9 February
1927-The cast of The Captive, a play about a woman's obsessive love
for a married woman, is arrested. Among them is Helen Menken, first wife of
Humphrey Bogart.
1950-While giving a speech, Senator Joseph Mc Carthy (R-Wisc.) held
up a paper claiming he had a list of 205 people employed in the state
department who were known to be members of the Communist party. This speech was
the beginning of McCarthyism, which would destroy many people accused of sex
perversion and Communism.
1987-Michael Aarons spoke at Lesbian and Gay
Student Union at the University of Utah about his Anti-Violence Project seeking
volunteers to help with the project.
1988 At Unconditional Support, former school
teacher Dave Reed came and talked about financial planning. He lost his job as
an educator after testing positive for HIV. Ken Francis led the meeting
I thought it was a really good meeting. [1988 Journal of Ben Williams]
1988- At 10 p.m. I met with Becky Moss at the Blue Mouse. She had
called before Unconditional Support and asked me to help her throw a show
together for tomorrow and I said I would.
So Chuck Whyte came along but at KRCL we found that we couldn’t use a
recording studio until 11:00 so it was about
12:30 before I got home. We pulled a program together by using some of Dave
Malmstrom’s interview we hadn’t used and by reading Valentine’s over the
air. I am so exhausted. I’ve got to get
my history article on King Edward II
to Brook Hallock and Saurday is the dead line for my news articles. I hate all
this frigging Triangle dead lines. I feel like I am back in school. [1988
Journal of Ben Williams]
1989 Thursday- I heard Ray Neilsen made Alan Peterson upset by
mentioning the fact that it was Derek S who nominated Alan for director
of Unconditional Support. I think this paranoia is getting out of hand [1989 Journal of
Ben Williams]
1995 The (Provo, Utah) Daily
Herald Bill prevents legalization of same-sex marriages By Christopher Scharman
SALT LAKE CITY The possibility that same-sex marriages receive legal
recognition in Utah would be virtually eliminated by a House bill that emerged
Wednesday. Sponsoring Rep. Norm Nielsen, R-Orem, said the bill is motivated by
recent developments in other parts of the United States where there are
movements to legalize same-sex marriages. Most notable is a case in which the
Hawaii Supreme Court ruled the state's refusal to issue marriage licenses to
homosexual couples discriminatory. The court held that a compelling state
interest must be proved to maintain the ban on same-sex marriages. The case may
be decided later this year. According to Brigham Young University law professor
Lynn Wardle, who is promoting the bill, the Hawaii case could have far-reaching
effects. "Given the tremendous lobbying and advocacy effort that gays and
lesbians have launched, it is quite possible that the Hawaii trial court could
rule that Hawaii must allow same-sex marriages. "If that were the court's
ruling, it is likely that immediately many same-sex couples would fly to Hawaii
to be united in 'marriage,'" he wrote in a memo to Nielsen. Wardle, an
expert in family law, sees that this development would have a direct impact on
Utah's legal system. "Before the end of the year it is possible that Utah
courts could be faced with cases in which homosexual couples with valid
Hawaiian same-sex marriages licenses demand that the Utah courts recognize
their 'marriage.'" This recognition would extend insurance, retirement,
tax and other marriage-related benefits and duties to the same-sex spouse. Utah
law prohibits the performing of same-sex marriages in the state but elsewhere
in the law it's written that "marriages solemnized in any other country,
state or territory, if valid where solemnized, are valid here." This could
require Utah to recognize same-sex marriages if performed where such a marriage
is considered valid, as could soon be the case in Hawaii. The bill would amend
the law by adding an exclusionary provision in which an out-of-state marriage
is recognized "unless the marriage would violate strong Utah public
policy." Other sections of the law and public sentiment provide ample
evidence that same-sex marriages would violate such a policy, Wardle said. According
to Nielsen, "This is a move to be
certain that same-sex marriages don't happen
in Utah." "Marriage is between a man and a woman. It's a fundamental
principle in the perpetuation of a solid and productive society," he said. For opponents of the bill, it goes
far beyond the issue of same-sex marriages. They say it is purely a "civil
rights issue." "It is exactly
the same circumstances that surrounded the opposition to interracial marriages in the
60s," said David Nelson, founder of Gay and Lesbian Utah Democrats. Worse yet, Nelson
said, "it's going to give a legislative green light to harass gay people,
deny rights to gay people and place blame on gay people." Nelson's
organization, which lobbies for gay issues, will take up this bill as it's
"number one" priority. "This is an issue that we're not going to move on.
