Box Turtle Bulletin

Jury Hears Details of Ryan Skipper’s Murder

A jury in Bartow, Florida, heard evidence this week in the grisly 2007 murder of Ryan Skipper. Joseph Beardon, along with co-defendant William Brown Jr., is accused of robbing and killing Ryan, and dumping his body. Brown will be tried later at a separate trial.

The murder of of the 25-year-old gay man in Wahneta, Florida, has drawn widespread attention, not only for the grisly details of his murder, but also because the family and the LGBT community in Florida has been asked to keep a low profile during the trial. According to OA Online:

Lynn Mulder said Florida Assistant State Attorney Cass Castillo advised him that any conspicuous presence by the gay community, inside the courtroom or demonstrating outside the courthouse, could jeopardize the trial, which began Monday. So the Mulders are asking them to show their support, but silently, unobtrusively. Until the trial is over, they’re being asked to become invisible and voiceless.

On March 14, 2007, Bearden and Brown allegedly killed Ryan by stabbing him more than 20 times and slitting his throat, and leaving his body on a dark, rural road in Wahneta, Florida. The two defendants then took Ryan’s car and bragged of killing him because he was “a faggot.”

According to 265gay.com, several members of the jury were visibly shaken by autopsy photos showing that Ryan’s throat had been slashed and his torso covered with as many as twenty stab wounds. His back and shoulders were covered with blood. Associate Medical Examiner Vera Volnikh testified that Ryan’s wrists and arms also had slashes and deep cuts, indicating that he tried to fight off the attack. Volnikh testified that it was the cut to the throat that killed Ryan.The cut was 3.5 inches deep, tearing through skin, tissue, muscles and, more fatally, an artery. Ryan quickly bled to death within minutes.

Details of the events leading up to the attack are confusing and conflicting. According to testimony by John Kirchoff, a friend of Brown, Bearden had originally planned to rob Ryan at Ryan’s home. But when someone else came home, the two got into Ryan’s car and left. According to Kirchoff, they went to the home of Brown’s uncle where Kirchoff and Brown were staying to try to exchange a broken laptop for drugs. Other accounts dispute this point, saying that Ryan didn’t own a laptop, but that Ryan knew Brown because Brown knew a previous tenant at Ryan’s house.

At some point, Brown and Bearden decided to steal Ryan’s car, so they persuaded Ryan to give them a ride somewhere in Ryan’s new Chevrolet Aveo. When Kirchoff saw Brown again later that night, he had blood on his shirt.

According to Sheriff’s investigators, Bearden and Brown tried to clean and sell the car. But it was too badly soaked with blood to be cleaned and they didn’t have a copy of the car’s title to sell it, so they abandoned it on a dock on Lake Pansy in Winter Haven and set it on fire. The flames only caused minor damage, and investigators were able to retrieve both of their fingerprints from the car.

The defense is expected to present its case next week. Bearden, who is pleading not guilty to charges of robbery and first degree murder, faces the death penalty. The Sheriff’s department describes the incident as a hate crime, but because Bearden already faces the death penalty for first degree murder, adding a hate crimes enhancement will have no bearing on the case. The hate crime classification is not a separate charge but an enhancement during sentencing for existing criminal charges.

“Buttarsaurus”: Salt Lake Tribune Condemns Sen. Buttars

The editors of the Salt Lake Tribune has done something that the Utah GOP Senate leadership couldn’t muster the courage to do: condemn Utah State Sen. Chris Buttars for his remarks equating gays with radical Muslims, saying that gays have no morals, and describing them as being “probably the greatest threat to America.” As Timothy and I have both noted, the GOP appears embarrassed not by what the former LDS bishop said, but by how he said it.

The Tribune expressed dismay but not surprise over State Senate President Michael Waddoup’s weak and  half-hearted response in “disciplining” Buttars:

Or we could urge the Senate to discipline its wayward son. But Senate President Michael Waddoups has already defended Buttars, ridiculously portraying him as the victim of an unscrupulous filmmaker. Besides, Buttars has said equally hateful things in the past without censure.

