Deseret News | Buttars stands by apology, has no intention of resigning

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Buttars stands by apology, has no intention of resigning

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Aaron | 5:39 p.m. Feb. 14, 2008

Give me a break, don't people have anything else to do but complain about racists. I swear we have become a nation so caught up with ourselves, always drawing a line and surveying the scene to make sure nobody crosses it. Or as one great man said "straining at gnats while swallowing camels." The main reason why "racasim" still continues is because we love to run around calling everyone a racist.

shadow | 6:08 p.m. Feb. 14, 2008

Being black, I am insulted.

Being educated and a Christian, I forgive him. He just represents Utah, that's all. I spent a little time in Utah and I am not shocked at all.

He might even become the poster child for Utah's love. Big ad, nice quote, and then ask the world to come to another Olympics. What hypocrisy in your leadership.

The shadow knows.

Give me a Break | 6:56 p.m. Feb. 14, 2008

I know Senator Buttars. He is a very compasionate Christian man. He is no racist. I have heard him use the term "baby" many times in the vernacular of one who lived thru the sixties; like this "thing" just as young people today use the term "dude". Taken in the context of remarks immediately prior to the Senator by other Senators about the bill in question as being "dark" like evil or bad, I believe he was just using slang. I am sure he never intended it to be perceived in the way that it was. I think people are a little hypersensitive...it is time to move on and remember what a great servant Senator Buttars has been and be grateful that there is a man like him willing to defend conservative values.

Comments continue below

Agree with "Give me a Break"! | 8:15 p.m. Feb. 14, 2008

I agree with "Give me a Break"! I think we send mixed messages about what is OK and what's not. Definitions of words and phrases are constantly being changed until it's hard to say anything these days that is not offensive to some. I think that we can either choose to be offended or not. We all make mistakes... or for those that have never said an offensive thing to anyone, then I guess you can throw the 1st stone!

cjp | 8:25 p.m. Feb. 14, 2008

POOR CHOICE OF WORDS BUT IT WASN'T MENT TO BE RACIST GIVE HIM A BREAK

grundle | 8:45 p.m. Feb. 14, 2008

Read the posts and see who is actually spewing hate here. Look for the name calling and the picture paints itself.

A man can measure his effectiveness by who his enemies are. Judging by the posts on this and other forums and his treatment by the rabid press, he must be doing a great job!

I don't know Buttars but have followed his actions in the senate and I believe that he is one of our better representatives. If I lived in his district I would vote for him again.

As for his comments...Its all about context which the press rarely reports on. Do your homework with any integrity at all and you will have to recall the the hatefull things that have been said.

David M | 8:48 p.m. Feb. 14, 2008

We have all seen the context. There are things that are never appropriate to say. What he said is one of those.

re:Grundle / Give me a Break | 9:15 p.m. Feb. 14, 2008

Would you ever use the terms "baby", "black", "dark" and "ugly" in the same sentence in the presence of an African American you respected?

Should anyone ever use the terms "baby", "black", "dark" and "ugly" in the same sentence from the floor of the Utah State Senate?

Wake Up! | 9:31 p.m. Feb. 14, 2008

Does anyone know what a metaphor is?

No one has criticized Buttars for referring to the legislative bill as a ï¿½baby.ï¿½ Itï¿½s really not a baby folks. Using the word ï¿½babyï¿½ conjures up a whole lot of meaning. Thatï¿½s why Buttars used it.

Likewise the word ï¿½blackï¿½ has a meaning of bad. If you read his full comment, that is what Buttars went on to say about the billï¿½that it was dark, ugly. Black isn't always a word about race.

What if he had referred to the bill as one which doesnï¿½t have ï¿½legs?ï¿½ This is commonly done. It gives the idea a bill isnï¿½t going anywhere. Should someone get upset saying it is a slam against handicapped people who donï¿½t have real legs!

Today we say a lot of words which carry different meanings. Remember the Ford truck commercial with the lyrics, ï¿½Bad to the bone.ï¿½ Now how many people really think Ford was saying their trucks were bad? (Except the die-hard Chevy owners like my neighbor.)

It seems you canï¿½t say anything today without someone being offended. Who should be criticized the mostï¿½the person who makes the misconstrued comment or the person who overly reacts?

Dear Wake Up! | 11:29 p.m. Feb. 14, 2008

You do an incredible job of stretching and reaching. The one who should be criticized the most is the one who doesn't employ any reasonable testing to his arguement. That would be you.

Cam | 11:41 p.m. Feb. 14, 2008

Buttars is a hateful man, and he should resign immediately.

Julian | 12:07 a.m. Feb. 15, 2008

OUCH: By any measure school integration has not resulted in better education for black children. The Supreme Court erred in asserting that there was something valuable, in and of itself, in going to school alongside whites.

The truth is that the a program to enforce separate but EQUAL would have led to bringing all black schools up to the same standard in funding, material, teaching staff, student to teacher ratio, and physical plant, etc. but would have left caring teachers and staff, a curriculum appropriate for the needs and interests of black children, and a culturally integrated social atmosphere.