We oppose it totally," Nelson said.
- 1995 The Salt Lake Tribune Bill Drafted to bolster Ban on Homosexual Marriages Utah Gay, Lesbian Activists Call Proposal Discrimination Homosexual Marriages Would Be Banned by Bill by Dan Harrie Utah lawmakers are moving to strengthen the state ban on homosexual marriages based on possible legalization in other states. A bill that emerged Wednesday on Capitol Hill angered gay and lesbian activists, who decry it as discriminatory. "It won't pass without a hell of a fight," vowed Gay and Lesbian Utah Democrats leader David Nelson. But homosexual-rights lobbyists face the most formidable rival in Utah politics: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The LDS Church, which claims membership of more than 80% of Utah legislators, is officially neutral on the bill, spokesman Don LeFevre said Wednesday. But the measure is in sync with a Mormon First Presidency statement read over the pulpit last year urging faithful members to lobby "legislators, judges and other government officials" to reject any attempts to legalize gay wedlock. Promoting the bill and suggesting draft language is Lynn Wardle, a law professor at Mormon-owned Brigham Young University. "This is Lynn Wardle the Lone Ranger acting here," he said Wednesday. "I've talked to no one in the church about this -- period." Wardle was the legal mastermind in recent years behind much of the state's anti-abortion legislation, which mirrored the Mormon Church's stand. "To me, it takes a stretch of the imagination to believe that everyone at BYU is a mindless puppet of the First Presidency," he said. Sponsoring Rep. Norm Nielsen, R-Orem, said he is carrying Wardle's proposal because the BYU attorney lives in Nielsen's district. Nielsen said his bill is needed to prevent Utah gay and lesbian couples from jetting to Hawaii, obtaining a marriage license in that state and then returning here to enjoy all the union's legal benefits. Homosexual marriages are not yet legal in Hawaii, but could become so under a state Supreme Court ruling there last year. A trial scheduled later this year is expected to decide the issue. Wardle, in a memo to Nielsen, said: "given the tremendous lobbying and advocacy effort that gays and lesbians have launched, it is quite possible that the Hawaii trial court could rule that Hawaii must allow same-sex marriage." Gay-rights lobbyist Nelson acknowledged that Utah homosexual couples would take advantage of the Hawaii marriage law, if it is changed. "All we want is the legal recognition for something we do outside Utah," Nelson said. "Gay people want to say, `We're married.' "Nelson compared the ban on homosexual marriage with the 1960s prohibition on interracial marriages. "It is discrimination, pure and simple." But Rep. Nielsen said Utah residents through their elected representatives already have made the public-policy decision to ban same-sex marriages. There is no reason to allow residents to circumvent that policy by using another state's laws. "I don't have anything against anybody," Nielsen said. "It has to do strictly with having our laws consistent." Also promoting the bill is Utah Eagle Forum President Gayle Ruzicka. "Who knows what could come from legalization of same-sex marriages?" Ruzicka said. "I don't want to create a situation where they could legally adopt." Ruzicka also said the LDS Church's position has nothing to do with the legislation. "I've been speaking out against the radical homosexual movement and same-sex marriages for years," she said. Chris Ryan, president of the Republican gay-rights group, Utah Log Cabin, called the measure a "red herring" diverting lawmakers' attention from more important matters. Any change in Hawaii law probably will not occur for several years, if at all, he said. "Republicans need to worry about a couple of things: They need to worry about cutting taxes and lowering spending," Ryan sa
2004 The fifth
annual Pridefest of Utah State University's Gay and Lesbian Student Resource
Center, also is sponsored by Cache Valley community members as well as USU gay and lesbian theme is "Something Queer in Everything I
See,"
Feb 9, 2005 Subject:
Carnation Sales on Valentines Day to benefit the LGBT Hey Everyone: Support the U of U
Resource Center...... Valentine’s Day! On Monday, February 14, the Lesbian,
Gay, Bisexual & Transgender (LGBT) Resource Center will be selling
carnations in the Union lobby. Let your administrative assistants, student
workers, and faculty know that you appreciate them by giving them a carnation
on Valentine’s Day. Carnations will be on sale for $2 in the Union. Or, for $3,
we can deliver carnations to your department; email Daren Brabham by February
12th at dbrabham@sa.utah.edu with your delivery order, including where it is to
be delivered and to whom, and we will collect money upon delivery. Payments may
be made in the form of cash or check. Proceeds benefit the LGBT Resource
Center. Special thanks to Twigs Flower Company for donating the carnations!!!