The Tribune rightly calls Buttars “an embarrassment to the state of Utah, and, increasingly, a dinosaur,” and notes the irony that whenever Buttars opens his mouth, his opponents are strengthened, not weakened. “ He is, in our opinion, the best spokesperson that Utah’s LGBT community has ever had,” wrote the editors.

The other major Utah newspaper, the LDS-owned Deseret News, has no opinion on the matter.

Heterosexual Menace: Stop Her Before She Marries Again

Apparently for one Anderson, Indiana woman, protecting the sanctity of marriage involves getting married as often as possible:

She has been Mrs. Scott, Mrs. Street and Mrs. Smith. She was also Mrs. Moyer, Mrs. Massie and Mrs. McMillan. But the former Mrs. Berisford, Mrs. Chandler and Mrs. Essex was born Linda Lou Taylor. … More than a decade ago, the 68-year-old found her own way to bring Indiana a Guinness world record: She got hitched for the 23rd time.

She’s single again, and she’d would like to find someone to settle down with. Again. She means it this time. She also says that her first marriage was for love, but her last one in 1996 was for publicity.

Publicity!

And to think that we can’t get married for love or money.

You can read more about what those heterosexuals are up to here and in our report, “The Heterosexual Agenda: Exposing the Myths.”

Was Buttars Punished Or Rewarded?

I thought Timothy Kincaid really nailed it when he concluded:

The Mormons and the Republicans were sure upset that the tape of [Utah State Sen. Chris] Buttars was released. But it wasn’t because they find the attitude behind his anti-gay rants to be offensive. They just didn’t like how Buttars’ raw hatred reflected on them.

He based that conclusion in part on this statement by Senate President Michael Waddoups as reported by the Salt Lake Tribune:

“He is a senator who represents the point of view of many of his constituents and many of ours. We agree with many of the things he said. . . . We stand four square behind his right [to say what he wants].”

But there’s something else that jumped out at me later in that same article. It’s this:

“It [Buttars’ removal from the committees] frees Senator Buttars to feel more at ease in saying how he personally feels without feeling as if he’s personally speaking on behalf of his committee and the Legislature,” Waddoups said.

So let’s put all this together, shall we?

• The Utah GOP “agree(s) with many of the things he said,” and,
• Now that Waddoups did Buttars the favor of removing him from the committees, it “frees Senator Buttars to feel more at ease in saying how he personally feels.”

So, when the Senate decided to remove Buttars, a former LDS bishop, from two committees, was it a sanction for saying the wrong thing? Or was it a reward that gives Buttars free reign so that he can now tell us what he really thinks? Because I have to tell you, the way Waddoups frames his actions it really sounds more like the latter.

Buttars Loses Committee Appointments – But For the Wrong Reasons

Blatant displays of hatred are often met with swift denunciation. Those who do hold animus against the target are disgusted by attitudes, and those who share the dislike are embarrassed by the exposure of the ugly attitudes underlying their behavior.

This was on display in Utah today where Sen. Chris Buttars was punished for the homophobic rants that the media has been exposing over the past few days. (SL Trib)

..the decision was made to remove Buttars from the Senate Judiciary Committee, which he now chairs. By virtue of his position on that panel, Buttars also served on and led the Senate Judicial Confirmation Committee, and will lose his spot on that panel as well.

Waddoups said the Judiciary Committee is the panel that has typically heard bills relating to gay and lesbian issues, and, by taking him off the position, he hopes to remove some of the personalities from the debate.

However, the Mormon Republican leadership wanted to be clear that while they were embarrassed by Buttars’ word selection, they don’t disagree with his anti-gay positions.

“I want the citizens of Utah to know that the Utah Senate stands behind Senator Buttars right to speak, we stand behind him as one of our colleagues and his right to serve this state,” said Senate President Michael Waddoups, R-Taylorsville. “He is a senator who represents the point of view of many of his constituents and many of ours. We agree with many of the things he said. . . . We stand four square behind his right [to say what he wants].”

