Comments about ‘Becker signs gay rights ordinances backed by Mormon church’

LOL, Religions can discriminate but if you do it for any other reason you have to pay. Anyone else see the hypocrisy in all of this?

We have now come about face by letting the Gays have support for fair and equal housing and care, which should be the case for any person - since all men are created equal. It's a good thing.

The Gays need to stop badgering for marriage. They can have their civil unions with all that it includes - even divorce. If you don't like what you get with one church, find another that goes with your values and don't force a church to stoop to your standards.

I'd better fill all of my open spaces by April, so I can pick decent human beings to live around my family. I'll never accept or encourage the moral decay of society. I am not Mormon, but happily join the Mormons as we fight to stop this disregard for values.

I think I have come to a conclusion. I think that gay people were born that way because no one in their right mind would choose to be gay.

is the most basic of human rights! If you can't control your own property, you have no real freedom. A private business is one that is privately owned. A public business is one that is either owned by the government (ie. the post office) or chartered and given a monopoly that all must use its services (such as a utility). Public businesses are owned and funded by the taxpayers, and as such, their services should be available to everyone. But private businesses, while they serve people, have a right to serve only those they choose to cater to. I don't frequent the biker bar in my community, nor buy my clothes at the western wear store, nor demand that the local women's club allow me to join. It is the right of those businesses to choose their clientele.

Additionally, does anybody know whether these ordinances apply to schools? And is "sexual orientation" defined? Pedeophilia, after all, is a sexual orientation.

Wow, It looks like everyone has rights except for heterosexual white men. Is there ever going to be a time when we stop using the word discrimation to marginalize people that dont think like we do??

Does anyone know if this is the maximum penalty for violating the ordinance? Can the discriminated-against gay sue the one who did the discriminating? It seems many landlords will simply have to pay the $1000 fine to keep their properties free of moral depravity.

Congratulations Utah...welcome to the 20th century! Maybe in 2020 you might be able to catch up to the 21st century...there is civilization outside of Utah (not just Kolob;-) Wow, that sure bights that rights are starting to catch up to what the anglo saxton males have had for years!

Does Mayor Becker and the LGBT community really view this ordinance as a "victory?" It seems to me these ordinances could easily be viewed as an unfavorable commentary on the people of Salt Lake if, in fact it is necessary to have some sort of law or ordinance to tell you how you ought to treat someone.

I do not regard the people of Salt Lake as unkind or disrespectful; rather, I view these ordinances as an obvious attempt for the LGBT community to include undefined terms like "sexual orientation" or "gender identity" in to a form of law that is designed to create a special class.

My point is, I believe all people are treated with respect and dignity in our community, which leads me to believe this housing and employment discrimination thing is, in fact, some sort of predetermined way to score what they hope will be the first of many more victories on their way to legalizing "gay marriage" in Utah.

The reality is, this is not about fairness and equality, or "common ground", this is about them and getting what they believe they deserve.

I know of people -- including myself -- who have been laid off or refused for a job interview or passed over for housing -- all because the landlord or the boss had problems dealing with a person attracted to the same sex.

I believe, because of my own experience, that this has been a problem (how does fair housing and employment lead to a slippery slope of moral decay?). It appears the law is balanced so those who own a small business or are theological can preserve the "temperament" or "climate" of their business; so the 15-or-less-employees exception.

If one was to use a moral compass for hiring or providing housing, in this day and age many people would be homeless and unemployed, since many people have broke the law of chastity. Etc, etc.

"they can have their civil unions" gee thanks but its not up to you to agree to give me my basic human rights.

HURRAH!!! :)

marriage is not a "basic human right." It's a legal contract made under the laws of a state--and the people in that state have the right to decide what those conditions may be. That's called democracy. Using the sort of bullying tactics we have seen to force others to change their minds is not democracy in action--it's intimidation in action.

Isn't this the same sort debate that was undertaken in many larger cities like San Francisco and Miami in the 1970's?!?! I think it is about time that Salt Lake City join the rest of the country with this law. Making non-discrimination based on sexual orientation just as illegal as discrimination based on religion, race or gender is not a radical notion, it is a well-established practice that has gone without problems in MANY communities throughout the country for MANY years. Thanks to our Mayor for bring SLC onto the same page as many other cities!

A straight and a gay walk into a company and both apply at the same time for the same job and they both have the same credentials. Who gets the job without discrimination?

Oh, and can somebody tell us how this will be enforced without any discrimination?

What a joke!

Maybe now I'll discriminate by not doing any business in SLC because of this. Isn't discrimination great!

I will no longer spent my resources in Salt Lake. This is a disgrace. Why do the people of Salt Lake continue to elect these radical mayors?

'It's a legal contract made under the laws of a state--and the people in that state have the right to decide what those conditions may be.' - 9:01 p.m.

Sorry but your logic was flawed when people out of state can petition in others states then. Prop 8 would have failed. (It only passed by 3%, with Utah money)

This is long overdue. I keep hearing the 'what about my rights!' arguments and I keep replying....

Discrimination is not a family value. Hate is not worth keeping. And if you want to discriminate you will pay.

If you think it's 'ok' to discriminate against someone because they are gay, thank you.

You will be the reason laws like this pass in the future.

I'm sorry but this ordinance won't do anything to fight against discrimination. People will simply lie about the reasons they fired someone, or didn't hire them or didn't rent them an apartment. It's not going to change anything. That's why the Mormon church supports it, because they too know that it's pointless and won't have any effect on anything.

They'll still be free to discriminate as they please, they'll just have to be more secretive about it. You know...business as usual.

I told my sister when Ralph Becker was elected that he was a gay "rights" supporter. Nah she said, he's a stand up guy. Well sis, enjoy all your gay neighbors.
It's sad that SLC has come to this. The silent majority need to stop being silent. Stand up, have a little courage and stop being trampled on.