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[UT]
State Senator Removed From Post For Anti-Gay Remarks
Minneapolis Star-Tribune
/February 23, 2009
The president of the Utah Senate removed Republican Sen. Chris Buttar as chairman of a judiciary committee, a position Buttar used to kill gay rights legislation, after Buttar said that gay people don’t have morals and compared gay activists to radical Muslims.
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on February 26th, 2009 at 11:55 am
As a life-long Mormon, I am proud of the Utah senate for at least chastizing in some way a person like Buttar – he should not even be allowed to serve in the state senate, having made the remarks he made. The church is very conservative socially, but except for a few ignorant individuals, does not go around bashing ANYONE. One exception was the recent fiasco in California with regard to gay marriage (and I believe gays, like anyone else, should be allowed to marry), which did, and should have, embarrassed the church. Comments like those made by Buttar embarrassed the church, too.
on February 26th, 2009 at 11:59 am
Gay people are homo sapiens just like this former Sen. Chris Buttar. I am glad he was removed from office because the United States of America has a pluralistic society and we need more people in office who at least recognize our rights as citizens to protect ourselves when we are discriminated against. Look at sports and the arts in the US and I sure you’d agree we have a pluralistic society.
on February 26th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
Dawn Ananda, Buttar was not removed from office – yet. He was removed from one of the committees he served on, which he used to spew his anti-gay rhetoric. But – he SHOULD be removed from office entirely. He needs to go back to his “area” of Utah, crawl back under his rock, and SHUT UP.
on February 26th, 2009 at 5:06 pm
Wow! Marisa, I think your due to have a little ‘Ananda Dawn’ upon you; which Dawn Ananda could, no doubt, tell you is a Good Thing!
It’s good to see Mormons with open minds; but then I’ve become bitter over the last eight years, when once I had achieved ‘ananda’ myself (it, by the way, means ‘bliss’, and was the name of one of the Buddhas primary disciples).
on February 26th, 2009 at 6:27 pm
It’s easy to be self-righteous and demand that officials be removed from office or position based upon their espousing ideas which one believes to be immoral or unjust, but this is dangerous ground.
Look at the situation here: an elected official was removed from his post not by the people of his constituency, but by a member of an higher government echelon. And, indeed, many here are calling for this man’s removal from office altogether on the grounds of his, admittedly harsh, speech.
The question is, then, do we believe in democracy and in the people. If so, if the common norm of society echoes the four comments hereunder, then his constituency should voice that by removing him from office. If not, then he reflects the sort of governance that the people demand, and, so long as he does not violate the civil rights of others in filling that office, he should be allowed to retain his post to his constituents’ pleasure.
on February 26th, 2009 at 8:04 pm
I would hope he would not visit Iceland and their new gay Prime Minister. In regards to International Relations I would hope he may also consider his inhumane attitude to be unprofessional, unacceptable and certainly not economically stimulating. The United States needs healing and how blissful it would be to experience more people accepting each other by appreciating our individuality and liberating our unity through more progressive behavior. Friendliness is cleanliness.
on February 27th, 2009 at 3:20 am
Wow. Buttar should do well to remember that ALL religious groups have radical sects, including his own. Someone like Buttar who is “threatened” by gay people had better look in the mirror. Many people hate what they truly are because they fear the difference in themselves.
on February 27th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
Utah STATE Sen. Chris Buttars of West Jordan is a legislator, Dawna Ananda. He has nothing to do with international relations. You need to do some basic studies in government to know the difference and to know who runs the Federal Government. Watch Chairwoman Pelosi pull the strings of President Obama for awhile and you will get it.
In regard to Buttars, he should have never been on the Utah Judicial Committee in the first place, but when he started with prejudicing his judgements with his statements, then he violated one of the ethical requirements of his position.
However, and remember this, many in the Utah State legislature agree that homosexuality is immoral regardless of their party.
I suspect, however, even if you agree that homosexuality is immoral, there are many moral codes and religious positions that are not against the law in Utah and are violated by these same legislators. In fact, many of them are likely to have commited acts that are more immoral by their own standards
Perhaps they should deal with those issues first. My experience is that those who start pointing fingers are attempting to divert attention from themselves. If you look at Scripture, it says to judge yourself first before others.
When the Christ was dealing with the woman caught in adultry, he said the one that was innocent should throw the first stone as he was drawing in the dust.
My thought is he was writing in the dirt, “Adultry, theft, murder, fraud,” et cetera.
