January 12
1903 HARRINGTON IS
BOUND OVER He Is Placed Under $10,000 Bonds To Answer For His Revolting Crime “Red”
Frank Harrington was given a hearing Saturday evening on the charge of a crime
against nature. The testimony in the case was taken at the hospital where the
victim of Harrington’s brutal assault is ill with rheumatism. The testimony is
too revolting for publication. Harrington was bound over to the district court
and his bond was fixed at $10,000.
1978 Thursday An attorney for television personality Paul Lynde pleaded innocent for
his
client Wednesday morning after Lynde ‘s arrest for interfering with police
officers. Salt Lake City Judge Paul G. Grant told attorney John Kesler that
Lynde, 51, Beverly Hills, Ca. Would stand trial January 30 at 2 p.m. Lynde was
arrested at 12:30 a.m. Wednesday by City Police Officer Scott Candland who had
answered a vehicle vandalism call at 51 South 400 West. According to police
reports Lynde began complaining to Officer Candland that he needed a different
case investigated. He told police thieves had stolen his brief case from his
black Cadillac limousine. The television comedian spent about 3 hours in Salt Lake City jail before
posting $50 bond. (SLTribune 01/12/78 page 14 A)
 |
| Paul Lynde |
1986 Sunday -The Gay/Lesbian Alliance and The Heterosexual Alliance,
two controversial student clubs at Utah State University are now officially
recognized. The Gay/ Lesbian Alliance is a support group for homosexuals that
has met weekly on Campus since October 1985.
Club goals include “educating the public that we are normal people” and
providing emotional support for homosexuals, then friends and families
according to club representatives. The
Heterosexual Alliance advocates the “advantage of being heterosexual” according
to club president Nyles Stoddard. They
also plan to provide information about AIDS and will attempt to provide
counselors for homosexuals who wish to change their life style. The Heterosexual Alliance began meeting in
November 1985 in response to a three part series about homosexual groups in the
Utah Statesman, the university’s student newspaper. The series began with a front page photograph
of two bare chested males in a partial embrace.
President Nyle Stoddard 27, pre-law student said his club will monitor
valley publications and watch for further questionable, distatsteful, or
offensive material. Members of the
Gay/Lesbian Alliance who attended the first meeting of the Heterosexual
Alliance characterized it as a hate group. Stoddard said the club also seeks
answers to many questions about the spread of AIDS “Does society have a
responsibility to stop it? Does
government? Do individuals? I point at
homosexuals because they comprise 75 % of the spreaders of the disease.”
Heterosexuals meets monthly with 25 members. Gay/Lesbian Alliance meets weekly
with same amount. Darren was the co-President of the Gay/Lesbian Alliance.
(SLTribune 2B 01/12/1986)
 |
| Patty Reagan |
1988-Tuesday- Unconditional Support topic “Beating the Winter Doldrums” (83) “At lunch
today I typed up articles for the Triangle on the AIDS Quilt and Concerning
Gays and Lesbians’ February schedule. I called Becky Moss at her work and got
her approval for final copy. Randy Olsen
is supposed to have written an article for Unconditional Support. Ken Francis,
Randy, and I are supposed to meet at 6 p.m. for a planning meeting. I need to
call the leaders of LGSU, Affirmation, ResurrectionMCC etc. to see when we can
get together to plan a Valentines Dance and to let them know about the Water
slide fund raiser. While talking to Beau Chaine yesterday, he said he probably
will be in the hospital for brain surgery that weekend in February. I wonder if
Dave Malmstrom would let us use the Unitarian
Church LDS Church Salt Lake Japan , another went to Chicago, another to Indiana , and two more are moving to Denver . Seems like so many are leaving Salt Lake
 |
| Maureen Davies Chuck Whyte Brenda Voisard |
1992:Sunday HIDDEN POPULATION:WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE HOMOSEXUAL IN
UTAH? Byline: By Carol Sisco, Paula Huff and Lili Wright `` One in 10 Americans is gay or lesbian, according to the late
Alfred C. Kinsey, the first biologist to study human sexuality. Utah is no different, says Patty Reagan, a University of Utah
that many gay couples have stable, happy
relationships, says Robert Austin, vice chairman of the Gay and Lesbian
Community Council. He and his partner Bradley Weischedel go to movies, shop for
antiques and care for their pets. ``Our
life revolves around learning and caring about each other,'' he says.
``Together we create a relationship that, except for our genders, is pretty
much the same as another adult couple trying to make a go of it.'' Most gay
and lesbians interviewed say they've found a rich social life in Salt Lake City . Downtown
boasts 11 gay bars and clubs. By comparison, Philadelphia has 10 times as many residents
but only 23 gay bars. The state has 55 gay and lesbian social and support
groups, from the Utah Gay Rodeo Association to the Older Wiser Lesbians
Society. Some activists expect that number to triple in the next two years. ``Things are changing almost daily,''
says Bobbie J. Smith, who works at the new lesbian
and gay book store, The
Rhino's Nest. ``We have made great
improvement over the last four or five years.'' Once a year, there's a high-profile bash. On
Memorial Day weekend more than 600 gays and lesbians gather at the Salt Palace
to crown the Emperor and Empress of ``The Royal Court of the Golden Spike
Empire,'' the Utah chapter of a national social services organization. Drag
queens and local entertainers lip-sync Top 40 hits to raise money for Utahns
with AIDS. ``It's a very elegant
affair,'' explains reigning Emperor Jeff Smith, 36, who works in a Salt Lake City hospital.
``Tuxedos, formal
gowns for the drag
queens, lots of sequins and rhinestones, limos, the whole nine yards.'' In other circles, gay life is less carefree.
