Teh One Who Knocks
02-19-2013, 01:40 PM
Robert Garrison - 9 News Colorado
DENVER - A state legislator apologized Monday for a comment he made suggesting college women can't tell if they're about to be raped and, if armed, could be so confused they'd shoot innocent people.
Representative Joe Salazar, (D-Thornton) was arguing against guns on college campuses Friday when he suggested women can't tell if they're about to be raped or attacked.
"It's why we have call boxes. It's why we have safe zones. That's why we have the whistles, because you just don't know who you're going to be shooting at. And you don't know if you feel like you're going to be raped, or if you feel like someone's been following you around or if you feel like you're in trouble when you may actually not be, that you pop out that gun and you pop... pop a round at somebody," Salazar said.
Two Republican legislators - both women - took immediate issue with his comments. But Salazar's remark didn't gain much notice outside the House chamber until the conservative blog Revealing Politics posted it online Monday.
The resulting wave of conservative criticism suggested Salazar was saying women are too hysterical to handle a concealed carry permit responsibly.
In a statement to 9NEWS, Salazar said, "I'm sorry if I offended anyone. That was absolutely not my intention... If anyone thinks I'm not sensitive to the dangers women face, they're wrong."
Late Monday, House Speaker Mark Ferrandino came to the defense of his fellow Democrat.
"Whatever his words may have been and however much those words are being taken out of context, he did the right thing to take responsibility," Ferrandino said in a written statement. "I was there for the entire debate, and the overall point I understood him to be making is that guns on campus don't mean you're more safe."
The bill to restrict concealed carry on college campuses passed the House on Monday with strong support from Democrats.
DENVER - A state legislator apologized Monday for a comment he made suggesting college women can't tell if they're about to be raped and, if armed, could be so confused they'd shoot innocent people.
Representative Joe Salazar, (D-Thornton) was arguing against guns on college campuses Friday when he suggested women can't tell if they're about to be raped or attacked.
"It's why we have call boxes. It's why we have safe zones. That's why we have the whistles, because you just don't know who you're going to be shooting at. And you don't know if you feel like you're going to be raped, or if you feel like someone's been following you around or if you feel like you're in trouble when you may actually not be, that you pop out that gun and you pop... pop a round at somebody," Salazar said.
Two Republican legislators - both women - took immediate issue with his comments. But Salazar's remark didn't gain much notice outside the House chamber until the conservative blog Revealing Politics posted it online Monday.
The resulting wave of conservative criticism suggested Salazar was saying women are too hysterical to handle a concealed carry permit responsibly.
In a statement to 9NEWS, Salazar said, "I'm sorry if I offended anyone. That was absolutely not my intention... If anyone thinks I'm not sensitive to the dangers women face, they're wrong."
Late Monday, House Speaker Mark Ferrandino came to the defense of his fellow Democrat.
"Whatever his words may have been and however much those words are being taken out of context, he did the right thing to take responsibility," Ferrandino said in a written statement. "I was there for the entire debate, and the overall point I understood him to be making is that guns on campus don't mean you're more safe."
The bill to restrict concealed carry on college campuses passed the House on Monday with strong support from Democrats.