Some of the writers here could benefit by that exercise of judging themselves.
on March 2nd, 2009 at 9:07 am
Senator Buttar is not representing many of the people in his own consituency? He is bitter towards these people and, because of his own “moral” beliefs, feels they are a threat? He is not a public servant – boot him.
on March 8th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
I am also a Mormon and live in Utah. I am not a good mormon because I feel like my sister and daughter have been judged harshly by the church because they are gay. They have been excommunicated by the church for this reason. Buttars hatefulness is backed by the LDS church. They are very much so against gay and lesbian relationships and have no qualm about making sure we know it. Well since I have now bad mouthed them and went against their belief I will be the next one excummunicated. But I have no problem with that because I will always back my sister and daughter no matter what along with anyone else that is not being given the opp. to live a good life because of closed minded indivduals that believe there way or no way.
on March 8th, 2009 at 5:04 pm
Gena ~ Taking from the Bible and the Book of Morman, if you believe in a kind and loving God, please know that there is NO way God Himself would create a race of people whose sole purpose would ultimately be damnation. Your sister and your daughter were born lesbians, just as you were born with whatever colour eyes you have. God, Jehovah, Allah, Our Father, The Creator, however you address Him, does not make mistakes and in this lifetime, this is what He has given them (and you) to learn. Being excommunicated from the Morman church may well be the best thing that ever happens to you, especially if it opens your eyes to see that your love for your sister and your daughter is what matters, not what a bunch of old men say.
Remember that these men are self appointed as God’s “chosen”. In your church they, not God, determine who will see heaven and who will not. How did that become their job, to make God’s choices?
Many Blessings be upon you.
on March 8th, 2009 at 8:29 pm
If you do not believe in the doctrines of LDS, why do you identify as LDS?
on March 9th, 2009 at 9:37 am
I did believe in the Doctrine at one time. I will be a mormon until they excommunicate me, just for the simple fact then when I was 8 years old I was not given a choice to be baptized it was just done. Believe it or not I have requested to be excommunicated but low and behold they won’t do it on request. And another reason is people need to know that you can believe in your religion but you do not have to be hateful. Believe I know quite a few good mormons that did not agree with Buttars but I hate to say it but many people in Utah backed him. The church backs him 100% and everyone knows it.
on March 9th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
That is not an answer as to why you identify with the LDS when you do not believe in their doctrines.
on March 10th, 2009 at 11:42 am
I think it’s a perfectly clear answer. Many people identify with the religion of their childhood without actually believing or practicing all of its doctrines. What’s so hard about that?
on March 10th, 2009 at 2:52 pm
As a Utah Mormon, I am absolutely outraged by Chris Buttars conduct and comments.
This is not the first time he has offended others.
I want all of you to know that most Mormons HATE this guy. He was elected illegally using campaign finance funds from a nonprofit conservative group called, Eagle Forum.
If we want good government, we must demand that all candidates obey campaign finance laws and that persons such as Gayle Ruzicka who run illegal campaigns for Chris Buttars and others are jailed. This is a crime against democracy.
on March 10th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
re: Mrs CaptJack’s latest comment:
I know exactly what you mean. I was born and raised Catholic and although I do not agree with many of their doctrines, it is my religion. As far as I can find, there is no religion that I feel 100% comfortable with and being Catholic fulfills many of my spiritual needs. I and others will continue to speak out against the doctrines we disagree with – mainly the ones that give people a reason to judge others. Gina’s comment makes perfect sense to me.
on March 11th, 2009 at 12:29 am
Hi Julie ~ I feel the same way. While I generally identify myself as Christian to avoid confusion, I do take something from most religions and go with that. I think there is a huge difference between identifying with a religion and practicing it. If you think about it, most people don’t really practice the religion of their choice because there is always that one thing they can’t live without that is in disagreement with their chosen faith. I’ve never found one religion that I could identify with 100 percent either.
on March 13th, 2009 at 9:21 am
You can call yourself anything you want I suppose, if you chose to do so, inshallah.
on March 13th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
John Lloyd ~ Inshallah means “God willing”. Your sentence does not make sense…
on March 14th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
The claim that you are LDS or Catholic when you do not share the doctrine of that religious groups. It makes as much sense as me claiming I am Islamic, when I do not share their doctrines.
God willing, you will always be able to CLAIM whatever you want to, but that does not entitle you to expect me to believe it.
I will have the same opinion of that claim as someone who claims they are a turnip. I will point and giggle.
on March 15th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
John Lloyd ~ Your sole purpose for coming onto this (and the other discussions I’ve seen you on) seems to be to point and try to make trouble. But very well, if you must have labels for all of us you can call me a Christian/Muslim/Pagan/Buddhist/Sufi who borrows teaching from Native American teachings. That should make your little label loving head spin.
on March 19th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
MrsCaptJack – the same back at you.