Most religions view homosexual behavior as a sin, and continued practice could
lead to church sanctions -- including excommunication. ``Every time you sin seriously, you de facto excommunicate yourself, or
separate yourself from the church,'' says Father Robert Bussen, vicar
general of the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City. The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints has strict rules of behavior: marriage in the temple,
children and a religious life. If obeyed, heaven is the reward. Unwilling to
forsake their faith, many LDS gays and lesbians lead traditional heterosexual
lives. Some have gay lovers and frequent gay bars -- taking a second name for
their secret lives. ``You have two lives when you are gay,'' says a secondary school
teacher as she sips a beer at the lesbian bar Puss 'N' Boots. ``You have to hop in and out very fast. You
get good at it. You play the game.'' Perhaps that's because Utah legislators make
little effort to protect their homosexual constituents. While it's not against
the law to be gay or lesbian in Utah ,
sodomy – for heterosexuals and homosexuals -- is illegal. There are no city,
county or state laws to protect homosexuals against either housing or job
discrimination. And the state's anti-discrimination office keeps no records of
complaints. Not that Utah
is unique. Nationally, homosexual sodomy is illegal in 24 states. Of those, 17
also consider heterosexual sodomy a crime. In 18 states, public employees
cannot be fired because of sexual orientation.
In the legislative session that begins Monday, Utah activists will lobby lawmakers to
include sexual orientation in a hate-crime law. This would increase penalties
for assaults or vandalism because of race, religion or sexual orientation.
Seventeen other states have adopted similar legislation. But it's doubtful that
any law will stop the hatred -- here, or else where in America . ``The gay community is under siege in this
country,'' says Robert Bray, spokesman for the National Gay and Lesbian
Task Force in Washington , D.C. West
Valley City Salt Lake City :
``On
Thanksgiving, we had some body hit
with a lead pipe.'' A poll of 215
gay and lesbian Utahns conducted by Anti-Violence Project volunteers in 1990
revealed that 91 percent of gay men and 75 percent of lesbians were victims of
either verbal or physical violence. One out of every four respondents -- men
and women -- said they had been raped.
Most gay bashers are teen-aged, white, middle-class males, says Les
Cooper, a psychologist with Mountain West Psychiatric Associates in Salt Lake City . Some are
frightened by their own sexual ambivalence. The mentality is, ``Gays are bad. Gays caused the AIDS
epidemic, therefore, if we squash them we are doing good.'' Mills Crenshaw,
a disc jockey at KTKK-KTALK radio, has been accused of homophobia for the
opinions expressed on his weekday talk show. He denies it. But this
self-proclaimed ``lover of truth'' believes homosexuals should not teach school
because it would open the door to other ``deviant behavior.'' ``What's
next?'' he asks. ``Pedophiles?'' -- Saundra says she loved the LDS Church Brigham Young University Salt
Lake City social worker who requested anonymity. ``He thought it was a fluke. But his
attitude was, `You're obviously a feminine woman. You couldn't be lesbian.' ''
He advised her to marry, and she took his advice. But she quickly realized it
was a mistake, divorced her husband and moved in with a female college friend.
That relationship lasted 10 years -- years ridden with strife. Saundra
abandoned the church. Her lover didn't. ``We
took divergent paths,'' she says. ``Mine
was, `I can't play the game any more.' Hers was, `Things could change. I might
find the right man and marry.' '' Erick (Meyers) tells a similar story. He
filled a Mormon mission, served in the military. But his childhood yearnings
intensified when he went to college. ``I
was so overwhelmed by the good looking men at BYU I finally went to counseling
services for help,'' recalls Erick, who asked that his last name not be
used to protect his four children. ``The
counselor acted under the assumption that sexual identity is a learned
behavior. He thought that through conditioning I could develop another sexual
identity.'' A year before
graduating, Erick experienced ``senior panic'' and decided to marry. Two years
later his wife found a letter he had written to a friend, disclosing his
homosexual feelings. ``She was
disappointed and hurt,'' Erick says. Still, the couple stayed for another
decade before his wife demanded a divorce. ``I realized you don't need to fix what ain't broke,'' says Erick. ``That's when I started becoming healthy and
feeling good about myself.'' After the divorce, Erick went to gay support
groups such as Affirmation, Unconditional Support and Gay Fathers. ``I decided I did not believe some of my LDS
beliefs and customs. So, one by one, they dropped by the wayside.'' But he longed for a sense of spirituality,
which he now shares with other gays and lesbians at the Resurrection Metropolitan
Community Church Provo .
``Most of the ward would freak out if they knew half of the back row is gay,''
says Randy Weight, executive director of the Legacy Foundation. Nikolai, a
large man who wears a bear-tooth necklace, isn't fazed about the church's stand
on homosexuality. ``We still believe in
the church,'' he says. ``They will
accept it one day.'' Rather than
waiting on the church to change its doctrine, T.J. Burke decided to change
himself. The 44-year-old Salt Lake
City business owner says he overcame his homosexuality
with three years of counseling -- and a lot of basketball. Mr. Burke, a pseudonym, was married in an LDS
temple and fathered three children. But periodically, this ``sex addict''
sneaked away to rest stops and parks for homosexual sex. Then he turned to Evergreen, a support and
therapy group for Mormon men that claims a 1-in-5 success rate. This
organization -- which is not affiliated with the LDS Church Utah was known for its
tolerance. The Bohemian Club, the first gay social club in the country, was
founded in Salt Lake City
in 1886, according to Rocky
O'Donovan, founder of the Gay and Lesbian
Historical Society. Utah 's
public library system was founded by a lesbian, Ann E. Chapman, for whom a down
town library branch is named. Westminster
College Utah became a state in 1896, sex became
political. Polygamy was outlawed and homosexuals were increasingly
persecuted, Mr. O'Donovan says. This
reached a crescendo in the '50s when officials went on homosexual witch hunts.
Twenty-five years ago, police regularly raided the Radio
City bar in Salt
Lake City , says Les Emmett, who works at the University of
Utah U. of U. Utah Stonewall Center Salt Lake Utah groups have resorted to ``outing'' --
exposing a public figure's sexuality without his or her permission. Queer
Nation believes in the right to privacy unless someone is making anti-gay
remarks, says Mr. O'Donovan. And choice
is at the heart of the gay rights movement. More than anything, homosexuals say
they want to be accepted for who they are, not shunned for whom they love. ``What makes you gay is the same thing as what
makes someone be an artist or like the color blue,'' Kathy, a 27-year-old
lesbian says sadly. ``It's just what
makes you- you. Everyone who is gay has tried to make it go away, but you
can't. Why would anyone be gay if they didn't have to be?'' (SLTribune pg
A1 01/12/92)
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| Robert Austin |
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| Robert Smith |
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| Jeff Smith |
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| Marshall Brunner |
 |
| Connell Rocky O'Donovan |
1992 A8 LDS CHURCH IS
COMMITTED TO CHANGING HOMOSEXUALS Byline: By Peggy Fletcher Stack The Mormon
Church has come to view homosexuality much like Jews and other Christians.
