SLC Gay Rights Win May Go Statewide?

By Michelle Garcia

ELDER Jeffrey R. Holland X390 (BYU) | ADVOCATE.COM

Following the Salt Lake City Council's passage of two gay rights measures with the backing of the Church of Latter-day Saints, the possibility of passing a similar law in the state may come with the church's support.

"Anything good is shareable," said Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (pictured) in the Salt Lake City Tribune, adding that his city's legislation could be a model for the state.

The city ordinances will ban employment or housing discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. They will go into effect in April. Each bill has an exemption for religious organizations and their affiliates, which LDS spokesman Michael Otterson praised during a recent city council meeting.

"The church supports these ordinances because they are fair and reasonable and do not do violence to the institution of marriage," Otterson said after the council passed the legislation on Tuesday.

The Utah legislature may address an antidiscrimination statute to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the fair-employment law.

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Name: James S. Klich II
Date posted: 11/27/2009 9:03:40 PM
Hometown: Charlotte, NC

Comment:
We all need to work towards a common good.
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Name: Christopher B
Date posted: 11/13/2009 7:04:45 AM
Hometown: Charlotte, NC

Comment:
I don't see how this is not a slippery slope--but in a good way. The Mormon church, above all others, seems to cherish 'traditional values', especially marriage. But conservative, evangelical churches still would be happy to outlaw homosexuality altogether. With this action, the Mormons seem to acknowledge that homosexuality is not evil. Just gay marriage. But that's another step.
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Name: Paul
Date posted: 11/12/2009 8:54:28 PM
Hometown: Minneapolis

Comment:
If the Mormon church thinks this will lessen GLBT anger at their intrusion into civil marriage law, they are sadly mistaken.
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Name: newz4i
Date posted: 11/12/2009 7:51:00 PM
Hometown: Phoenix

Comment:
Name: Carol: MO, I agree with you wholeheartedly. For me, if I accept crumbs, I'm worshiping the wrong God.by
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Name: Carol
Date posted: 11/12/2009 7:04:15 PM
Hometown: MO

Comment:
Heterosexual couples every day are seen on Court TV shows suing each other for one thing and another; they aren't married, yet have one to many children together. The newspapers have heterosexual families abusing their children, some married, some not; heterosexual men committing sex crimes on their children and other peoples. Now they are committing violence to the institutioin of marriage. Gay couples are wanting to committ to marriage, and the Mormon Church thinks they are violating Marriage. There is no logic or truth to this. It's good they are giving a few crumbs to the Gay, but I don't think God gives crumbs to his children, at least the God I worship doesn't.
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Name: newz4i
Date posted: 11/12/2009 6:14:19 PM
Hometown: Phoenix

Comment:
It's a step "forward." However I wonder sometimes if during the 60s when Whites, basically without input from Blacks, created our "civil rights" laws. Blacks ended up in a "across the board" welfare culture. So here we are today: gays arestepping up to "civil rights" instigated by Mormons. Equality? Don't think so. At least not yet.
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Name: Johannes
Date posted: 11/12/2009 4:45:48 PM
Hometown: Oakland

Comment:
This is good news. If a state like Utah passes a non-discrimination law, it will increase pressure on several less conservative states that don't have a non-discrimination law yet to do so as well.
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Name: Kevin
Date posted: 11/12/2009 4:26:19 PM
Hometown: Ft. Myers

Comment:
"Violence to marriage"? Pricks. Civil marriage is none of their concern. I can't wait until it's finally legalized across the US, just to see their reaction.
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Name: Mark
Date posted: 11/12/2009 3:49:08 PM
Hometown: Seattle

Comment:
Does "not do violence to the institution of marriage".....there's so much I could say about that but won't. Otherwise, this is a positive step. I wonder if any of it is image reparations for the LDS church?

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