Comments about ‘Utah Legislature: Lawmakers do away with gay rights bills’

While my initial reaction was one of, "Are you people serious?", I'm glad to hear that there are still people in government SOMEWHERE who are capable of calm and civil compromise. What I find most shocking in the whole story is that anyone at the state level was seriously considering a moratorium on local laws regarding discrimination. What reasonable person is going to tell a city/county government, "No, you are NOT allowed to protect someone's civil rights!"

I must say, I am so impressed with the feeling of cooperation at least in this issue. The homosexual community should be very proud of Ms. Johnson.

It seems Christine Johnson has now made a positive impact on TWO Republican senators. She's a keeper.

The LGBT community is not a separated entity from the larger community, this is not "them against us".
When are you going to stop the discrimination and bigotry against your own people? Obviously not today! Shame on you! You are discriminating against your brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, cousins, etc. LGBT do NOT want special rights, they just want to feel secure as members of a civilized society. Obviously, that is too much to ask.

Why isn't the legislature overturning Salt Lake City's and Salt Lake County's pro-gay laws? They are obviously against the Utah State Constitution, as amended by THE PEOPLE a couple of years ago. Those pro-gay laws should be overturned.

So the Utah republicans backed off of their PRO-descrimination bill. Well wasn't that nice of them! (TIC)

Seriously, they were really going to try and say it is unlawful to pass legislation protecting people's rights?!! These Utah conserv repubs make me sick.

I look at discrimination as a constitutional right of free speech and choice. Discrimination created this country and the constitution that gave us the right to discriminate and even hate. There isn't one single event in life and our freedoms that are not associated with discrimination. Discrimination laws are tearing apart our constitution and rights of individuals to the very core of what democracy means.

I'm not saying its acceptable to harm or hurt out of discrimination, but it is our right to like, dislike, and speak our minds. Our nation is becoming a splinter group and division of rights according to the group you belong to. Rights as americans should supercede the emotional feelings of personal choices. One law, one nation, all americans each with the right of choice and speech. Without discrimination you don't have an america.

"LGBT do NOT want special rights, they just want to feel secure as members of a civilized society"

The number one, most easily accomplished way of achieving this objective is for the LGBT community to just live their life.

Go to work, or go to school, or serve in the military, serve in the community, shop, pay bills, etc.

DO NOT REQUIRE in any way the general public to acknowledge you as anything other than someone who goes to work, or who goes to school, or who serves in the military, who engages in public service, who shops, who pays their bills, etc.

In this way I guarantee you will be treated--and feel a secure member of--a civilized society.

What I fear is that this is just a ploy by legislators not to have to deal with controversial issues in an election year.

"Put it off until fewer people are paying attention."

We'll see if this is progress or just a delaying tactic.

Rep. Johnson, you are amazing. Keep up the good work. You are such an inspiration to me.

In all due respect, it is a fact of nature - not discrimination - that makes same-sex unions unequal to - and mankind dependent on - unions that have procreation potential. Nonetheless, all are still free to love who they want.

Isn't somebody going to bring up Rush Limbaugh's using the "R" word when Palin went crazy over the white house using it?

Why is Christine Jonhson's chosen sexual behavior public knowledge? I don't care what she does behind closed doors, but I also don't want her personal behavior influencing legislation.

of course thats too much to ask, people are mean to all types of people for all types of reasons in all types of circumstances.
At what point did you think society had become perfect.
Its to bad thats the way it is hopefully society will someday mature.
You cant legislate for every circumstance that exsists.
O you just want your circumstance. I rest my case!!!

What respect is Waddoup showing to gays and lesbians? Please tell us!

Treating people with respect cannot be legislated.
If you want to see the hate and bigotry surrounding this issue, just go to any gay and lesbian story and read the attacking comments on the comment threads. The hate and attacks are primarily from the gay and lesbian community. So much for the civil in their "civilized society." The point, no amount of legal protection will every make the gay and lesbian communities happy. They will always be angry. They will always be upset. They will always demand equality even if they have more legislated rights than everyone else.

Why should the LGBT community feel secure as members of a civilized society when their behavior is not civilized mor widely accepted? Yes they're people who deserve rights like anyone else but it's their behavior that's the dealbreaker.
Also, I agree that this is not a "them against us" but they ARE a seperate entity.
Do not try to legalize a certain immoral behavior and say that it's a civil rights issue.
If anything, shame on you!

Discrimination is wrong against anyone, and at any level. I think it is pathetic that we have to enact laws to teach people that. I may not agree with what other people think on a number of issues, but they are still good people and deserve to be treated the same way everyone else is.

Anonymous 2:48: So if you are against "pro" gay laws, then I assume you stand for "anti" gay laws?

I can't understand how bigotry and hate (against gay people) can exist in such a heavily religious state.

The Mormon Church supports civil rights for gay people.

John Smith was a man of courage who fought to protect his own family. Doesn't that spirit exists anymore in your state legislature?