Same-sex attraction is not a sin, but homosexual acts are. Unlike other faiths, however, the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is convinced that ``such [homosexual]
thoughts and feelings, regardless of their causes, can and should be
overcome.'' While other religious leaders believe altering one's sexual
orientation is possible, no other church is as institutionally committed to the
idea of change. In 1959, Mormon
Apostles Spencer W. Kimball and Mark E. Peterson were
assigned to investigate
and counsel cases of sexual misconduct. From this experience, Elder Kimball
began to formulate church policy on gays and lesbians. ``Homosexuality in men and women runs
counter to . . . divine objectives and, therefore, is to be avoided and
forsaken,'' Elder Kimball wrote in the 1973 Priesthood Bulletin, an official
LDS publication. ``Failure to work closely with one's bishop or stake president
in cases involving homosexual behavior will require prompt church court
action.'' By the mid 1970s, aggressive
efforts were made to find, counsel and, if necessary, discipline practicing LDS
homosexuals. Methods to change homosexual feelings and behavior included prayer
and fasting, hypnosis, mind control, and encouragement to follow the normal
Mormon social patterns of serving an LDS mission, getting married and having
children. Gays and lesbians were told to avoid masturbation and association
with other homosexuals. Possibly the
most controversial counseling approach practiced during this time was known as
``aversion therapy.'' This program, long since abandoned, was built on the
concept of negative reinforcement. Volunteers who wanted to change their sexual
orientation were induced to vomit or shocked on the arm while viewing erotic
pictures of naked men. ``When shock was
being introduced during the viewing of a male slide, I could stop the shock by
pressing a plunger, which would cause a slide of a clothed woman to appear on
the screen,'' Don D. Harryman, a former Mormon who had aversion therapy twice a
week for a year, writes in the recently published book Peculiar People. If all
therapies failed, a church disciplinary court was called to ``hasten'' the
process of repentance. Roger Salazar,
37, an excommunicated Mormon described his experience: ``I had a year of weekly
counseling sessions with my bishop, in which he basically asked, `Did you do it
[have homosexual sex] this week?' I always answered, `No. 'But I was still
troubled. When I told my stake president that, although I was not having sexual
experiences, I still needed counseling on how to quit being gay, he responded:
Do you think you need a court? ``A
disciplinary court was held for 8 hours during which I was grilled by the High
Council [made up of 12 church high priests] on the specific details of my
sexual experience, attitudes and attractions. Nothing was said in my defense. I
felt like a Jew in front of Germans, hated for what I was even though there was
nothing I could do about it.'' In the
late '80s, more awareness of homosexuality began to emerge in church circles
through Mormon-oriented independent periodicals. Perhaps the most widely read
work on the subject was Carol Lynn Pearson's 1986 book Goodbye, I Love You, a
wrenching tale of being married to an LDS homosexual who eventually died of
AIDS. The church responded by revising
the Bishop's Handbook, an official LDS guide to policy and procedure, to make a
distinction between homosexuality and homosexual behavior. Now marriage is rarely
pushed as a solution, and excommunication is used less frequently. Such
disciplinary actions are only mandatory when ``the person holds a prominent
church position, [the behavior] is widely known or continues a pattern of
serious transgression.'' Adds Don
LeFevre, LDS spokesman: ``the extent of ecclesiastical discipline of members of
the church often depends upon the attitude of the member.'' The church continues its efforts to change
homosexuals. LDS Social Services recently hired psychologist Dean Byrd to
gather data on the number of gays and lesbians changed by therapy. Alan Gundry,
a licensed therapist, is developing methods to treat homosexuality as addictive
behavior.
 |
| Spencer Kimball |
1992 AIDS cases
rise dramatically in Utah. (SLTribune Page A-8 01/12/98)
1992 Suicide is the No.1 cause of death among
homosexual teens. (SLTribune Page A-9 01/12/98).
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1997 Sunday, COURTS THWARTING
PEOPLE'S WILL Americans are defaulting on their civic responsibilities and
bringing upon themselves, their children and grandchildren, the awful tyranny
that will surely come if the federal courts aren't brought into conformity with
the divine laws that overarch and undergird our national security. Judicial autocrats are clearly thwarting
the people's will. A recent assault on popular sovereignty occurred when the
Hawaiian Circuit Court ruled that the state had failed to show a compelling
interest in not issuing marriage licenses to homosexuals in spite of the fact
that 73 percent of its citizens opposed legitimizing this moral
corruption. Hardly a week goes by
without fresh evidence of judicial arrogance and usurpation. Recently the
Supreme Court overturned an Arizona
initiative to designate English as the official language for government
business. In California ,
a federal judge has restrained enforcement of Proposition 209, approved by the
voters in November that would halt reverse discrimination. Earlier in the year,
federal jurists challenged the right of Californians to restrict services to
persons illegally in their state. In overturning Colorado 's Amendment 2 earlier this year,
the Supreme Court absurdly held that a ban on special gay-rights laws was a
denial of equal protection. In 1995, the high court told voters in 23 states
that they could not limit service in their congressional delegations. This week
Utah 's ban on
second-trimester abortion was overturned by the 10th Circuit Court as denying a
woman's "right to choice."
Whose country is this? Does it belong to the sick minds at the ACLU and
consorting judges or the people? Where does the raping of the Constitution end?
