorial Page Editor, Pula Davis, Newsroom Operations Director)
Kudos to Gov. Jared Polis for nixing the Colorado Sex Offender Management Board’s vote last month to substitute silly, “person first” wokeism for sound policy.
Readers might recall that the obscure board, which writes the rules for rehabilitating and monitoring convicted sex offenders, made news a few weeks ago with its 10-6 vote to bar — ironically — the term “sex offender” from board use.
Board members decided instead to call sex offenders, “adults who commit sexual offenses.” Precious, right? To say nothing of absurd, pointless and insulting to the many Coloradans who have been victims of sexual assault.
Last week, the board voted again — to reverse its decision and table the new policy — after a timely trip to the woodshed. The governor appears to have felt putting the person first when it comes to convicted sex offenders could be interpreted as putting the victims last.
“We must be wary not to normalize violent acts of sexual aggression or even give the appearance of normalizing such unacceptable behavior,” Polis wrote to board Director Kimberly Kline the day before the vote.
“I hope that the board will reevaluate its previous decision to allow for additional discussions with the wider community, including carefully examining potential trauma to victims. …”
Which, of course, is diplomatic gubernatorial parlance for, “Are you guys nuts?”
Just plain bad policy aside, the board’s vote also was tone deaf amid public alarm over Colorado’s skyrocketing crime rate. Violent crime in our state soared 35% from 2011 to last year — it rose only 3% nationwide — and among the grim stats was a 9% jump in rape.
It can’t have escaped Polis’ attention that his fellow Colorado Democrats have been dogged lately by a soft-on-crime reputation. So the timing of the board’s ill-advised decision last month couldn’t be worse.
Actually, it could be worse — and in fact is. As reported in The Gazette on Thursday, courtesy of Denver’s 9News, a man who had been sentenced to 23 years in prison in 2014 for sexual assaults — and served only a fraction of that time — has been accused of sexually assaulting a 7-year-old girl in Aurora this month. Just 18 months after his prison release.
Kenneth Dean Lee was arrested Dec. 10 and faces charges of sexual assault on a child and first-degree burglary. Aurora police officers were told a man, later identified as Lee, entered a residence around noon, identified himself as an immigration official, and assaulted the victim.
A quick search for “sex offender” in The Gazette’s archives turns up a trove of tragic and unnerving headlines just from recent months. Here’s a sampling:
“Sex offender gets 48 years for kidnapping, sexually assaulting Douglas County woman”
“Repeat child sex offender sentenced to 126 years in prison”
“Aurora man who sexually assaulted a teenage boy is sentenced to a minimum of 22 years in prison”
They don’t need to be coddled with kinder, gentler labels. They urgently need help — and they should be getting it behind bars, preferably while serving out their full sentences.
Meanwhile, the Colorado Sex Offender Management Board could use a little therapy, too. Members who voted for the change should be required to repeat the words, “sex offender” aloud 100 times. Acknowledging who they truly are is the first step toward helping them.
I can’t get the comments to load. Number one sign of someone who doesn’t want the flaws in their argument pointed out, turn off comments. All the spammy ads are loading just fine though.
I am a SO living in Colorado Springs. I need to find the article but had I a bird and lined the cage floor with the Gazette, my bird would no doubt take its little life.
Done. Thank you for making us aware.
Have there been any studies to show the % of those on the registry that have no victims. I’m sure it is quite high. Also many on the registry are also victims themselves , and are a product of a broken system. Those in prison are not on a registry and the fact that some on the registry continue to offend shows the process doesn’t work.
Yet the writer of this is trying to promote a process that they are admitting isn’t and doesn’t work. So they want to make changes that make it even less effective. Great idea?
The writer of this article is totally clueless.
I believe that I saw that the vast majority of new offenses are from people not on the registry and not re-offenses by persons on the registry.
By persons that ‘have no victims’ I assume you mean sting operations and porn charges. Stings are big business in the public relations department. Departments can toot their horn that they are doing something, even if it’s not solving other crime problems.
I was planning to comment until I read through some – only some – of the BS political comments and obviously uneducated right-winged craziness. I do not know anything about this gazette nor their editorial staff with their GED style education.
To comment on that particular article only gives the author’s opinion relevance instead of what it is – trash.
Right wing craziness is no different than left wing craziness.
I disagree. A falsehood unchallenged gains unbearable strength.
Veritas.
I agree with you Ed. I would hope that a rational person person would see the editorial as an unhinged rant, but as I am learning, people listen and believe the unhinged rants.
Most people believe what they see and read without researching on their own. This is what we get when people can’t think critically and be independent thinkers.
