Deja vu for Buttars
Senate leaders met today to discuss what to do about Chris Buttars' gay-bashing extravaganza that is still reverberating across the country.In an interview with a documentary filmmaker that wound up on the Web, Buttars compared the gay-rights movement to Muslim radicals. He also said gays have no morals, commit unspeakable sex acts, will destroy society and that families headed by gays are "abominations." The usual stuff.
But this time, he said so much of it so quickly that he achieved a critical mass that forced the GOP leadership to respond — before the Democrats dragged the stinking mess onto the Senate floor.
Buttars left the Hill after lunch (Eagle Forum President Gayle Ruzicka tells me his health hasn't been good) and Senate President Mike Waddoups told the news media an announcement about the controversy will be made at a press conference Friday morning.
The buzz at the Capitol this afternoon is that Buttars will be disciplined, exactly how is a matter of speculation. This would seem to be a replay of last year, when Buttars embarrassed the Senate by threatening a judge who had ruled against one of Buttars' buddies.
But slapping down Buttars this time will be even more complicated. Sen. John Valentine was dumped as president, in part, because he punished Buttars last year by removing him as chairman of the Judiciary Confirmation Committee.
When Waddoups replaced Valentine as Senate President, the first thing he did was restore Buttars' chairmanship. It allowed Buttars to thumb his nose at the groups that were outraged by his routine racial and homophobic comments.
13 Comments:
I expect that Waddoups will do something reasonable, even if it doesn't make everyone happy.
I expect that Waddoups will do nothing more than slap a wrist. Sure, he'll say that the Senate leadership "regrets" the statements that Buttars made, or that what he said was "unfortunate". But, Waddoups won't condemn those statements, or strip Buttars of his chairmanship. He'll say that Buttars serves at the pleasure of his constituency, and that elections will decide the fate of Buttars and everyone else in the Senate. Then, Buttars will be given his annual pass and take his rightful place alongside the other Republicans on the hill.
Buttars should get the boot--out of the GOP and out of the legislature. He's out of touch with his constituents and doesn't realize that non whites and gays have the same rights as he. I cannot fathom why the mindless people in his district send him back. Unfortunately, the last group of GOP contenders had all the substance as a sock full of wet mush. Utah politics needs some candidates who have a brain and new ideas. Allicin.
I think it's time for a luncheon with the brethren. His so-called church should give him a tongue-lashing. But that's wishful thinking. His "church" will say nothing about his racism and bigotry.
Because that's where he learned to hate anyone who isn't white and doesn't have two dozen kids.
Butt-arse is an evil, hateful and ugly being who should be banished from the legislature.
What a mouth.
it's difficult to know what evil forces shaped this evil man. he seems to see himself as a doer of good. but in reality, his soul is evil. thank God his power and influence are limited. though he needs to have that little bit of power taken away completely as he lacks the control to use it responsibly.
Buttars needs to be kicked out of the legislature. What really scares me is that people in his district re-elected this jack-ass. Linda
How has the LDS church not already issued a statement condemning this clown?
I sense Buttars lives in a self contained universe and echo chamber and pays little attention to the diversity of the world around him. Regularly he crosses mine field trip lines, tosses out verbal grenades, and afterward offers a stern look or grin, feeling no remorse or care for what he has said or done. Is he insecure, self centered or simply full of hubris and insensitivity? Living in a time warp, he uses language and mannerism that was discarded or banned decades back. Gender matters are one thing. Civility and charity toward humanity is quite another. West Jordan citizens should wake up and replace this "toxic, tiresome tantrum" in the next election cycle.
Buttars should lose his chairmanship. How can we trust anyone with so much bigotry and a broad tendency to advance his own agenda to decide which bills represent ANY constituancy. He has become a bigger problem than he is worth. Someone please educate his district before they elect another one like him.
For his fellow Republicans to condemn or discipline Buttars for his anti-gay stance is hypocritical to say the least. These are the same homophobic men who just killed every piece of legislation that would have extended civil rights to gays! Shame on all of them!
These types of hateful words are why I'm very happy my wife and I decided to leave the state and move our children to a more open-minded and accepting city. Utah has so many wonderful people and qualities, but you can only try and explain the hateful words of leaders like Chris Buttars so many times. When my 10 year daughter asked me about the "black baby" comment, that pushed us into action - I'm thankful I don't have to try and explain this hate filled rant to her this time. To the majority of Utahans - stand up against this man and drive change.
Buttars should not only be disciplined, but run out of town.
What is the difference between his rhetoric than those by Hitler in pre WWII Germany? Hitler also was one who said that certain "peoples" were a threat to their society. Thus causing others to look the other way as human beings were mass murdered.
It is UNSAFE for us as a society to have a man like this as a leader!
Buttars evil and a hatemonger? Takes one to know one, I guess.
Posters, please try to take an objective look at your own words. Then recall the "mote and the beam" parable and the Golden Rule from the New Testament. Perhaps you'll want to re-post your message in a less hypocritical manner. Can't you disagree without spewing hatred yourselves? Or have you that little control of yourselves?
My opinion? Buttars' timing was horrible, his trust was naively misplaced to say the least, his language undiplomatic.
But, in essence, he is telling the truth. And what reasonable arguments do his detractors have? None, therefore the ad hominen attacks
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