New Gay Rights legislation proposed for Utah
Posted By Eric Ethington (Author) on November 12, 2008
Equality Utah announced in a press release on 11/10/08 that they are moving forward with legislation that would legalize civil unions and/or domestic partnerships.
In the press release, the Equality Utah group highlighted recent statements made by the LDS church, specifically Elder Whitney Clayton of the church’s quorum of the 70, who said that the Church does not oppose Civil Unions, or Domestic Partnerships.
Equality Utah called on all Utahns to support this step towards equal rights, and on the church to back up their own words on the issue.
I really do wonder how this is going to play out. Will the church back up their own claims? Or will they back out, claiming somehow that they misspoke, or didn’t really mean it? I’ve been waiting to post on this subject for the Mormon’s reply, but as of 11/12/08, silence has prevailed.
I’d like to add my own plea to Equality Utah. To the leaders of the LDS church, PLEASE, do what you said, support these new propositions, and lets start putting an end to the inequality, and bring equality to the rest of America!
Watch the Equality Utah press release at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qwn28aDoATQ
"Eric, trying to have this (civil rights) conversation with you is ultimately like trying to teach a pig to dance, it just annoys the pig. So Eric, sorry to annoy you."
-Paul Mero, The Sutherland Institute.
I’d be really surprised if Utah (which I think is approximately 60% Mormon) approves civil unions, the fact that the LDS Church apparently doesn’t oppose them notwithstanding. But I didn’t even know that Mormon officials had said they don’t oppose civil unions or domestic partnerships, so what do I know? Well, what beyond the fact that Republicans dominate the State House 55-20 and the State Senate 21-8.
That said, I think it’s good to pursue this sort of legislation there; if it can succeed in Utah, it can succeed anywhere in the Union. It also may help Later Day Saints re-examine their views on the matter, but marriage is heavily tied in with their theology which would need to change notably for them to accept homosexuality as a naturally occurring, non-sinful orientation.
This will be interesting to follow, thanks for pointing it out.