And the Mormon Church also objected to the language but not the homophobia:

“From the outset, the Church’s position has always been to engage in civil and respectful dialogue on this issue. Senator Buttars does not speak for the Church.”

The Mormons and the Republicans were sure upset that the tape of Buttars was released. But it wasn’t because they find the attitude behind his anti-gay rants to be offensive. They just didn’t like how Buttars’ raw hatred reflected on them.

There was no indication that the leadership of the Mormon Church or the Republican delegation have anything but complete agreement that gays are mean buggers, without morals, looking for superiority, similar to Islamic terrorists, and the greatest threat to America. Which makes me wonder, just what could Buttars have possibly said in his most irrational and ranting moment that would have caused them to say, “I disagree”?

There is no question that though Sen. Chris Buttars doesn’t know me, he hates me. Today Senate President Michael Waddoups let me know that he does as well.

Offensive Google App Removed, Developer Apologizes

The developer of the Google App “Straight?” has removed his app from Google’s Android Marketplace. He has also posted this apology:

Hello Everyone. We just want to let you know that we have removed “Straight?” application. We really do not want to offense or humiliate anyone. We are saying “Sorry” to people who took this app seriously, although it was done just for fun, without any intention to hurt the feelings.

[Hat tip: Jason Dabrowski]

Buttars May Lose Judiciary Committee

Sources have told the Salt Lake Tribune that Utah State Sen. Chris Buttars’ anti-gay remarks may cost him his his position on the Judiciary Committee:

Senate Republicans, prompted by complaints from minority Democrats, held a frank discussion of Buttars’ actions in a closed-door caucus Thursday. Afterward, senators would not discuss what action, if any, might be taken against the West Jordan Republican.

…Sources familiar with the Senate discussions, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the Senate Republican caucus decided to remove Buttars from the Senate Judiciary Committee, a panel which he currently chairs.

Buttars also chairs the Judicial Confirmation Committee. It’s unclear if that position will be affected as well. Waddoups called a news conference for 9:30 a.m. MST this morning.

Senate Minority Leader Pat Jones (D-Holladay) said members of the Democratic caucus were offended by Buttars’ remarks. She warned Waddoups that if Republican leaders didn’t take any steps to address the problem, Democrats would force the issue on the Senate floor.

Buttars, a former LDS bishop, has come under fire for saying that gays have “no morals” and “probably the greatest threat to America going down I know of.” He also said:

“It is, in my mind, the beginning of the end. … Oh, it’s worse than that. Sure. Sodom and Gomorrah was localized. This is world wide. You can’t tell me that something that was going on in Sodom and Gomorrah is not going on wholesale right now, and to a large degree among the gay community.”

Utah Senate May Sanction Buttars

Utah State Senate President Michael Waddoups (R-Taylorsville) has announced a press conference for 9:30 a.m. tomorrow morning in response to the controversy surrounding anti-gay remarks by Sen. Chris Buttars (R-West Jordan).

In an interview last January for a documentary on Prop 8, Buttars told reporter Reed Cowan that gays are without morals and are “probably the greatest threat to America going down I know of.” Buttars compared gays to radical Muslims, and he claimed credit for killing every pro-gay piece of legislation in the past eight years. In a longer audio clip, Buttars, a former LDS bishop, described the situation as he saw it this way:

Oh, it’s worse than that. Sure. Sodom and Gomorrah was localized. This is world wide. You can’t tell me that something that was going on in Sodom and Gomorrah is not going on wholesale right now, and to a large degree among the gay community. Absolutely. The underbelly is just what I said, is they can’t beat us unless the Supreme Court rules and overthrows everything. They can’t touch us in Utah.

