This is nowhere near a free speech issue. Buttars had every right to make the statement he did, and he won't be put in prison as a political prisoner for it (tempting though that may sound).

This is about racism and accountability. He showed his true colors, again, and needs to be held accountable. If not, it reflects very poorly on the rest of the Utah legislature and the people he represents.

Response to Bubba: Buttars does not object to helping minorities if they are in general need, but he objects to helping minorities simply because they're minorities.

Somewhere along the line, the civil rights revolution got perverted with the idea that it was not enough merely to remove legal barriers to full competition, as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 mandated, but that we had to "make up" for past discrimination via such schemes as affirmative action. This meant replacing one form of racial discrimination with another based upon the fanciful notion that two wrongs make a right. Buttars has never accepted this idea, and neither have most Americans.

Senator Buttars' remark was quite unparliamentary in nature, but since I cannot see into his heart, I cannot characterize it as racist. In fact, he actually deserves more criticism for SB290 (the bill to cover up police records) than for that remark.

buttars may or may not be a racist, but he IS an idiot

I can't believe this forum would allow such racist terms on this site like cracker!

It's saltine-american.

Seriously cracker is an offensive term for whites. Used only by blacks.

Until whites are allowed to talk about blacks and not have their remarks censured or be called racist, racism will live on.

I'll be waiting for that day when we can have an open dialogue on races.

Until that day I guess the deseret news will deny any remarks negative against a black or against against blacks in general.

then why is he running again...buttars is ranchid better get it out.

This is just another ridiculous display of the way that Political Correctness has gone over the top. Other races are not even allowed to use the word black in a sentence. I once casually mentioned that black was my favorite color at my work place and was called on the carpet for it. Ridiculous. Why is it that the NAACP doesn't throw a fit when someone says "someone is trying to white wash this"? Oh heavens what an affront to the white race! And yes, white is just as much a color as black is. And what about if the senator said this is a "big" or "fat" baby? Why shouldn't every overweight American then demand the resignation of anyone that mentions "fat" or "big". Come on NAACP it's either all or nothing.

Keep it up on here. The man will win by a landslide.

Oh, to see ourselves as others see us. Considering who is against him (NAACP) and the level of some posters on here, the man deserves a medal.