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7 Comments:
First of all, SB117 does nothing to improve Utah's animal cruelty laws (which are one of the five weakest in the nation.)
Second, regarding #6 on your home page-Animal Cruelty Felony Bill-Henry's Law SB102 did not pass. The only thing that passed by one small vote was SB117. See above.
Mr. Valentine
I am writing to express my outrage.
Chris Buttars has clearly demonstrated a long term pattern of bigotry and racism, but that is not the subject of this correspondence.
I am writing this letter to express my outrage with you. Your dismissive, weak, response to this latest incident combines with a long term passive acceptance of this type behavior to project an image of cronyism, bias, and bigotry that runs much deeper than just the racial sentiments of Chris Buttars.
This incident, and your refusal to forcefully deal with it, are an embarrassment to our state and to the Republican Party. Ignoring this will only make things worse. People are outraged, and will not let this stand. It is well past time for you, the other leadership in the senate, and all our elected officials to act forcefully and publicly to insure it becomes crystal clear to everyone, that our state will not be governed by bigots.
Justsomedad:
I appreciate your concern but have a different perspective. One of our senators made an offensive comment in the heat of a debate. Within minutes, the Senate President addressed the issue, in public, on the Senate floor. The senator was given an opportunity to speak to the body. He was not resistant at all; in fact, he was humbled, full of remorse and eager for the opportunity to apologize to his colleagues and the people of the State of Utah.
Maybe you're new to the senate. In context, the response was neither weak nor dismissive. It was decisive, classy – and left no room for doubt that this kind of speech has no place here. No one, including Senator Buttars, finds this kind of speech acceptable.
I believe most impartial observers will conclude the senate response was appropriate to the offense. Chris Buttars is a good man who – like every single one of us – can make serious mistakes.
Senate Site:
I understand how you might feel that the response to Mr. Buttars latest outrage was acceptable and appropriate.
I can assure you, however, that a large segment of the general public disagrees. President Valentine's dismissive response to every inquiry so far, if he bothers to respond at all, has been the same, "the issue is over"
Senate leadership's failure to make a clear, forceful, public statement regarding this issue is interpreted by many, myself included, as passive acceptance of institutionalized bias and bigotry.
justsomedad,
It is apparent that neither you, nor anyone of the younger generations understand what the term "black baby" means.
For the older folks, your grandparents, and their parents, etc. the term "black baby" refers to a still born infant, at least in UT it did. Still borns were usually black in color because they had been dead for a few days or more.
Because of the advanced medical/technological age we live in, still borns in this country are pretty much a thing of the past. For this reason, the younger generation of citizens do not understand what that term means, and that Senator Buttars made that term in context with the reference to "Solomon's Baby" that had been brought up earlier in the debate.
Senator Buttars fault is more for not keeping up with the "jargon" of the day and the age of the citizenry that is paying attention to what he has to say.
I do not think Senator Buttars was trying to make any kind of racist comment, he was simply using a term that reflected the daily language used during time period in which he grew up.
Many out there will not accept this explanation. Those people are the type who prefer to vilify others, rather than try to dig down for the truth. An unfortunate display of the more negative aspects of Human Nature.
Nice Try Vilad,
I'm not buying it. If Mr. Buttars meant what you say he meant he would have just explained it that way the moment he was first questioned.
Buttars has demonstrated a clear, long term pattern of bigotry and bias, and senate leadership has enabled him by dismissing his behavior, sweeping it under the rug and covering for him when he screws up.
I have heard rumor that the Senate leadership finally made a public statement concerning this issue today. If that is true, where can we find the full text of the statement?
I listened to the entire floor debate for that day, and the reference to a still born infant is what I heard. You can blame that on my age I guess.
You said that Senator Buttars had a long history of bigotry and bias. Can you show me where this is documented?
I am not one of Senator Buttars constituents, or his neighbor, so I don't personally know whether or not he is a bigot. Until I have proof of that, I will behave in a Christian manner, and I will decline from passing judgment.
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