It’s unknown right now what the GOP leadership will announce tomorrow. They may strip Buttars of his committee chairmanships, or they may extract some sort of apology. Resignation, at the moment, appears unlikely. But whatever the move, it seems to be an attempt to head off threats by minority Senate Democrats to bring the embarrassing episode to the Senate floor.

Fallout may extend beyond sanctioning Buttars, including possibly reconsidering some of the Common Ground bills which were so callously spiked earlier this week. Some Republicans appear to have been embarrassed by the black eye that action, coupled with Buttars’ remarks, has given the state:

A Republican senator told the Deseret News that GOP leadership is already asking that work get under way on a new version of the Common Ground bills intended to secure rights for gay and other nontraditional couples. The package of bills carried by Democrats has failed this session, but the senator said leadership is interested in seeing if “a common point of reference” can be found on issues including the ability to file a wrongful death suit and secure health insurance benefits.

The controversy surrounding Buttars’ statements — such as comparing gay rights activists to Muslim terrorists — can only help that process, the senator said.

Congrats To Pam For Picking Up A Lezzie

Okay, wait. That didn’t come out right. What I mean is this: congratulations to Pam Spaulding for being honored as the Best Lesbian Feminism/Political blog by The Lesbian Lifestyle in its 2008 Lezzy Awards!

So just to be clear, no U-Hauls were rented in the winning of this award.

Google Defends Offensive Anti-Gay Phone App

With Google entering the mobile phone marketplace with its new G1, powered by Google’s Android Software, they also have opened an online apps store called the Android Marketplace. similar to Apples’s iTunes app store for the iPhone and iPod Touch, the Android Store is loaded with tons of utilities, games, and other applications, many of them free. There is also a way in which users can flag an app as being offensive.

Jason Dabrowski found an app, Bendroid’s “Straight?” in the Android Marketplace with this description:

Hey guys, do you want to test your friends and see if they are straight or not? Just ask them to put their finger on a screen and our application will tell the truth. You can even do it yourself…just try it!!! NOTICE: don’t be serious – it’s just for FUN!!!”

Here’s how it works. You start the app and ask someone to place their finger on the phone. The app ostensibly scans their fingerprint and comes up with one of two possible results. One result could be this:

Or the other result could be this:

Calling someone gay as ridicule — a “sorry sweetie” ridicule at that — is not only offensive, it perpetuates the view that being gay is a negative thing. If you draw the affirming, high-fiving “you are the man” response, you’ve won the game. But with “sorry sweetie,” the app offers condolences for losing the game — losing, in this case, means being gay. It’s just another variation on the “that’s so gay” slur.

Well, Jason flagged the app as offensive, and got this response back from Google.

– We are very interested in seeing the discussions and issues regarding Android Market either taking place here or in our specific Android Market forum (which I am linking below).
– Though this is an unmoderated forum, we are monitoring and around. Our goal is to build a community where users can get and give answers to others interested in our products. You will see us Googlers chiming in on threads where we can be of more help.
– We definitely monitor the apps flagged on Android Market and take down apps that promote hate speech.

Regarding this specific case, though the app may be offensive to some, it is not in violation. Stereotypes in and of themselves do not constitute hate against a group.

Best,
Alden

This app has nothing to do with stereotypes and everything to do with perpetuating a slur, and possibly leading to taunting and bullying. Let’s see how well this app goes over in high school gymnasiums around the country. A lot of bullying has been defended as “just a little fun” before. Is that really Google’s position?

Update: The app’s developer has removed the app from the Android Marketplace and apologized.

Sen. Buttars and the Voice of Bigotry

ABC4 television has posted an edited audio clip of Utah State Sen. Chris Buttars’ award winning remarks, in which he cites homosexuality as “probably the greatest threat to America going down I know of.”

Click here to read an audio transcript of Buttars’ remarks

Utah Sen. Buttars’ Remarks on ABC4

Salt Lake City’s ABC4 has posted the video of their report on Utah State Sen. Cris Buttars’ award-winning remarks. Here it is:

Buttars responded on the state Senate’s unofficial blog:

Sometime in January, I talked with Reed Cowan for over an hour. I felt it was a friendly interview and we covered a lot of ground.

