[Word is the senate has been flooded with 15,000+ emails so far from this campaign - Jason]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 20, 2009
Brad Luna | Phone: 202/216.1514 | Cell: 202/812.8140
Trevor Thomas | Phone: 202/216.1547 | Cell: 202/250.9758
Utah Lawmaker: Gays ‘greatest threat to America’
Human Rights Campaign Issues National Action Alert Calling on Senate President to Condemn Remarks
New online video exposes hateful comments
WASHINGTON – The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, today issued a national action alert demanding Utah Senate President Michael G. Waddoups condemn remarks made recently by Sen. Chris Buttars. In the documentary interview, Sen. Buttars calls the gay-rights movement “probably the greatest threat to America.” Buttars also said “homosexuality will always be a sexual perversion,” adding that same-sex relationships are “abominations.” Senate President Michael G. Waddoups has released a statement defending Buttars’ statements, saying that they did not violate any Senate rules. To take action and contact the President of the Utah Senate, visit: www.hrcactioncenter.org/campaign/buttars.
“Sen. Buttars has a history of opposition to the equality of all people, both in his hateful speech and his voting record as a state legislator. We demand that Senate President Waddoups take swift action and condemn it,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “This level of attack on a group of Americans from a sitting state senator responsible for public policy is unacceptable.”
Last year, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) called for Sen. Buttars resignation after he described a complex school-funding bill by saying, “This baby is black . . . It’s a dark, ugly thing.” (Salt Lake Tribune, Feb. 19, 2009)
Sen. Buttars latest remarks were recorded in a Jan. 30th interview with documentary filmmaker Reed Cowan. According to Cowan, Sen. Buttars signed a contract before the interview and understood the documentary would cover lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender issues. With permission from the filmmaker, Human Rights Campaign created a video of the senator’s comments. To view it online, visit: www.hrcactioncenter.org/campaign/buttars.
The senator played a key role in defeating a package of bills called the Common Ground Initiative, a set of measures aimed at advancing equal rights for LGBT people in Utah. In the wake of last November’s successful vote on Proposition 8, a measure seeking to amend the California Constitution to eliminate marriage for gay and lesbian couples, that received substantial financial support from the LDS Church and its membership in Utah, Equality Utah and pro-equality state legislators proposed the initiative. The final bill in the Common Ground Initiative failed to move forward on Wednesday. Sen. Buttars was recorded in the interview as saying, “It lost 4-2, and I killed it. I’ve killed every one they’ve brought for eight years.”
The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.
And on another stage …
“In late December the United Nations General Assembly held a symbolic vote on a statement calling for the universal decriminalization of homosexuality. France spearheaded the resolution, which was a 13 point declaration ‘to ensure that sexual orientation or gender identity may under no circumstances be the basis for criminal penalties, in particular executions, arrests or detention.’
“The statement received 60 votes in support, mostly from Europe and South America. Opposing the resolution, were the United States, the Holy See, and members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference. At the time, the Bush administration couched its objection to the measure in legal technicalities.
Well, that was then. This is now: At the so-called “Durban Review Conference” on racism and xenophobia now underway in Geneva, Europe again put forward language condemning “all forms of discrimination and all other human rights violations based on sexual orientation.”
According to UN Watch, “The Czech Republic on behalf of the E.U., with the support of New Zealand, the United States, Colombia, Chili on behalf of the South American states, the Netherlands, Argentina and a few others, took the floor in support.”
“While the efforts to include language on discrimination based on sexual orientation ended up failing for lack of support from non-western countries, the United States is now back on the side of the enlightened on this issue of basic human rights.”