Back in November I aired my feelings on the so called Prop 8 in California and it's huge support base in the religious community. Well, the issue isn't going away, and while I won't subject anyone to my ranting and raving again, there are a couple things I'd like to highlight.
The first is the "Common Ground Initiative" that has been brought before the Utah State legislature by the group Equality Utah. The details can be found at their website, but basically this initiative focuses on at least 3 key areas. First off, they are urging that an executive order be issued allowing gay or lesbians working for the State Of Utah to cover their partners with their health insurance. Second is a fair housing and employment bill. Currently in the great State of Utah, it is perfectly legal to fire someone from a job or evict them from housing if they're gay or transgendered. Wow, you thought this was America huh? You were wrong. A new bill before the house would fix this. The third thing was a bill that would help give a same-sex partner some legal recourse in the event of a wrongful death of the other partner. Unfortunately, as par for the course in Utah, this bill never even made it out of committee.
These seem like common sense things to me, but I guess I'm just a darned old liberal.
Meanwhile the legislature has demonstrated what it's real priorities are. They've pushed forward three bills that would erode the woman's right to reproductive choice. These bills are all almost certainly headed for defeat in the court system and it's a total waste of tax payer money. Also, the stuffy Repubutards in the Utah State Senate want to pass a bill making you scan your ID every time you buy an alcoholic drink at a club, bar, or restaurant in Utah. That info will go right into a state database. Sounds a little like Big Brother huh? Neat! Of course I'm sure all it really is is just a way for the LDS church to tell which of their members are drinking and when. Of course the local media here happily reports that the LDS church has been consulted in all of these matters by our public officials. Not to be a Mormon basher, but welcome to Theocracy, 2009 style! I even wrote the Honorable Governor John Huntsman Jr. to express my displeasure. Unfortunately, he declined to even send a "Thanks for your Email" response back. He must have found out I was actually registered to vote in Florida, where my Democratic vote COUNTED this time! Boo yeah!
Utah, just as conservative as ever. Lets save all the "preborn," but lets kick out the Hispanics and Middle Eastern folks, slash all social services, run the gay people out, and then cap it all off by buying all new furniture for the Legislature's offices...w00T!
What a crock...........
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