When staff know they are loved, departments become better. Daren Brabham Intern
for Volunteer Services and Speaker's Bureau LGBT Resource Center, University of
Utah 317 Olpin Union 200 S. Central Campus Dr., #317 Salt Lake City, UT 84112
2006 Bill
banning gay clubs from Utah high schools pulled from a Senate committee Salt
Lake Tribune WEST JORDAN REPUBLICAN Sen. Chris Buttars’ absence from Capitol
Hill Wednesday disrupted the legislative process. His bill banning gay clubs
from Utah
high schools was pulled from a Senate committee in the morning. Here, a group
of Hunter High
School students who were given permission slips to miss school
so they could speak about the bill, do the next best thing and corner Rep. Ron
Bigelow, R-West Valley City
 |
| Laura M Gray |
2006 Winter Fest-Gay Travel ~ current gay hot-spots, do’s and
don’ts and unique cultural perspectives at the Center Thurs Feb 9 th – GLBT
Travel – Center Space (7pm)Where are the current GLBT vacation hot spots? Where
can GLBT people vacation safely while maintaining that fabulous GLBT sense of
glam? Learn the do’s and don’ts of safe travel, and how to get where you are
going without losing your style with Logan Brueck of the Utah Gay Travel Group
.
2006 Deseret Morning News, Funds to ban gay unions 92% in-state By Deborah Bulkeley Utah's campaigns for — and against — amending the state
constitution to ban same-sex marriage received 92 percent of their funding from
in-state sources. Despite campaign claims to the contrary, that's one of the
highest rates of in-state funding of any of the 13 states in which
constitutional amendments were on the ballot in 2004, according to a new report
by The Institute on Money in State Politics. The constitutional amendments
passed in every state, some by margins of 3-to-1, according to "The Money
Behind the 2004 Marriage Amendments." Nationally, supporters of the
measures raised $6.8 million, slightly more than the $6.5 raised by opponents,
the report said. The most costly
battleground was in Oregon, where Measure 36 drew nearly $5.4 million in
contributions — 51 percent of that was from out-of-state sources. "No
national groups gave any thoughts to Utah, they would have assumed the
amendment was going to pass," said Quin Monson, assistant director of the
Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy at Brigham Young University. In
many states the pro-amendment campaigns raised more funds than opponents.
However, in Utah philanthropist Bruce Bastian enabled the Don't Amend Alliance
to get off the ground running early in the season, while amendment supporters
lacked organization, said Monson. "I think the proponents in Utah got a
late start, they were badly organized at first, and weren't really doing
anything until the very end," Monson said. "The money came in very
late on the pro side." The report's author, Sue O'Connell, said one source
of concern in Utah was some $171,000 pumped into the pro-amendment Utahns For a
Better Tomorrow campaign from unknown sources. The money came from Marriage
Education Initiatives, a nonprofit corporation that formed the same day it made
its first contribution and did not disclose its donors.Paul Murphy, spokesman
for the Attorney General's Office, said a campaign complaint filed against
Marriage Education Initiatives is still under investigation. Monson said there's so far no clear
indication that Marriage Education Initiatives broke the state's campaign finance
laws. "I think we have a campaign finance system in Utah that has some
gaping loopholes in it that allows people to hide the sources of their
donations," he said. "There doesn't seem to be a lot of appetite in
the state Legislature to strengthen this type of thing." O'Connell said
Utah isn't the only state where some campaign funding couldn't be tracked. In Ohio , Citizens for
Community Values Action gave $1.18 million of the $1.19 million raised by the
Ohio Campaign to Protect Marriage. That group didn't have to report its
contributors because it was a PAC not formed specifically for the ballot
campaign, according to the report. "I think anytime you can't tell exactly
where that money came from, that's of concern," O'Connell said. "The
more you know about who's supporting something, or opposing it, the better off
you are as a voter." One of the biggest national funders of amendment
supporters was the Arlington Group, comprised of the leaders of various
conservative social and religious groups. Contributions from Arlington Group
and related organizations totaled nearly $2 million. However, the group
contributed only $643 in Utah. National gay and lesbian rights groups also
organized against the amendments, however, their efforts appeared less
organized. The Human Rights Campaign pumped $1.1 million into five states,
including $50,000 in Utah. The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force gave nearly
$790,000 in six states, including $10,000 in Utah. In Utah, amendment opponents
the Don't Amend Alliance and Utah Lawyers for Sound Constitutional Amendments
raised 88 percent of the $780,740 in-state. The campaigns supporting the
amendment raised 98 percent of their campaign funds, including those from
Marriage Education Initiatives, in-state according to the report. Sen. Chris
Buttars, R-West Jordan, and Rep. LaVar Christensen, R-Sandy also gave to the
campaigns. Monson said it's fairly common for candidates to issue loans to
their own campaigns, but it's less common for ballot initiatives. The
Constitutional Defense of Marriage Alliance repaid a $15,000 loan to
Christensen, and $19,537 to Buttars last year. Monson said that Amendment 3
passed wasn't much of a surprise, nor was the money poured in by opponents
despite consistent polling that showed support for the measure. The debate, he
said, involved "true believers" who aren't going to cut and run.
