Reader comments
Sen. Buttars' mea culpa

Typical milque toast D News editorial. Don't take a stand, just yap on with your mildly concerned attitude.

Not enough, Deseret News. You should demand his resignation from the legislature or an official censure. I predicted your patty-cake admonishment. He is a despicable person who has lost his right to legislate to the rest of us. He needs to be booted.

So he said something that could be construed as racist, and afterwards apologized for it. What's the big deal? The only people who are offended are those who want to be and those who have an ax to grind.

I get tired of a lazy staff at the Dnews rehearsing the same inaccuracies from the two conventions in question.

While it is true Leavitt and Hatch's nominator were jeered (Hatch was not jeered) the Dnews does not bother to explain what really happened.

The quickest is with Hatch. The convention was held at the E-center, with large digital clocks that everyone can see. Rules stated that the moment someone spoke on the microphone the clock began ticking. Everyone received 5 minutes. Congressman Hansen, Governor Leavitt,...everyone received 5 minutes.

With Hatch, he got close to 6.5 minutes. His nominator began to speak but unlike anyone else, the clock did not start. All 5,000 of us watched this double standard. After about 30 seconds of 'free time' a person yelled "start the clock!" After another 15 seconds a bunch more began yelling this. After a minute or so many, many people began yelling "start the clock." Some just began to boo.

Hatch was on the stand but a lady was at the microphone. Hatch was not booed. The fact that the GOP rigged it for him was. All animals are created equal, some are more equal.

Get it straight Dnews!

Many (but clearly not all) Utah Republicans have given this bozo a pass whenever he says something stupid. That appears to be just about every time he opens his mouth. It's time to hang him out to dry.

I disagree with the D-News' implication that nothing can be done until the convention. People should be contacting Senator Buttars NOW and inviting him to resign. His contact information is at the state legislature's website and his phone number is 801-561-0535

Just put an -R by your name and you too can get elected and say whatever you want!

Thank you, Deseret News, for at least acknowledging how bad this man is for our state. This story has made US news, and along with that very telling photo of him, he has turned into a national joke.

I worked with Senator Buttars on the gay straight alliance issue as well as the marriage issue, Amendment 3. He is not a "bozo," a racist or homophobe. Those attacks are no better than the language he used to describe how he felt about the socialist legislation he opposes.

I do not condone his words. His background reminds me of the students I met at BYU years ago who had grown up in the farming communities of Utah and Idaho. As a city girl from Hollywood, California, I found them to be less sophisticated and refined, less able to express themselves with decorum and diplomacy.

This is now a political ploy to remove a solid conservative vote from the Senate. If Senator Buttars is forced to resign, I hope his successor will be as reliable as he has been to vote for moral laws that promote less government and individual liberty.

Deseret News falls short on this one. Buttars has been "expressing himself" too long. Given his record of oppressing people he doesn't like, he simply can't be trusted to be a lawmaker in a civilized society. Blacks, gays, scientists, schoolteachers--how much persecution can he dish out from his Capitol office before the DNews does the right thing and calls for his resignation?

Senator Buttars is a wonderful man who wants the United States and the State of Utah to return to the basic principles of our inspired founding fathers. He supports fundamentalist religious beliefs that are in line with basic old testament doctrines. There is nothing wrong with this man. Give him some forgiveness and let us move forward together to make Utah a state where old fashioned family values reign supreme.

Racism is not part of My family values, Gayle.
But it is most definitely a part of this culture's. Its' what doomed Mitt Romney.

Not sure if "Gayle Ruzicka" (1st comment) is really THE Gayle Ruzicka or an imposter. If it's an imposter, my hat's off for writing a realistic Gayle Ruzicka impersonation.

If it really IS Gayle Ruzicka, then get your own house in order (you know exactly what I mean...) before lecturing others or trying to stick your nose into what should be the private business of others. You are neither elected to any public office, nor authorized to speak on behalf of your church. Utah would be better off if you minded your own business instead of trying to force your values (using the term loosely) on every resident of the state.

I wish to express my sincere admiration for Cherilyn Eagar @ 8:44. I'd been waiting to hear from an actual supporter of Mr. Buttars since this story broke, but had yet to find anyone willing to own up to such an opinion. The most I'd heard was attacks againsts the NAACP for inflating this issue. I thank Ms. Eagar for the courage to stand up for someone in whom she believes, especially as that person is now 'persona non grata'.

With that being said, I simply do not understand why you people are so nervous about gay issues. There are so many real problems in the world that desperately need the attention of dedicated individuals--why waste time worrying about who loves whom? If you're not a homosexual adolescent in need of emotional support, then don't join a homosexual adolescent support club. But why expend so much energy telling others what they cannot do? Go volunteer at a homeless shelter, or pick up trash in wilderness areas, or SOMETHING positive. But don't decry "socialist legislation" while simultaneously supporting morality laws that attempt to dictate how people live their lives.

How is it that you can presume to know what our founding fathers would want for our country in this modern age? Shouldn't we expect more from our leaders and representatives than mere presumptions? Surely, our founding fathers were men of faith, but by no means infallible. Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and others would be the first to admit that. Unfortunately, their wisdom is used by people like Ruzicka & Buttars as rhetoric - not to inspire a better future, but to alienate people who don't prescribe to their "fundamentalist" values. Well, here's a presumption of my own, Gayle: The founding fathers would be disgraced if they knew their proud legacies are being hijacked by rabid idealogues such as yourself, all for the sake of a narrow, short-sighted agenda.

Buttars is an embarrassment. People look at Buttars and think he's the face of Utah.

Unfortunately, they may be right, judging by the number of people on this forum willing to defend Buttars' blatantly racist views.

Even the kids off the farm and from the small towns learn to be tolerant in a diverse society. Also, supporting "fundamentalist religious beliefs in line with basic old testament doctrines" is certainly questionable (both then and today) as appropriate in a society as diverse as the United States.

Those nostalgic days when Utah was so homogeneous in in its culture and religion that being an "outsider" was to be a "non-person" in the community has been slowly eroding since the first pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley. To request a "Old Testament World" is basically to want Sharia Law to be intituted throughout the land.

Senator Buttars is much like his mentor, "B-1" Bob Dornan (former U.S. Congressman from Orange County, California) with his lack of the proper filtering mechanism for his utterances in public. Having a mouth that spews racist and hateful speech and then attempting to cover himself with a "heartfelt and sincere" apology is his greatest adversary. Hopefully, the voting public will understand that it is not well-served by such a partisan hack.

Unfortunately, Racism is way deep in this culture's past. And there really is nothing anyone can do about it. It's even in their scriptures.

I believe that Senator Buttars comments are inappropriate and offensive. Ms. Williams concerns would be much more valid if I had ever heard her demand that Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson resign and disappear from the public stage. So that is a wash. As far as Ms. Ruzicka is concerned, if it is in reality her. Your views are no more the views of the "church" or the "founding fathers." You, and apparently, Senator Buttars are hateful and intolerant, much more closely associated with a Pharasee than a disciple. Please take your self-righteous attitudes and ride off into the sunset. My children and family will be much better off without your constant meddling. Goodbye and good riddance.

DesNews: �Surely we deserve better.�

Wow! I�m pleasantly surprised hearing that from your editorial board. Unfortunately, that�s not enough. The press is one of the checks and balances we have on our political process.

We need investigation. Interview colleagues and his opponents; look at patterns with all representatives and with other supporting legislatures past language. Is this systemic within our system or is this an isolated case? Do your job!

Who knows, there may be a Pulitzer in it for someone.