The 10th Amendment clearly states that all powers not designated to the federal
government shall be retained by the states. There is no vagary or maneuvering
space in this simple language. Why then do we citizens allow judges, without
protestation, to systematically slice away at the wise and divine calculations
of its authors and replace concise, meaningful language with complicated jargon,
convoluted and oftentimes unintelligible and incorrect rulings? Judicial
muddling has become a brooder for endless and unnecessary constitutional
challenges. It is time for Americans to insist that our congressional
delegations impeach, as they are empowered to do, partisan jurists who
arrogantly, ignorantly or willfully ignore the pure intent of the
Constitution. Write your congressman
or congresswoman today. There is nothing any of us have to do that is more
compelling. Lance Turner Provo
1997 The Salt Lake Tribune News Briefs: PAC Leader David Nelson,
founder of and
spokesman for the now-defunct Gay and Lesbian Utah Democrats
lobby, has been appointed a director of the Washington, D.C.-based Gay and
Lesbian Victory Fund, a political action committee. The national group claims
to be the only PAC in the United States
that works to elect openly homosexual candidates to local, state and federal
elected office.
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| David Nelson |
1998-Attorney Robin Shahar lost her Supreme Court appeal. Georgia
Attorney General Michael Bowers withdrew a job offer when he discovered she and
her female partner were planning a commitment ceremony, saying he could not
employ someone who would have so little respect for the laws of Georgia as to
break its sodomy law. He later admitted to having an affair for several years,
which was a violation of the same law at the same time he was prosecuting Michael Hardwick for Sodomy
2000-Clinton administration officials met with representatives of
US gay and lesbian community centers.
2004 The GLBT Public Safety Liaison
Committee and the SLC Police Department held a Safety Workshop for GLBT
community groups, businesses, and individuals at the Gay and Lesbian Community Center
2006 Thursday –: Readers rebut stereotypical views about Utahns By
Holly Mullen Tribune Columnist Salt Lake Tribune Ever since Larry H. Miller
suddenly decided to pull "Brokeback
Mountain " from his theater chain,
everyone from "Brokeback" star Heath Ledger to an Ohio film critic to Jay Leno has been
painting the whole state as rubes and bigots. Yes, Miller made a personal and
business decision. Yes, this is his right. Too bad the world's critics don't
know my readers. Many of them see Miller's move as the knee-jerk reaction it
was, and understand the depth and beauty of this film. They responded to a
Tuesday column in which I defended "Brokeback's" plot as legitimate
as any other saga of love and loss. The following is by no means a scientific
representation, but I'd hate for Ledger's stereotypes of Utahns, Mormons and
the usual blah-blah-blah to go unchallenged. Here are some reader comments:
"I just wish everyone would actually see the movie before passing
judgment. There would still be naysayers but maybe it would help people see the
pain that is caused by this society. I wanted to see what all the fuss was
about so I saw the movie and it touched me. I am a mother and a grandmother who
would just like to see a world of inclusion without all the labels that create
so much pain." – Salt Lake City .
"The theme of acceptance is identifiable across gender, sexual orientation
and societal lines. The juxtaposition of traditionally very masculine symbols
(gritty landscape/cowboys/cowboy culture) and homosexual love, symbolizes for
me that even being a part of a socially acceptable life, you can feel the
loneliness of having to hide something." - Salt Lake City "I have been reading
about all the fuss regarding this film, as well as the editorials and viewer
comments on Web sites. I was excited to finally hear someone - you - make the
connection between the main actors' family problems and the lie they were
forced to live by society. This is one of the film's most important messages
and something that most heterosexuals do not understand. You were also right
about love. I just lost my partner of five years on Christmas Day. Truly the
most valuable experience in my young life has been the opportunity to deeply
love someone and be loved back. That is true for people of either sexual
orientation." - Moscow , Russia "I saw 'Brokeback Mountain
2006 Media pros say silence on pulling gay movie gives the story
legs By Lesley Mitchell The Salt Lake Tribune After pulling the film "Brokeback Mountain "
from his Megaplex 17 theater at Jordan
Commons Utah .
Or he could have said it all was a mistake. But the Utah businessman and owner
of the Utah Jazz has not said a word since last Thursday, when his theater
company yanked the film from its lineup - less than two hours after Miller
apparently learned of the movie's subject matter from a reporter. Media
professionals say Miller's silence has helped give the story international
appeal and encouraged people worldwide to poke fun at Utah with negative stereotypes about the
state's predominantly Mormon population. In Australia ,
Heath Ledger, one of the movie's stars, called the decision
"immature" and told Australia 's
Nine National News that "personally I don't think the movie is
[controversial], but I think maybe the Mormons in Utah do. I think it's hilarious and very
immature of a society." "In general, no comment is never a good
strategy," said Melissa Clyne, president of Scribe PR and Marketing in Salt Lake City . "At the
very least you need to explain yourself. It's his right to decide what he wants
to run and what he doesn't want to run in his theaters. But if he isn't
comfortable with the content of that film, he needs to say that. The 'no
comment' is giving this story legs." Tim Brown, partner with the Richter 7
advertising and public relations company in Salt Lake City , said in 25 years he has never
recommended one of his clients refuse to comment to the media. "I applaud
Larry for everything he has done," Brown said. "But no comment is
always interpreted by the public as, 'I'm guilty' or 'I'm hiding something.' We
counsel clients that they always want to take an opportunity to explain the
reasons behind their decisions or behavior." Amid all the controversy,
four Utah theaters - two in Salt
Lake City , one in West Jordan and
one in Park City West Valley , Layton , Provo and Sandy
-will be running the film by the weekend, said Jack Foley, head of distribution
for Focus Features, which released the film. Even though it is approaching one
week since the movie disappeared from the lineup at the Megaplex 17 theater at Jordan Commons
2006 Stand-up guy Salt Lake Tribune I applaud Larry H. Miller for
choosing not to show the movie "Brokeback
Mountain " at Jordan Commons West Jordan
2006 See the movie first Salt Lake Tribune I'm baffled by Larry
Miller's decision to ban the film "Brokeback Mountain Jeri Stoeber
Park City
2006 No Wal-Marts Salt Lake Tribune After seeing "Brokeback Mountain ,"
I can see why at least Sandy
residents would be repulsed by it. It is set among grand sweeping vistas, green
fields and majestic mountains - with nary a Wal-Mart plopped in the middle of
it. Scott Perry Salt Lake
2006 When did Hate Become an Admirable Value? Even though I don't
know you, my Values tell me it's ok to Hate you. Reading some of the opinions
regarding Brokeback
Mountain Brokeback
Mountain
2006 I have this t-shirt I haven't worn in a long time (yet it
still sits in my closet). It reads "fag drama" with one of those
ghostbustery red circles with the slash through it. I wish I were wearing it
today...So, apparently the call to boycott Larry H. Miller is either way too
hard, a waste of time, or a violation of Miller's rights and beliefs! For the
last two days, I've heard excuse after excuse about why we shouldn't boycott
Larry H. Miller. They break down into about four arguments:1. We shouldn't be
wasting our time on this when we have bigger issues to deal with like the
impending legislative session. 2. Boycotts are ineffective (and, some argue,
only impact the working class and not the top-level decision makers). 3. We're
over-reacting. There are far worse sources of bigotry that we don't fight. 4.