"When you get an issue that involves fundamental ideological beliefs,
you're willing to do things that don't make sense otherwise," Monson said.
"You're willing to spend money when you know you're going to lose."
2007 Deseret Morning News, Friday, Buttars plans to restore
school-clubs measure Bill would regain original clout to battle lawsuits By
Tiffany Erickson Deseret Morning News Rep. Aaron Tilton has a big supporter in
the Senate when it comes to his controversial school-clubs bill. But it isn't
the "gutted" version of Tilton's bill that passed out of the House
that Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan, likes. And that's why Buttars plans to
restore Tilton's HB236 to its original form when it comes before the Senate
Health and Human Services Committee today. Under his proposal, Buttars said
schools would be free from the fear of being sued for accepting or denying a
non-curricular student club because the Utah Attorney General's Office could
defend schools, freeing districts from legal costs. Like a similar bill last
year, Buttars wants to target Gay-Straight Alliances, allowing school leaders
to deny the clubs at the school without the threat of losing resources in a
lawsuit. "In my opinion, I hope they don't allow them, they could, but I
hope they don't," Buttars said. "The school would have the authority
to make a decision on yea or nay — that part got taken out over in the House,
and I am going to put them back in." The substitute would also restore
parental authority to view any content and material to be distributed in a club
seven days prior to the club meeting. It would also require the school to
appoint a faculty adviser to each non-curricular club — something that hasn't
gone over big with some lawmakers who say community volunteers can play a big
part in advising clubs, lifting an extra burden off teachers. The only
provision that survived the House was a requirement for parental permission
before a student could join a club. State education leaders have called the
original bill — and Buttar's substitute — unnecessary and micromanaging because
districts have their own club policies.
2007. Salt Lake City WinterPride Features Utah Artists WinterPride
festival “10 GAY DAYS!” is sponsored by the Utah Pride Center During the entire
10 day festival, the works of selected artists will be on display at the
Patrick Moore Gallery at 511 West 200 South, Salt Lake City. The WinterPride
Gallery Art Show will also be part of the February “Gallery Stroll”. A special
WinterPride artist reception will be held on the evening of Saturday, February
10 th from 7:00pm to 9:00pm. Admission to the benefit reception will be $5 per
person, benefiting the Utah
Pride Center
2009 Utah money helped push Prop 8 spending to historic levels
Donations » Utahns
contributed heavily to both sides By Tony Semerad The Salt
Lake Tribune The torrent of money that poured into campaigns for and against
California's Proposition 8 may make it the costliest state ballot measure ever.