Reed assured me that he would treat both sides of the issue fairly and that I would be treated fairly. He told me the interview would be public in about a year and I would be allowed to see his work and approve my part before he released it.

I took Reed at his word and am disappointed.

Reed Cowan, the documentary reporter who interviewed Buttars, responded to ABC4:

“Senator Buttars claim that he was somehow misled is a lie. He knew the topic of our film and he knew there would be opposing voices. Additionally, Senator Buttars claim that he had promise to review our material is a fabrication. His response today is a shameless diversion tactic to the larger issue. The tape speaks for itself.”

Update: We have the entire transcript of Buttars’ award-winning remarks here.

Utah Legislators Show Blatant Contempt for LGBT People

If you want to know the inhumanity of Utah legislators, just look here:

Probably the most frustrating part for the bill’s supporters is that HB160 obviously was dead before the House Judiciary Committee convened. Nevertheless, citizens, gay and straight, went through the motions—testifying the state needs a simple way to protect the rights of cohabiting adults in inheritance and medical decision making….

…Rep. Keith Grover, R-Orem, idly surfed the Web on his laptop as unmarried couples told of their fears that they would not be able to care medically, financially and emotionally for “the person who matters to me most.”

The bill’s sponsor Rep. Jennifer Seelig, later said she was disappointed with the committee’s lethargy. She was offended that her efforts were characterized by the right-wing Sutherland Institute as “mendacious.”

That’s right. Simply allowing gay people to designate a partner to make medical decisions and visit them in the hospital is “given to or characterized by deception or falsehood or divergence from absolute truth.” It’s hard to imagine human beings — especially those who claim to be Christians — holding other human beings with such utter contempt.

But that’s the way things roll in Utah. And the LDS church likes it that way. We now have firm, incontrovertable evidence that when Utah legislators and the LDS leadership claim that they don’t hate gay people, they are boldfaced liars. We saw it right there in that committee room. They couldn’t even muster the decency, or that famed Mormon politeness, to pretend otherwise.

San Diego Firefighters Win Harassment Suit

A San Diego jury yesterday found that four firefighters were sexually harassed after being ordered to participate in a gay pride parade. The jury awarded the four $34,300 in damages, which must be split between the group. That works out to a little over $8,500 per firefighter, before attorney fees. Plaintiff’s attorney Charles LiMandri has indicated he will ask the judge to have the city of San Diego pay his legal fees.

The firemen claimed that they faced “faced pervasive or severe harassment from spectators and participants” while riding a fire engine in the July 2007 Gay Pride parade. The experience, they said, made them suffer stress-related problems such as headaches, anxiety and irritable bowel syndrome. But an examination of their original complaints revealed that their sense of being offended came from two fronts:

• Even the most innocuous of calls (“Hey, Honey”, or “look at the big firemen”) were viewed as insults, affronts, or harassment. 
• They were offended that they were lectured by anti-gay protesters. Since they were not gay, they felt that they didn’t deserve to be lectured — as if anyone deserves such a lecture, gay or straight.

The Jurors deliberated for about two and a half days before reaching the verdict. During an earlier trial last September, that jury was not able to reach a verdict. Plaintiffs’ attorney Charles LiMandri had asked for up to $1 million for each of this four clients. He didn’t ask for an award during the second trial.

Attorneys for the city have indicated that they will appeal the verdict. The San Diego Fire Department has since changed its policy, which now calls for volunteers to participate in parades.

No Common Ground In Utah

If there was any question before, there’s none now. The state of Utah now vies with Alabama, Mississippi and South Carolina as among the worst states in the nation for LGBT citizens. A Utah House legislative committee found that the very simplest of provisions for designating a partner with the power of making medical decisions or visitation rights was just way too radical.

That’s right. Simply allowing a partner to visit a loved one in the hospital is a threat to marriage. Obviously.