We're guilty of being hypocrites, violating Miller's own business and religions
rights. My response... 1. The fact is that getting people to engage in the
legislative process is not sexy. It's not easy (actually it is, but no one
believes that), it takes time and commitment, and it takes a level of awareness
that all the faux-hawk boys at the clubs (apologies to Michael Aaron for
stealing his descriptor) just aren't interested in. A boycott, on the other
hand, is easy. All we're asking people to do is to STOP doing something.
Namely, STOP spending hard-earned dollars at businesses which support
anti-queer policies and politics. For all but the die-hard shoppers, the rabid
Utah Jazz fans, and the blissfully ignorant, this should be easy to do. Really
easy. For those who are really steamed, a quick letter to the LHM corporate
offices reinforces the process, but it's not totally necessary. 2. I think
Coors would beg to differ. Am I really getting so old that I'm among the few
who remember the great gay Coors boycott? It took years, but Coors finally had
to face its demons (high-level executives making large donations to anti-gay
causes) and has one of the most expansive programs in corporate America for
supporting and attracting GLBT employees. The company has tried to divorce
itself from the political leanings of the Coors family by sponsoring and
donating to GLBT causes from the corporate side. Even so, there are people in
the GLBT community who still won't drink Coors products. Statistically speaking,
companies which adopt queer-positive practices have ultimately been stronger as
a result. So my boycott is as much for the "little guy" who works for
LHM as it is for anything else. My hope is that the "little guy"
won't get fired or passed over for promotion just for being gay. But so long as
the owner of the company feels so uncomfortable with the idea of homosexuality
that he has to pull a movie from his line-up, well, I wouldn't bet that the
little guy has much hope of someday making vice president status. 3. Are we
over-reacting? I don't think so. I mean, the story was playing out in the
national news, Jay Leno was making jokes, and Heath Ledger implied all Utah
Mormons are ignorant bigots. As a community, we couldn't let Larry's actions
pass without a fight of some kind. It would be like throwing our hands up at
the anti-gay marriage amendment and declaring that because we have no chance to
win, we shouldn't even try to fight it. Such thinking only reinforces the
perception from within and without the queer community that we are an
irrelevant minority voice without personal or political power to affect change.
I don't believe that and neither should anyone else. 4. Complete and utter
bullshit. This is the quandary that too many liberals like myself get the
panties bunched up on and become ineffective. Tolerance and acceptance of
diverse viewpoints and religious beliefs DOES NOT mean that I cannot voice my
objections to bigotry, censorship, hate and ignorance. In a capitalist system,
is there any purer form of protest than in choosing where to spend your money?
I try to avoid the race analogies when talking about sexual orientation and
gender politics, but if Larry H. Miller had yanked a movie featuring an
interracial couple because of personally held beliefs, do you think any
sensitive liberal person would spend a dime willingly at his movie theaters in
the future? What LHM did wasn't just censorship, it was hurtful. Maybe there
are queer folks out there who have thick skins from being "out" for a
long time who couldn't care less, but there are also young, questioning, and
deeply conflicted people who will interpret the action of Larry H. Miller as
yet another sign that no one will ever accept them, that they will always be an
outcast, and that there's no hope for anything better. In addition to the
points above, I also argue for the boycott on a few other grounds... Too many
people are oblivious about where they spend their money. I think that given the
choice between two vendors, one of whom supports causes you support and the
other who supports causes you oppose, most people would rather see their money
go to the vendor who backs the same causes they do. I know that if I'm paying
ten bucks for a movie pass, I don't want to think that I've just handed John
Swallow or Bob Bennett ten cents. The boycott provides a way to begin educating
people about which businesses truly are GLBT-friendly and which ones are not.
