Buttars Supports Some Gay Rights
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Reported by: Rod Decker
Wednesday, Nov 18, 2009 @02:43pm CST
Senator Chris Buttars may sponsor a gay-rights bill.
Buttars, has been Utah’s leading opponent of gay rights. He made such strong anti-gay remarks in 2009 that Senate leadership stripped him of a committee assignment.
But now he says “Everyone deserves a roof over his head and a job, without fearing they will lose them because of their sexual choices.”
And he says he “may very well” sponsor a statewide law to ban discrimination against gays in housing and jobs.
Buttars is following the position of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
On November 10, the Church endorsed Salt Lake City ordinances outlawing discrimination in the city.
Buttars says maybe those ordinances should now be made state law.
He emphasizes he goes no farther than the LDS Church. “There’s talk of a lot of other measures up here,” he said. “I oppose those.” For example, he opposes civil unions or adoption for gays.
Buttars fears “creep.” He says gays will not be satisfied until gay marriage is allowed.
The LDS Church strongly opposes gay marriage, and now it is banned by Utah’s Constitution.
“We’re pleasantly surprised,” said gay activist Will Carlson of Equality Utah.
“If Chris Buttars supports equality in jobs and housing for the Gay-Lesbian-Bisexual-Transgender community, that is a big step forward.
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