Wednesday, February 18, 2009

The truth comes out in Salt Lake City (updated)

During the arguments about Prop 8, one of the big points made by the Mormons and others opposed to gay marriage was that they weren't BIGOTS, oh gracious me, no! And they didn't mind giving the homos some basic rights just as long as, you know, they weren't REDEFINING MARRIAGE. They stated explicitly that they were not opposed to legal protections for same sex couples.

So, Equality Utah took them at their word and launched the "Common ground" initiatives regarding health care, fair employment, and inheritance. Not gay marriage. Not even civil unions. Just statutory protections for same sex couples in Utah.

So, how are they doing? Not so well, reports the SLC Tribune:
Four down, one to go.

The Utah Legislature snuffed out two more gay-rights bills Tuesday.

After lengthy public hearings, House committees rejected two measures: HB288, which would have allowed same-sex couples and other unmarried pairs to adopt and foster children; and HB267, which would have protected gay and transgender Utahns from housing and employment discrimination. Two other gay-rights measures also are off the docket: One was pulled by its sponsor and the other died in committee. The final bill faces a test today.
Alas, it failed that test. As reported by a SLC Tribune blog,
Probably the most frustrating part for the bill's supporters is that HB160 obviously was dead before the House Judiciary Committee convened. Nevertheless, citizens, gay and straight, went through the motions—testifying the state needs a simple way to protect the rights of cohabiting adults in inheritance and medical decision making. The opposition, including the Eagle Forum's Gayle Ruzicka, right, complained that the bill was unnecessary and a veilded attempt to drag the state into legalizing gay marriage.

Strikingly, few committee members bothered to ask questions...Rep. Keith Grover, R-Orem, idly surfed the Web on his laptop as unmarried couples told of their fears that they would not be able to care medically, financially and emotionally for "the person who matters to me most."
As Andrew Sullivan noted on his blogpost Calling the Christianist bluff, there never was any interest in fairness. This exposes the opposition's views clearly. It is simply contempt, without even the pretense of a fair hearing about how these people's lives are affected.

Meanwhile, a hateful and hate-filled advertisement published in the SLC Tribune attacking the "Homosexual movement" and declaring "homosexuality is not a race!" It states
  • "To add sexual orientation to the law...would enhance the rights of a few and diminish the rights of the rest...."
  • "By holding hands and kissing in public.....if backed by law will force the acceptance of homosexuality as a[n equal] relationship"
  • "Gays should be forced not to display their conduct to our children".
  • "people can be gay, like people can be druggies or hookers"
  • .Now, I want you to think if instead of "homosexual" it said black. Or Mexicans. Or Jewish. Or, Mormon. Do you think this advertisement would have been accepted and published in a major city newspaper if it singled out any other group of Americans?

    They aren't interested in co-existence. They aren't interested in tolerance. They lied about that, too. Maybe it's time to bring out the pink triangles in Utah.

    (Update) Adding to the theme, in a recent interview with a Utah TV station, UT State Senator Buttars revealed that gays are"probably the greatest threat to America." Think Muslim terrorists, and yes, he went there. This is a man who takes credit for destruction of any gay rights legislation in Utah. His family values are so strong he is the former director of one of the Mormon re-education camps, known for abuse of young people and also favored as a place to beat "teh gay" out of them.

    15 comments:

    James said...

    Thank you for this, IT. It really is good to know that you are ever vigilant about his for those of us too lazy to find this information on our own.

    I'm so glad I met you at the Blog-father's place.

    Göran Koch-Swahne said...

    I do realise that our dears IT and BP and thousands more, are hurt and hurting, and for all the right reasons... but, my God! how people will laugh in 50 years ;=)

    Whitson said...

    ...I think my head's going to explode. I can't even believe this is for real.

    IT said...

    There' s a recent post on Kos from a straight woman who with her husband, is applying to adopt a child in Florida.

    She reports that on the form, right under "do you have a criminal record" it asks whether she or her husband is homosexual.

    Mind you, gay marriage is outlawed in Florida.

    Mind you, gay adoption is outlawed in Florida.

    So now they are thought police trying to find out if straight married couples are fronts for gays desperate to adopt???

    The mind boggles.

    The woman is outraged.

    It's worth reading her post and the comments.

    (I crossposted my post at Kos too but as usual it fell off the front page pretty fast.)

    Anonymous said...

    Mormonism isn't a race, either, though it used to be one until 1978, when their president (pope-equivalent) allowed non-white men to hold the "priesthood" status that all white men held.

    NancyP

    Lois Keen said...

    It is alleged that one of the Scandinavian countries, during Hitler's regime, all wore the yellow stars of David that were supposed to be worn by Jews.

    I wonder what would happen if all of us started wearing pink triangles. All of us. I'm fed up to the teeth.

    Göran Koch-Swahne said...

    That was Denmark.

    IT said...

    Americans talk big about "equality and justice for all" but have yet to live up to it. I have become sick of the hypocrisy. I hand it to the Danes, they live the courage of their convictions.

    Anonymous said...

    Maybe it's time to bring out the pink triangles in Utah.

    ...or maybe it's time to take every last "Gentile" dime OUT of Utah??? Boycott!!!

    Brother David said...

    Anyone who thought that these bills had a snowballl's chance in hell of passing in Utah is living in La La Land!

    Nancy, men of any race, except Negro, could be ordained into the Mormon priesthoods until 1987 when it was extended to Negroes as well. Because some Latin American countries have a lot of mulatto blood, the Mormons did not send missionaries to countries like Brazil until after 1978.

    Brother David said...

    Got my 7 and 8 backwards, that was 1978.

    Lynn said...

    "People can be gay, like people can be druggies or hookers"

    Disgusting.

    Frank Remkiewicz aka “Tree” said...

    I know everyone has spoken of the issue of people of color holding the highest offices in Mormonism and that the then President "had a revelation" that then allowed blacks in particular to become priests. That was, if you recall, one step ahead of the Attorney General's office. However, there was a precedent. The Mormons eliminated polygamy in order to obtain statehood. It was a requirement for Utah to enter the United States as a state. Horse trading, opps, revelation, is a standard for Mormons.
    That sets the mind to wondering, do you suppose the Pope might have a revelation? Oh, never mind.

    Göran Koch-Swahne said...

    John XXIII had a revelation... You could almost hear the old men say Nooooo!

    Ann said...

    Buttars has been stripped of his chairmanship. Read here