Following LHM's actions with the boycott has brought about a public dialogue on
the ideas presented in "Brokeback
Mountain Utah
on late-night talk shows? As much as the Mormons would love to end the
stereotypes about them being bizarre, ignorant country hicks, the actions of a
single man has embarrassed each and every one of them, and the rest of us by
association. The boycott gives us the opportunity to show that there is more
diversity in Utah
than many think, that we're not ALL ignorant yokels, and that not everyone
agrees with Miller's decision. In a way, the Mormons will benefit by our
boycott, probably unfairly so. Anyway, those are the thoughts in my head
today.-Jere Keys
2006 I worked almost the whole day yesterday and several hours this
morning trying to "package" the boycott for the community to make it
easier to swallow. The crux of my complaint about the boycott in my blog was
that the boycott was not fully thought-out before thrown to the public. In
researching for the upcoming issue, I found that the daunting list of
businesses to boycott included anything and everything that Miller had ever
registered with the state. If you will go to the page that we published, you
will see that almost half of the listed businesses are dead. I also spent time
locating business addresses for people to mail in complaints and am working on
a page that has simple clickable links to "Contact Us" pages on
Miller's business sites. If anyone has any other suggestions on how to make
this boycott work, including my concern about making the boycott more visible,
please email me. Thanks for keeping the discussion going, Jere. -Michael Aaron
2006 I'd love to see a website up for the boycott. Something catchy
like www.boycottlarryhmiller.org or www.boycottutahjazz.org, something that
people can remember as long as the boycott is active. I also think that a list
of "demands" for ending the boycott are in order. Ultimately, I think
that we need a good clearinghouse for listing all the businesses which have
egregious anti-queer policies and donate to organizations like the Sutherland
Institute. If this boycott can help inspire more people to be active consumers
instead of passive ones, it would be a good thing all around.- Jere Keyes
2006 Once we get organized, we can get our allies in other states
involved to boycott and even picket the Jazz when they are on the road- Stuart
Merrill
2006 Look need we say more to those damn Republicans-
Dumbfuckmountain As to those damn Republicans; I am referring to assholes Chris
Buttars, Gayle Ruzicka, Pat Robertson 700 club, Donald Wildmon AFA, all those
far righters that keep us having our rights and liberties. There are some
moderate republicans I do like and appreciate for there support for our rights
and liberties and the Log Cabin Republicans in Utah that I know.... Mark Swonson
2006 Awesome post, Jere. Regardless of what the
"community" decides to do as a whole, Larry Miller is not knowingly
going to get another dime of my money. Why would any thinking person wish to
kiss the ring on the hand that slaps us? I wonder how much ethical
hand-wringing Larry did before he pulled the movie? It didn’t seem to paralyze
him like it seems to paralyze a lot of liberal causes these days. I am sure if
the gay media outlets in this state present the facts about this incident, I
think most people with a few brain cells to spare will make the decision that
is more in step with the best interests of our community than any group or
coalition of groups openly calling for a boycott. However, it would be nice to
see some unity and leadership in the face of this kind of backward decision for
some of the non-political folks in the community to look up to and in which to
participate. Jere has pointed out the propaganda poison that the right wing
uses to discourage dissent and grassroots action and make liberals and their
causes seem like jokes. I hope our community does not cave into that, no matter
how effective or ill-labelled our efforts.- Ruadhan [Kevin Warren]
2006 Bigotry trumped integrity Salt Lake Tribune No one disputes
Larry Miller's rights, as a business owner, to show whatever movie he likes at
his theaters. The issue I have is that he broke several contractual agreements
with other businesses and violated the public's trust by pulling a movie at the
last minute. My mother taught me as a child that a man is only as good as his
word. I guess Miller's bigotry trumped his integrity. My question now is, can I
trust him with any of my business? Isn't integrity a moral issue? Ben Williams
Salt Lake
2006 Miller's moral compass Salt Lake Tribune I think that the
decision of Jordan Commons theater management to not show the movie
"Brokeback Mountain" provides an interesting insight into our community's
world view. Jordan
Commons Brokeback Mountain
2006 Don't like, don't watch Salt Lake Tribune The decision to
cancel the showing of "Brokeback Mountain " at a Jordan
Commons movie theater is yet another
small example of censorship in Utah
and freedom of speech being influenced by the so-called religious majority. It
is echoed throughout all aspects life in Utah ,
from alcohol laws to what we see locally on our NBC station, KSL Channel 5.
When is Utah
going to understand that people will make their own decisions regarding
censorship? If you don't want to watch it, don't go and see it. But don't make
the decisions for those who may want to see it. When (the LDS epic) "The
Work and the Glory" was released, I did not see it. When "The Passion
of the Christ" was released, I did not see it. When LDS Conference is
shown repeatedly on KSL television, I do not watch it. And, to be honest, I
doubt I would see "Brokeback
Mountain Jordan Commons
2006 Miller's move: shrewd or rash? Views: Some say it's smart, but
a PR expert says it's fiery Larry of old By Steven Oberbeck The Salt Lake
Tribune Salt Lake Tribune Family values activists gathering in Salt Lake City
this weekend will urge supporters to steer their dollars to Larry H. Miller's
businesses because the auto and movie-house magnate yanked the critically
acclaimed gay romance ''Brokeback Mountain'' from his Sandy theater complex.
Miller's move will provide plenty of fodder for this year's meeting of the
conservative Utah Eagle Forum, according to the group's president, Gayle
Ruzicka. "I for one will certainly be trying to support his
businesses," Ruzicka said. "And I'm sure that others who already have
done business with his companies will be supporting them even more."
"Brokeback Mountain "
is based on a story by Pulitzer Prize- winning author Annie Proulx and is about
a 20-year romance between two Wyoming
sheepherders. The Utah Film Critics Society named "Brokeback Mountain Utah the butt of numerous jokes poking fun
at the negative stereotypes surrounding the state's predominantly Mormon population.
But even members of Utah 's
gay and lesbian community concede that, given the overwhelmingly conservative
nature of the state's residents, Miller may have scored a marketing coup and
could end up attracting a lot more customers to his auto dealerships,
professional sports teams and restaurants than he has driven off. "If you
want to look at it strictly from a playing the numbers standpoint, it probably
wasn't too bad of a move," said Valerie A. Larabee, executive director of
the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Community Center of Utah. "At
the same time, he's certainly increased interest locally in what is a very
beautiful movie." From a marketing standpoint, Miller appears to have read
his audience well, although it would have been better for his businesses had
there been no controversy at all, said Russell Belk, a professor at the David
Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah. "You have to assume
he was expecting more support than backlash," Belk said. "And considering
the demographics of Utah ,
he probably wasn't too far off." Miller continues to remain silent about
the reasons behind the decision. But one public relations professional, Politis
Communications' president David Politis, doubts that Miller's decision was a
calculated move. "I believe it was the result of a spur of the moment
decision, a passionate reaction that came about after he learned what the movie
was about," Politis said. "We've seen him make split-second decisions
in the past when things have upset him." In October 1994, Miller canceled
a Delta Center Brokeback Mountain Salt Lake City . "Considering the
conservative nature of our population, I'm sure a lot of people think: We'll,
it's his business and he's entitled to do with it what he wants."