Ridgely | 12:02 a.m. Feb. 15, 2008

If only this was an isolated incident. Sadly Senator Buttars has a history of offensive and demeaning speech, both on the floor of the legislature (where you think he would be more respectful, or in the age of You-Tube at least be aware of microphones), and off. Anyone who has sat in a committee meeting and watched Senator Buttars deride teachers and health educators, or spew venom at gay and lesbian Utahn's, knows this man is an idealogical extremist fueled by a hateful contempt for anyone who disagrees with him. The idea that he will eventually retire from the legislature to serve the Church on a mission shames me greatly.

sambam | 12:21 a.m. Feb. 15, 2008

Politically correctness only applies to conservatives.

Peace, Be Still! | 12:40 a.m. Feb. 15, 2008

Don't we just enjoy a tempest in a teapot! Good sense and approbrium fly out the window when those whose political agenda, needing the massaging of controversy, use perfectly appropriate metafor, taken out of context, as a stick to injure their opponent. What clap-trap! What dishonesty!

We had a black cocapoo that our children (using great creativity) named "BLACKIE". In the park one day, she began running among families picnicing --- among them, a black family. To restrain the dog, my wife called out to her, "Blackie, come here!" PERFECTLY INNOCENT, right? The black wife yelled at my wife, "WHO you callin' 'Blackie', honkie? Offense was searched for --- just as it has been in this case -- to be used for political reasons.

Shame on you reverse racial bigots who seek an occasion to malign an honorable servant of the whole of the people! YOU need an attitude adjustment --- AND an education in the use of the English language!

Mike | 10:53 a.m. Feb. 15, 2008

Dear "Peace, Be Still"

Do you honestly consider using those words together to be a "perfectly appropriate metaphor?" The bill was previously described as an ugly baby, and Sen. Buttars wanted to further the imagery by describing the baby in more detail, as black, dark and ugly. At the very least he was implying that non-Caucasian children are ugly, that is incontrovertible. Sen. Buttars has previously shown his racist and homophobic stripes on many occasions and he should resign immediately. He does not represent me as a Utahn or a Mormon in good standing.

DANI | 10:54 a.m. Feb. 15, 2008

I TOTALLY SUPPORT SEN. BUTTERS, IN THIS WORLD WE NOW HAVE TO WATCH EVERY WORD WE SPEAK BECAUSE IT,S SO EASY TO INSULT SOMEONE, NOW IT,S THE COLORS BLACK-BROWN-YELLO- WHITE ETC. SEN. BUTTERS IS A HARD WORKING SENATOR, THERE WILL ALWAYS BE PEOPLE WHO DISAGREE WITH HIS IDEAS. I VOTED FOR HIM, AND I STAND BEHIND MY DECISION. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK SEN. BUTTERS, AND DON,T LET THE MORAL POLICE GET TO YOU, DANI WEST JORDAN.

justsomedad | 12:21 p.m. Feb. 15, 2008

Senator Chris Buttarsï¿½ recent ï¿½Black Babiesï¿½ comment is unacceptable. If this was an isolated incident I would chalk it up as a slip of the tongue and let it go. This is not, however, an isolated incident.

Chris Buttars has demonstrated a clear pattern of long term unacceptable behavior. He appears to be a racist, bigot who legislates based on his own agenda of personal bias.

I am outraged by Mr. Buttarï¿½s clear pattern of prejudice and believe it is my civic duty to demand he be held accountable.

Peace unto you also | 10:53 a.m. Feb. 17, 2008

I agree with "Peace, Be Still!", but I don't understand why I have rocks thrown at me by people going to church when I walk my dog on Sunday morning. Could it be because my children inocently named him "Ugly Mormon Bigot"

Gary | 11:44 a.m. Feb. 22, 2008

He was just speaking in Mormon. "Dark and ugly" means you should reject the legislation. If he had said it was "white and deligthsome" then that means we should embrace and cherish the legislation.

Tom | 1:26 a.m. March 28, 2008

Peace Be Still,

LMAO. I would truly love to have been at the park to see the incident you describe. And what a stupid name for dog...

UTBlogger | 3:52 p.m. June 28, 2008

Sen. Butters is despicable and should resign. Is he really as dumb as he wants the voters to believe? Butters is racist and he knows it. This man has no character and really feels that he is all-powerful.

The delegates of Senate District 10 almost sent him packing at the Salt Lake County Republican Party convention. Ozwald Balfour should have known better when he helped Butters to win by one vote to avoid a primary. Butters would have suffered the same faith as Mark Walker. He would have been beaten soundly in the primary.

He may be able to win his seat in November but his legacy will remain his racist Black Baby comment along with all the others he is likely to make over the next four years.

JAW | 7:26 p.m. Feb. 18, 2009

Thank you Sen. Buttars for standing up for what is right and not backing down to those who are always looking for our leaders to vote for their immoral values. Please do not resign, for we need all of the good conservative and moral leaders we can find.

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