“Buttarsaurus”: Salt Lake Tribune Condemns Sen. Buttars

Jim Burroway

February 21st, 2009

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.

KipEsquire

February 21st, 2009

“Buttars will never change. But Utah will.”

Perhaps. In the meantime, shame on any and every gay who sets foot or spends money in that bigot-infested wasteland of a state.

Stefano A

February 21st, 2009

I had been waiting to see if either the Tribune or Deseret would editorialize about this.

I’m heartened to see the Tribune stepped up to the plate. They certainly called the situation correctly (he’ll stay status quo) and named him for what he is.

Eddie89

February 21st, 2009

Hey, I think that the GOP has found their perfect duo to run against Obama in 2012: Chris Buttars and Fred Phelps!

Stefano A

February 21st, 2009

If nothing else, Buttars has blown the cover of any attempt to disguise their hatred of gays.

Get a load of this latest,Buttars reprimanded for breaking his word, not content of anti-gay statements

Senate leaders did not discipline Sen Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan, for anti-gay comments he made in a recent interview, but because he violated a deal with leadership that he not talk about gay issues, a senator said Saturday.

Sen Howard Stephenson, R-Draper, said in a weekly Red Meat Radio program he hosts on K-TALK:

“Most of what Senator Buttars said, I agree with. We as a Senate caucus had an agreement that because Sen Buttars had become such a lightning rod on this issue, he would not be the spokesman on this issue and basically he violated that agreement.”

. . . At no time did Waddoups mention that Buttars had actually been told he could not speak on gay and lesbian issues. But it was the breach of that directive that led to the reprimand, according to Stephenson. Said Stephenson:

“It happened, not because he said a lot of things wrong, but because he decided to be the spokesman again.”

. . . Sen Dennis Stowell, R-Parowan, said on Stephenson’s radio show:
“I think the bulk of people in Utah agree with 90 percent of what he said.”

. . . Stephenson said he disagreed with one of Buttars’ points: that Buttars had single-handedly killed gay-rights legislation. Stephenson said defeating the legislation was a cooperative effort.

Lynn David

February 23rd, 2009

I was just reading the comments on the Deseret News to a Buttars story. Would you believe it, there I found Paul Cameron peddling his lies…..

http://deseretnews.com/user/comments/1,5150,705286295,00.html?pg=9

Paul Cameron | 11:24 a.m. Feb. 21, 2009
Buttars said nothing that is false. Inflammatory yes… but not untrue. Anonymous asked for studies supporting the assertion that homosexuals are predators. One need only Google for a plethora of sites with studies and data supporting that fact. You may start with the Family Research Institute and the AFA Journal. And check out NAMBLA (the gay organization promoting man-boy sex).

Right behind him a fellow completely tore Paul a …. part.

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