DENVER—Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Hickenlooper defended himself Friday after a conservative website drew attention to a comment he made last year that some Coloradans are guilty of the same “backwards thinking” that led to the slaying of gay college student Matthew Shepard in Wyoming.
Hickenlooper’s spokesman, George Merritt, said Hickenlooper “was making the point that the kind of intolerance that led to Matthew Shepard’s murder is not unique to a single community in Wyoming.”
Political consultant Floyd Ciruli said the remarks won’t hurt Hickenlooper with members of the gay community because they feel the same way, and Hickenlooper has a good track record in Denver. But it could hurt him with other voters.
“It sounds like the urban elite disparaging the average Coloradan,” Ciruli said.
Heather Draper, spokeswoman for the GLBT Community Center of Colorado, said violence should never be tolerated.
“Colorado has made great strides in recent years in the advancement of LGBT equality, but it is an unfortunate reality that violence against the LGBT community can happen anywhere and at any time,” Draper said.
National Review Online, a website devoted to conservative news and commentary, on Friday posted a transcript of Hickenlooper’s remarks. The comments were made during an interview about the decision to locate the Matthew Shepard foundation in Denver.
During the interview, Hickenlooper was asked about the environment that led to Denver becoming the foundation’s home.
“I think a couple things. I mean, you know, the tragic death of Matthew Shepard occurred in Wyoming. Colorado and Wyoming are very similar. We have some of the same, you know, backwards thinking in the kind of rural Western areas you see in, you know, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico,” Hickenlooper said.
Hickenlooper also said during the interview that Denver has one of the most robust GLBT communities in the country.
Shepard died in 1998 after being found beaten and left tied to a fence outside Laramie, Wyo. Police said Shepard was targeted because he was gay.
“John was making the point that the kind of intolerance that led to Matthew Shepard’s murder is not unique to a single community in Wyoming,” Merritt said. “It’s something that can happen in any community. He wishes he had articulated the point better to make it clear that any community is susceptible to hatred, but he continues to feel strongly that the intolerance that killed Shepard is backwards and not acceptable.”
American Constitution Party challenger Tom Tancredo issued a statement criticizing Hickenlooper.
“To suggest that people in rural Colorado are backwards because they don’t share your left-wing values reinforces once again just how out of touch you are. Mr. Mayor, you owe the people of rural Colorado an apology,” said the former GOP congressman.
Republican Dan Maes declined comment.
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Online:
National Review Online interview,