A couple things –
First, their website is terrible. I could never even ge to the comments, too many windows opening, ads, bad formatting. They say they are a Pulitzer Prize-winning paper, and maybe they are but they look pretty low rent.
Second, it’s their editorial board that wrote this. Not their journalists. Now, I don’t have the same faith as you do when it comes to journalists reporting on SOR issues (they’ve disappointed me too many times) but editorial writers are a step even below that and usually just spout inflammatory stuff to get more readers and clicks.
Anyway, it’s a bad article, but I’m choosing not to give it too much of my attention.
I read through all the comments; while a few touched on the issue, most diverged into politics and fighting. I don’t see the point in bringing up the Biden administration, Trump administration, etc., stances on religion, making assumptions about people’s background, their opinions of homosexuality, or politics.
FAC..
This Piece of Journalism, aka Grocery Store Tabloid, is Just Simply That…Continuing the ‘Stranger Danger Concept’, that befalls all Ignorant Individuals who Refuse to Use Empirical Data to base their Distorted and Illogical Statements and Opinions of Dung!
The Perpetrators who wrote this ‘Toilet Paper’ Should Show Their Real Zebra Stripes and Fess Up so We can Comment Directly to them!
Thank You!
Was the writer(s) having a contact high and engaged in the munchies while writing this editorial? Can we say nothing is silly about labeling people with words that aren’t even true and based on myths? I’ll label this editorial as unprofessional, poorly written and researched, filled with emotional fodder to appease the public, and fans the flames of division in Colorado. Nice job small minding journalists of the Gazette. Try harder next time or at least put in some effort.
Well Derek you do have something their as a matter of fact many of you all have something that is interesting about this article. I was always taught that the first is last and the last is first. Aggressive behavior? When someone wants someone to come down and talk dirty to them how aggressive is that?
One meets a strange person on an adult site or where ever, whether in public or not and that person says mom’s not home come down and talk dirty to me, which is basically what happened in my ordeal. What do you do. even when they say they want you to come down and talk dirty to them.Now I know many people don’t like to throw foul balls but this registry is mixed with foul balls all designed to entrap one
The scenarios’ may be a bit different but the inducement is there in this type of devilish internet game that plays on weakness of the sexes in this computer day apple picking crap.
While I am sure the writer of the or article meant well its more of an uninviting type catch. This internet issue is a bit bloated when much of this is a “Catcher in the rye” type unjust ordeal installed by government measures and very vain to say the least. Were is true justice today.
Saddles…..
“True Justice” Has Never Existed…It is Political Justice, in Most Cases…
In ‘OUR” Cases, it is called MONEY.. MONEY…. MONEY
Crime Is Commerce which Justifies Law Enforcement, as a Whole, to Treat Us with Vengeance, Distaste, Distrust, and Pure Cruelness!
Happy New Year!
They stated we need help, so does that mean we can be cured? If we can be cured why have a registry? No registry means no more present tense labels. Great now I’m thinking to much.
A number of “sex offenders” in Colorado are among those at risk of losing their homes — or having to evacuate — due to fast-moving wildfires.
There are many problems in the world today. I’m not sure that nomenclature is one of them.
Well, they have now locked me out of the comments section. They do not want the truth to come out.
As for those who can still get on to the comments section, ignore all the comments that have nothing with the article. Educate the media and public on the truth.
Media
It’s silly the truth scares them, so maybe next time they will think twice before hitting submit. When this was posted I sent an email to the newspaper to publish a truthful message on registrants. Maybe Colorado Advocacy Group could send in a rebuttal with a pan of pot brownies.
Please Keep In Mind,
That All Journalists, are To Abide By Their Journalistic Ethic Standards as Promulgated By Their Society of Journalists
They Provide The Guidelines
So, Therefore, They ‘Should’ Abide By the AFOREMENTIONED…Most DO, But, There are Some ‘That Wreck The Train For Others’
Happy New Year To All!
Truth and Science
I wish politicians weren’t weasels and only cared about votes/next election. Held accountable for their actions.
I wish District Attorneys cared about the rule of law, not resume padding.
I wish Judges followed the Constitution and not public opinion.
I wish the United States Supreme Court had the guts to overturn Smith v Doe and followed the Constitution, not their legacy.
No ethics= no morals, no spine, no courage, and no accountability.
Brandon
That about sums it up.
I wish the public would put in effort to do their own research and not to take everything the media and politicians write/say at face value.
I wish laws were passed based on facts not emotions.
I wish law enforcement would serve and protect the community and not engage in corruption like Sheriff Judd and his ilk.
I wish the truth comes out about registrants and our families telling Karen’s/Kens to go suck a lemon.
I am an adult and I don’t need a damn babysitter.