steve@sltrib.com
2006 'Brokeback Mountain' Still playing: Broadway Centre Cinemas,
Salt Lake City Century Cinemas 16, South Salt Lake Cinemark 24 at Jordan
Landing, West Jordan Redstone 8, Park City l Opening today: Ritz 15, West
Valley City Century Cinemas 16, Sandy Cinemark 16, Provo Tinseltown 17, Layton
2006 ZIONIDE Thursday, January 12 I knew it. Right away, I found
something that annoyed me enough to bitch about. Yesterday, KUER-FM's RadioWest
program (which I believe is syndicated regionally), focused on the Brokeback
Mountain/Larry H. Miller debacle and included commentary from GLBT Community
Center of Utah executive director Valerie Larabee, among others. I didn't hear
the program myself, but a reliable friend told me that midway through the
discussion Larabee said something along the lines of, "I haven't seen the
movie myself, but..." HUH?! If the
information I received is accurate, that is one of the most annoying things I
have ever heard. I'm sure Valerie Larabee's a very busy person, but, to
paraphrase my friend, the leader of a community center should be intimately,
personally familiar with one of that community's most important cultural
events. And I think it goes without
saying that should especially be the case when you're going to be interviewed
about it. Isn't that just common sense? And yes, I know that Larabee was
probably on the show mostly to talk about her organization's thoughts on the
LHM cancellation and on the "boycott" they organized, rather than
about the content of the movie itself. But how is she supposed to do even that
effectively without knowing the material about which the Center is so
passionately up in arms? I also know she probably wasn't given much advance
notice of the interview, but knowing RadioWest, I'd bet it was at least 24
hours - enough time to cancel a meeting or dinner or whatever and catch the
movie the show was focused on. At the very least, it sounds like Larabee needs
a refresher in savvy media relations. Why not refer RadioWest to someone
qualified who'd also actually seen the movie? I know one such Center board
member who would've done an excellent job on the show. Or, if all else fails,
fake it, fake it, fake it; don't admit, on-air, you don't know what you're
talking about, and definitely not once you're already halfway through the
program. I can only imagine what the RadioWest producers thought when they
heard Larabee say she hadn't seen the movie. I was all set to send in my letter
to the editor about Gayle Ruzicka telling the Deseret News, "It's
[Brokeback Mountain] such a terrible show..." when we all know SHE hasn't
seen it. But now, I don't feel particularly comfortable complaining about
Gayle's uninformed comments when Valerie has apparently done a similar thing,
just on the other side of the issue. Zionide written by a Nick
2006 Read this on a Blog called Zionide written by a Nick. It's his
opinion not mine but I found it very interesting. Additionally I been reading
opinions from community members that say all this fuss about a movie is
misdirected and should be focused else where. I think this notion demeans the
context of this issue. Make no mistake, we are in a cultural war against
tyranny and bigotry. We should be rightfully angry that any attempt to keep the
portrayal of Gay and Lesbian people from the public is worthy of indignation.
Especially a film that tries to portray an honest and moving Gay relationship.
Madstone Theater justified their censorship by saying the film Latter Days had
no artistic merit. That can hardly be said about Brokeback Mountain Utah ,
those who think we will ever achieve anything from a Priesthood holding state
legislature are truly day- dreaming. Talk about fantasy. Culture will change
the politics in Utah
not visa versa. Until the far right is neutralized by people saying enough is
enough nothing will change on Capitol Hill. So there is Hate Crime Bill that
still doesn't mention sexual orientation. Don't we have that already? Rallying
on Capitol Hill will not change Utah ,
but rallies in the streets, and building communities in our neighborhoods will.
That's my opinion.-Ben Willliams
2007 UTAH PRIDE CENTER AND
UTAH CYBER SLUTS PRESENT GAY BINGO -
FRIDAY, JANUARY 12TH - "LUAU" WHERE: NEW LOCATION - BAPIST CHURCH 777
SOUTH 1300 SOUTH WHY: TO HAVE FUN, WIN
PRIZES, WHEEL CHAIR ASSESSIBLE, PLENTY OF PARKING SPACIOUS SEATING, SURROUND
SOUND, REFRESHMENTS AVAILABLE UTAH CYBER SLUT BROWNIE POINTS TO THOSE DRESSED TACKY HAWAIIAN ADMISSION: $5.00 FIRST BINGO BASH (Ben
Williams comments) Cyber Slut Bingo at First Baptist Church I took Friday off
so I could enjoy a four day weekend but it's so Freaking Cold!. Last night it
was 1 degree! Yikes. Ben Anderson and I decided not to play dress up for Gay
Bingo because it was so damn cold but rather wore sensible warm and fuzzy
clothes all though did don my red pill box hat with the black Vail as well as pearls.
I had never been to Gay Bingo before hosted by the Cyber Sluts as a monthly
fund raiser. It was the first time at the First Baptist
Church
2007; Join the Bi-Community group for an open panel discussion
about what it’s like to be bi, especially in Utah
at Pride Center
2011 New resources for LGBT youths, parents LGBT FYI BY ROSEMARIE WINTERS
2011 New resources for LGBT youths, parents LGBT FYI BY ROSEMARIE WINTERS
There has been heightened concern
this past year about LGBT youth suicides and anti-gay harassment. Now, there
are some additional resources available in Utah to help youths and parents.
Film • "Lead With
Love," a 35-minute documentary, features the stories of parents of gay
children and advice from mental health professionals. Watch it online here or
go to the film's premiere followed by a discussion with the filmmakers and
families, Jan. 19, 7 p.m., Salt Lake City Main Library, 210 E. 400 South. Free.
Help line • Starting Feb. 1, the
"Pride Empathy Line" will offer help at 801-GO-PRIDE to LGBT youths
or those with questions about sexual orientation and gender identity.
Volunteers will be trained on Jan. 15 and 22. To volunteer, contact Tiffanie
Cole, 801-696-0074 or prideempathyline@yahoo.com.
"Kids Like Me" • In
addition to the support groups already offered by the Utah Pride Center, the
center is starting a group for "gender exceptional" children — those
who don't fit in with typical gender norms — and their parents. An open house
is Feb. 12, 12-1:30 p.m., Utah Pride Center, 361 N. 300 West, Salt Lake City.
Find more information at http://bit.ly/hK58Z6.
