Really, Gary Herbert? Utah's new governor just made the brave move of going on record saying discrimination against gay Americans should be perfectly legal. Because you guys are, like, a special interest group.
Herbert, who took over for civil-union-supporting Jon Huntsman when he left to become the U.S. ambassador to China, doesn't want you to be discriminated against. But the idea of making it illegal to discriminate against you? That makes him sick!
At a press conference yesterday, Herbert (a Mormon fella, if that surprises you) told reporters that he's perfectly fine with Utah's current rules about discriminating against LGBTs in the workplace, in housing, and elsewhere. Namely, that it's perfectly legal! "We don't have to have a rule for everybody to do the right thing," says Herbert. "We ought to just do the right thing because it's the right thing to do and we don't have to have a law that punishes us if we don't."
This is funny, because often, people do not do the right thing. And when they don't, it unethically impacts certain groups of Americans through no fault of their own. This is why it's called "discrimination." It's also why, in places like Salt Lake City, it's such a problem that they're trying to at least pass a local law outlawing discrimination. It's why folks like news anchor Charlie Perez can get fired, because his state, Florida, also doesn't have workplace anti-discrimination laws.
And even if it weren't a problem? It is still the right thing to do. No American should be allowed to be fired, denied housing, or other basic services because they happen to be male or female, black or white or brown, gay or straight or trans or bi, or … Republican. Or Mormon!
Because we'd hate to see your beautiful white Mormon family discriminated against, Gary.
(NB: Herbert, it's worth noting, isn't unlike his predecessors, notes Salt Lake City Weekly. There's a long Utah gubernatorial tradition of playing keepaway with gay rights.)
Which is why we're in love with Utah State Democratic Rep. Christine Johnson, who's been on a years-long crusade to pass an anti-discrimination bill. Here she is speaking this week at a transgender-in-the-workplace symposium:
Will Uganda’s President Have to Answer for His Gay Hate Bill? … Taylor Lautner’s BF?! (11)
· Kevin says: Ugh…Taylor can do better than that simple milquetoast. »
“The press tend to lump gay marriage in with other ‘Christian right wing/social conservative’ issues, like abortion. But gay marriage is different because the majority of Americans oppose it” (6)
· Pariah says: “Wherever, therefore, it has been established that it is shameful to be involved... »
Smiling Bigot Mike Huckabee Worries Gay Marriage Will Destroy Kids’ Minds (26)
· schlukitz says: I find it extremely dismaying that LGBT folks like WillBFair and... »
What Queerty Is Thankful For This Year (9)
· Ian says: @ Terrwill I wish you were still single :\ »
· YellowRanger says: I’m thankful for the aliens, who so graciously saw fit to stick us all here... »
Atlanta Police Sued For Making Homosexuals Place Moisturized Faces on Dirty Bar Floor (8)
· pawsum says: Horrendously inappropriate headline for this piece. The Eagle raid was not a joke or... »
Do You Want the Federal Government to Tax Your Right to Lipo? (12)
· Anita says: Kurt wrote: “Best way I can think of to finance health care reform.” I... »
· Anita says: Having had cosmetic surgery myself, I think a tax on aesthetic procedures is a fair and... »
1,500 Of You Complained Because Adam Lambert Got Mock Head on TV (44)
· staciegirlie says: Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!! Especially you, Romeo! »
PHOTOS: Rub a Dub Dub (13)
· jimmy says: In pic 3, you see that he is a really beautiful man. I’m partial to men from that... »
Waiting for the scandal to break any minute now….
Anyone want to let me move in with them. I need to get out of this damn state. HELP!
I can spot two fags, one dyke, and a cross dresser in waiting in his family pic!!
I should start taking wagers on how long it'll be before this one gets caught running around on the missus.
What silliness.
So you shouldn't be able to fire an employee of queerty because they convert to Mormonism, forsake their homosexual lifestyle, and seek to delineate the reasons for their change to all the world on another website?
If you fired someone who did that you'd be hypocrites, if you didn't you'd have other issues.
Skin color is trivial and says little about an individual in terms of differentiating them. Gender, and one's approach to it, is far less so because when it comes to the forthcoming generations the skin color of the parents determines nothing beyond the skin color of the children, whereas the living conditions in which a child is brought up deeply impact the child. The variations in the dynamics between the sexes is not, as skin color is, a trivial one. It is, in fact, a vital one. Sexual dynamics, regardless the claimed 'sexual identity' of a person of a physiological sexual reality, influence to a massive degree fidelity rates, intimacy rates and overall relationship endurance, integrity and net impact on any children possibly involved.
The kind of discrimination you all look at getting rid of is the same class of discrimination that keeps blind folk from getting pilot licenses.
Gee, what a shock, a member of the same church that was forced by public pressure to finally let blacks in in 1978 is bigoted. Again….What a shock!
Another poster boy for Bigotry. The Republican's Re-Branding efforts are curious.
He's right, but unless he also supports the repeal of laws prohibiting discrimination based on color, sex, etc., then he's a hypocrite.
"Often, people do not do the right thing. And when they don't, it unethically impacts certain groups of Americans through no fault of their own."
So, I guess you think adultery should be illegal, too? Lying to your friends? I thought it was the conservatives who wanted to legislate morality.
And qweerty even missed the best part of this whole cluster of idiocy.
Taken from the SL Tribune
"He said such protections make it difficult for businesses to function, suggesting an employer might hire a worker not knowing he or she was gay, and then be unable to fire the employee later."
Yup, he point blank said that he supports a business's right to fire a gay employee, and businesses not being able to will make it difficult to function.
"We don't have to have a rule for everybody to do the right thing,We ought to just do the right thing because it's the right thing to do and we don't have to have a law that punishes us if we don't."
So I guess we didn't need to ban murder right?
Or theft/Larceny, Drug Possession, Pyramid Schemes, Money Laundering, Kidnapping, Sexual Assault, Identity Theft..to name but a few more things we probably don't need to ban.
What a dumb fuck you are, Gary Herbert!
Buju Banton wants to shoot faggots in the head. He is scheduled to play in Salt Lake City and our new govonor doesn't think we need legal protection. Fu(<eD Up!
What a bloody wanker arsehole this Mor(m)on is! It takes a religious Rethuglican to be this damn stupid!
Gay discimination is the wrong term.
Bigotry is the right term.
WOW mor(m)on bigot and from Utah wow once again what a surprise!!!
Mormon (Christian).
@HiveRadical: AMEN, an eloquent and intelligent commentary on this post. Thank you for saying what was on my mind but I could not put as well as you did on screen.