Reader comments
Civil-union stance of guv spurs protests

Thank you Governor Huntsman. You are a great inspiration for all!

I'm a Republican and don't feel threatened at all by Huntsman's stance or the possibility civil unions may occur. Giving that right to others takes nothing away from me. I'm still free to practice my chosen lifestyle. I see no reason to stop others from doing the same.

Could it be that Utah's government is inching away from theocracy? Could it be that Huntsman's courageous statement on civil unions is establishing that the governor is in charge, not the Mormon church?

What a great and momentous thing Huntsman has done!

We are seeing superior leadership as this state never has before.

Thank you Mr. Huntsman.

He must face God for this decision. One more nail in the coffin of the family.
Going against the church stance, you wonder if he has a conscious?

The frustrating thing about people like Buttars is that their principle shift with each debate. His own words during the debate over Amendment 3 support the Common Ground initiative but now he opposes it. That is why so many people think he is motivated by an irrational hatred and not a clearly developed political position or philosophy. I personally believe he is a better person than that but every time he shifts his position it grows harder to explain that belief.

Huntsman, on the other hand, is very clear on what he believe in and what he does not. Whether or not you agree with him you have to admire the fact that he has bothered to figure that out.

Good call Governor. It took intelligence and guts and morality to make the call. You are a wise man really.

Let's See -

After Prop 8 exploded, the LDS Church says it does not opposed civil unions, just gay marriage.

The governor says he supports the idea of civil unions.

The Eagle Forum and Chris Buttars oppose civil unions.

Looks to me that the governor is in "good company."

Whose side are you on?

Congratulations to Gov Huntsman for supporting Equality of Human Rights.He is following the tradition of Utah governors being true leaders, far ahead of dogmatic legislators.

A rational, honest, CHRISTIAN man. Governor HUNTSMAN FOR PRESIDENT.

Next time you say the Pledge of Allegiance - note the word 'Republic'. Here's the definition -

"a political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them"

The Founding Fathers purposely moved away from a monarchy. No matter how pretty his words, no matter how politely he speaks, his actions are not that of a Republic leader. And please, do not remind me that Ms. Roskelly stated the majority of the calls to the Governor were to say thank you. She is a spoke person for the Governor not the people. With 66 percent of the people in this state conservative....I sincerely doubt that Governor Politician Huntsman is representing the majority of people who voted for him.

Jon Huntsman Jr. is a liar! If he said so BEFORE the election, 95% of the voter will not support him. He knew it!

HB 160, Adult Joint Support Declaration, is worth amending and passing. It would apply to a brother and sister sharing a house, two old friends, etc. It says nothing about "gay" or same-sex anything. It makes no approval of anyone's lifestyle. Based on the number of men/women living together with kids, it is a step in the right direction.

HB 267 should be shredded as is. It asks for approval or at least legal recognition of GLBT status and could hurt churches, scouts, and others' ability to require a moral code of ethics.

Any executive order from Gov Huntsman re: health insurance should be delayed until someone thinks things through.

I like all of you who are posing as conservatives have an opinion too. Though very liberal in all areas except gay rights, I think the governor is nothing more than a politician who is sucking up to the current power base so he can advance his political fortunes. To equate sodomy with Equality and Human Rights is to be an idiot. I wish the governor would run again. He would loose at convention. What a pathetic fortune hunter he is.

A grave mistake Governor. I hope you do go to China. After embracing the global warming baloney, and now kowtowing to the homosexual crowd--I hope you go...far, far away.

The gays are not going to elect you to anything in this state, and now the family people aren't either.

There is nothing courageous about what Governor Hunstman has said. It was a clearly political move intended to ingratiate himself to Obama. If he really believes that Civil Unions are acceptable then that would be even more troubling, since his own faith clearly, without question, opposes "civil unions" as just gay marriage by another name.

The LDS Church's recent statement that gay activists have taken grossly out of context does not, repeat DOES NOT, endorse civil unions at all. It only says that the Church "does not object to rights (already established in California) regarding hospitalization and medical care, fair housing and employment rights, or probate rights . . . "

That allows for some basic human decency that ALL people, regardless of sexual gender preference, deserve. But gay activists need to be very careful, since saying that someone shouldn't be fired for simply being gay is a far cry from an employer firing someone for openly espousing a deeply dangerous and high-risk sexual practice at work.

And Governor Huntsman needs to be very, very careful in how he fulfills his obvious political ambitions.

All people have the exact same rights & restrictions when it comes to marriage. There is no reason to change that to accomodate the wishes of homosexuals. This is just another example of malcontented extremists demanding special rights. If we allow homosexual marriage, how long before extremists start demanding incestuous marriage? Plural marriage? Marriage to children? Marriage to farm animals? It never ends.....

By the way, I am not LDS or Republican. Just a man who understands that marriage (traditional) is the cornerstone of civilization and any attempt to weaken marriage as it has existed for thousands of years will inevitably lead to the collapse of civilization.

What a great moment in Utah's history! I am proud of our Governor, he is the Future and those opposing him belong to a not-too-proud past.

Thank you governor

This is really sad. It was unnecessary as people who don't care about moral, ethical or legal unions find this legitimization of their weakness. They will do it whether it has the endorsements of GUV or not. Shame on Gov Huntsman.

Why is it that the right wingnuts are saying that since the Gov is LDS that he can't hold an opinion that is different from the "official" church position? I my view that puts the LDS leadership in the same role that Hitler had in WWII.

I thought we were living in the land of the free and the home of the brave. It seems that many Utahans believe that "The Church" is the only authority.