2012 On Jan. 12, Utah Rep. Brian Doughty proposes and sponsors a bill to amend the state Code by providing health-insurance benefits to the adult designees of state- and local-government employees. Utah House of Representatives Business and Labor Committee members vote 13-0 to table the bill, and it isn't adopted
2018 Salt Lake Tribune By Ellen Fagg Weist This Utah Democrat is famous for running his mouth on the political stage. Now Jim Dabakis will reveal a more personal side in a one-man show. The state senator is getting an acting education as he rehearses. State Senator Jim Dabakis, center, is telling his life story in a one-man show this Saturday and Sunday, coached by Charles Lynn Frost as the two have been rehearsing at the senator's home on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2018. Letting his humor shine through, Senator Jim Dabakis has been busy rehearsing for a telling his life story in a one-man show this Saturday and Sunday at the Salt Lake Acting Company. He says it's a reaction to all the politicians who poll and focus-group their messages and avoid their constituents by not holding town hall meetings.
2012 On Jan. 12, Utah Rep. Brian Doughty proposes and sponsors a bill to amend the state Code by providing health-insurance benefits to the adult designees of state- and local-government employees. Utah House of Representatives Business and Labor Committee members vote 13-0 to table the bill, and it isn't adopted
2018 Salt Lake Tribune By Ellen Fagg Weist This Utah Democrat is famous for running his mouth on the political stage. Now Jim Dabakis will reveal a more personal side in a one-man show. The state senator is getting an acting education as he rehearses. State Senator Jim Dabakis, center, is telling his life story in a one-man show this Saturday and Sunday, coached by Charles Lynn Frost as the two have been rehearsing at the senator's home on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2018. Letting his humor shine through, Senator Jim Dabakis has been busy rehearsing for a telling his life story in a one-man show this Saturday and Sunday at the Salt Lake Acting Company. He says it's a reaction to all the politicians who poll and focus-group their messages and avoid their constituents by not holding town hall meetings.
If
there’s one thing Sen. Jim Dabakis is known for on Utah’s Capitol Hill, it’s
his stories. You could call him a loudmouth. You could label his rants as
diatribes or attention-grabbing monologues. But no matter your political
persuasion, you’ve likely heard the torrential power of Dabakis’ words. This
weekend, Dabakis is raising the political bar. He’s stepping into the spotlight
to perform “Stories From My Soul,” a one-man show on the Chapel Theatre stage
at Salt Lake Acting Company. It’s an unusual one-person show in that Dabakis
isn’t playing a character, says director Charles Lynn Frost. “I’ve
seen Dabakis in a one-man show before — I just called it the Utah Legislature,”
quips Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams, a Democratic political ally who
appeared with Dabakis and other politicians in last year’s hammy carpool
karaoke “Hamilton” video. “I think the idea of Jim Dabakis sticking to a script
will be entertaining in and of itself.” The three-show run is ostensibly a
fundraiser, and, yes, he plans to run for another term. Politics aside, says
Dabakis, a longtime theatergoing geek and arts lover, the show represents more
of a life goal. “This is not going to be a whitewash,” he says. “There are
warts.” Another thing that makes the stage show so unusual is that Dabakis
might be a performer, but the former talk-radio and TV personality isn’t an
actor. “I don’t have any actor’s training,” he acknowledges. “And anybody who
comes will realize that quickly. Give me testimony before Congress or meetings
at the White House, and I am fine, but that stage is so out of my comfort zone
— it has me petrified.” Even after writing his material, Dabakis confesses he’s
likely to go off script. And that’s where his genius will show, says Pioneer
Theatre Company artistic director Karen Azenberg, who directed him as the
No-Neck Narrator in two concert stagings of “The Rocky Horror Show.” “When he
goes off script, he is as connected and in the moment and reading the audience
as well as anyone I know.” Dabakis showed his game nature in a marketing video
in which he was depicted roaming the theater company begging for future roles.
“He’s not a great actor, but he is an incredible persona. He’s great at being
him,” Azenberg says. “And he’s got great stories. I’d watch him any day of the
week.” Dabakis
is aware, of course, that the idea of a one-man show seems pretentious. But at
a time when elected officials are likely to focus-group and poll-test the spin
of their sound bites, he hopes it will throw open the doors to another kind of
political theater. “It’s
a direct reaction to politicians who don’t want you to know anything about them
other than the package that’s been worked on by all the PR people,” he says. “I
think if the public knew much more about us, then they could make much more
solid decisions when they are voting. What’s important is not all of our parrot
speeches, but what’s at our core.” To direct the show, Dabakis enlisted his old
friend Frost, a longtime theater performer, noted for creating the persona of
Sister Dottie Dixon in several hit one-person shows. The beloved Spanish Fork
Mormon housewife regularly performs on Facebook and X96 radio segments. Frost
helped the political showman compile his stories into mini-arcs with a bigger
overall arc. “Jimmy is an extemporaneous performer,” Frost says, “which is a
director’s nightmare.” Frost says the first draft was more than two hours long,
which caused him to tell Dabakis the play simply couldn’t be longer than an LDS
General Conference session. Dabakis says hitting age 64 caused him to look back
at the turning points of his life, rising from a hardscabble childhood as the
son of a drug-addicted mother and a working-class father. He joined The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at age 11 to play basketball and moved to
Utah to attend Brigham Young University before serving a Mormon mission. After
being kicked out of BYU, he was broke when he moved to Salt Lake City. That’s
where he launched a career as a talking head, volunteering on the state’s only
talk-radio station. Then there’s the unlikely story of moving with his
boyfriend, now husband, Stephen Justesen, to the Soviet Union, where he worked
as an art dealer and started a variety of businesses. “Many adventures.
Including getting kidnapped. Made a fortune,” is how he shorthands that time,
before he found himself swindled by his Russian business partner. When
he moved back to Salt Lake City, he plunged himself into advocacy, helping to
co-found the Utah Pride Center and Equality Utah. “Went through AIDS times —
lost so many,” he says. In 2010, he jumped into politics, serving as the
state’s Democratic Party chairman, then eventually running for McAdams’ state
Senate seat. No matter how much Dabakis runs his mouth publicly, the range of
his background and passions continues to surprise even his longtime friends. As
Rep. Carol Spackman Moss, D-Holladay, explains: “Jim has got to be Jim.” Jim
Dabakis: Stories From My Soul When
• Saturday, 7 p.m.; Sunday, 1 and 6 p.m. Where • Salt Lake Acting Company
Chapel Theatre, 168 W. 500 North, Salt Lake City Tickets • $20
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