February 21, 2009

Yesterday's tumult over the recent interview with Senator Chris Buttars, who characterized the gay rights movement as America's greatest threat, and the ACLU as having "black hearts", has many calling for his resignation from the Senate. As Libertarian Chair, I was asked by some on my executive committee to join that chorus. This morning's Tribune makes it clear he will not heed such calls; so perhaps they are not of great value. I think it is very telling, however, that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) felt it important to issue a rare statement distancing itself from his rantings. On the other hand, the ACLU issued a statement affirming their support for free speech, even when "vehemently" disagreeing with what he said. As Chair of the State's third largest political party, I want to suggest that the fault is not with this one man. It is with the one party domination of Utah politics, and it ultimately is with those who would elect a man like this to the Utah Senate. As the ACLU often says, the remedy for bad speech is more speech. Those who agree that men like Chrtis Buttars should not sit in the State Senate should be working hard to change Utah politics, and to elect new people with different view points. We invite those who cannot support continued Republican domination of Utah to join with us to work for change. And we invite the press to report what we have to say, and to give the citizens of this State a real choice when they go to their polling place. Together we can effect real change, and make Utah a place we can be proud to live in.