Contributions to both sides of the successful ballot measure to ban same-sex
marriage have already topped a total of $75.2 million, according to disclosures
filed with the California
secretary of state. And almost 5 cents of every dollar came from Utah . The picture may
change when full financial reports are filed in late January, but documents now
show Proposition 8's unsuccessful opponents actually out-raised supporters by
about $1.9 million, yet still lost by 504,853 votes, a 4 percent margin. ''It
was the most expensive social issue on a ballot anywhere,'' said Fred FOLLOW
THE MONEY ONLINE The Tribune's database
contains records on 88,144 donations made nationally to groups supporting and opposing
California 's
Proposition 8 ballot measure to ban same-sex marriage. Searchable by contributor name, city,
state, ZIP code, donor employer and occupation, the database is available
here. Schubert, a spokesman for
ProtectMarriage.com, by far the biggest official fundraising group in favor of
Proposition 8. ''I believe it simply
reflects the passions people have surrounding the issue of marriage, on both
sides,'' he said. Those passions ran deep for Utahns, judging from the $3.6
million state residents contributed to the California campaigns. Fully 70 percent of Utah donations, or $2.58
million, went in support of the same-sex marriage ban, while $1.1 million was
given to oppose it. Utah ranked second only to
California itself for total donations in
support, while it ranked sixth for opposing donations, behind California
and such heavily populated states as New York , Ohio , Illinois and Michigan . Utah 's big-dollar involvement can be linked to the LDS Church Sacramento office. ''They donated far in
excess of their representation in the population.'' Utah 's numbers also were pushed dramatically
skyward by a public-giving duel between former Word Perfect executives Bruce
Bastian and Alan Ashton, estranged friends on opposite sides of the issue who
each threw $1 million into the fray. Bastian, of Orem , is gay and has given to similar causes
in the past. Ashton, a Lindon resident, is an active member of the LDS Church LDS Church Utah donors on both sides work from a
diverse range of jobs, from software millionaires, engineers and attorneys to
ranchers, housewives, retirees and self-employed filmmakers. While the majority
of Utah donors did not list their employer on California financial disclosures, the top employers among
those who did were Brigham Young University ,
the LDS Church
and the University
of Utah Utah cities and
towns, spanning 16 of Utah 's
29 counties. Opponents tended to live in Utah 's
26 largest cities, while supporters were spread among 76 communities, large and
small. A majority of Utah contributors to the
opposing side came from Salt Lake City .
Supporters were more widely dispersed around the state, with concentrations in Provo , Salt Lake City , Orem , Bountiful , St. George
and Sandy .
Excluding the Bastian-Ashton donations, the average donation by Utah supporters was
$2,792, while opponents averaged $440 apiece. Opponents of Prop 8 have been
combing through donation reports since their defeat, seeking in some cases to publicize
and target big-ticket supporters with calls of business boycotts. Several Utah donors contacted by
The Salt Lake Tribune refused to comment, citing fear of retaliation. One rural
Utah business
owner who made a five-figure donation in supporting the measure said he had
received harassing calls. Another donor, Janna Morrell, a homemaker from Providence , gave $15,000
to ProtectMarriage.com in the closing days of the campaign. Later, when one
California-based anti-Prop 8 group began posting names of large contributors on
its Web site, instead of worrying, the 42-year-old mother of 12 called to
insist they include her. ''I'm going to stand up even in the face of danger,''
said Morrell, who is LDS and learned about the measure from her brother, a California resident
active in the campaign. ''I believe strongly that Proposition 8 is not meant to
be anti-gay but it is meant to be in favor of marriage.''
2009 Utahns, LDS
Church
2009 Don’t Let Common Ground Die
By City Weekly Readers The first of the
four Common
Ground Initiative bills, Wrongful Death was shot down during the
first week of the legislative session. Gayle Ruzicka, LaVar Christensen and the
Sutherland Institute made sure that the bill died … in order to “protect
marriage.” The next bill to be heard will be the Fair Workplace and Housing
bill, which would make it illegal to fire someone or evict a person for being
gay or transgender. And, no, it’s not already illegal to do that. Ruzicka is going
to do her best to make sure that this bill dies, too. The reason? Again, to
“protect marriage.” Ruzicka believes that recognizing sexual orientations as
protected classes would lead to a court battle to legalize gay marriage. How
does a law preventing an employer from firing a homo destroy the family? How
does that law ruin a marriage? How can this reasoning be anything more than the
blatant justification for the discrimination of a minority? In this poor
economic climate, why not protect those who have a job instead of sanctioning
hate? Yes, it’s a special request for the LGBT community, but when was the last
time you were fired or evicted for being straight? That’s what I thought. The
Department of Labor confirms that we’re being fired three to five times a month
just for being gay or transgender. And those are just the ones who complained.
If you think a little equality and justice is deserved, I urge you to contact
your legislator today and say that Ruzicka’s voice is not your own. The
majority has spoken and support this bill. It’s time our elected
representatives do, too. JACOB WHIPPlE
Salt Lake City
 |
| Gayle Ruzicka |
No comments:
Post a Comment