In the Salt Lake Tribune: LDS open to liquor change"The effort to do away with Utah's private club law received a major boost Wednesday, as LDS Church officials told Republican leaders they would be amenable to an alternative put forward by Utah's hospitality industry."As a side note in this article about the liquor laws discussed by "GOP legislators and LDS Church officials Wednesday", the Common Ground initiative was mentioned:
"Officials did not specifically address a series of proposed "Common Ground" bills that would extend some rights to same-sex couples, except to refer lawmakers to their previous statements on the topic."Why take the time to clarify the LDS affirmative position on liberalizing alcohol laws but not where they know people are hanging on their every word for more clarity in their opinion? They know their "previous statements" are being taken in a hundred different ways. They don't need to reference specific bills or even the common ground initiative by name, if it's a face saving thing. I'm sure they know that all they'd need to do is what they've done for alcohol laws. All they need to say to sway some lawmakers is that what they said in the Prop 8 fight in California is also what's right in Utah, otherwise capitol hill takes it as "only in California". So why?
If I could get close enough to the men in power I'd be begging. Real families and children are hurting because of the laws here. This is much more important to Utah homes and families than a guy in a bar being able to buy a drink without first buying a club membership, isn't it? Not that I don't think our liquor laws are ridiculous in parts, but why do bar goers get a big discussion but my husband and my kids get a side note?
I have a hard time figuring out why the LDS church leaders are okay clarifying that they're okay with making it easier to get a drink in Utah but not health care for homemakers. Personally, equal access to health insurance alone would be a huge help to our home and our ability to take care of each other. Making job and housing discrimination on orientation illegal will strengthen many homes too.
It's just tough living here, you know? Knowing my family's legal fate is decided in significant part by such meetings, by a Church to which I do not belong. The sense of helplessness in defense of my family and the frustration it breads is another sort of pollution I take in too much of while here. I think I can feel it take a toll, every bit as much as our polluted air.
Can't those Ca Supreme Court Judges hurry up and decide, so that we can finally decide where best to head? Man, I can smell the ocean breeze of our old home if I think hard enough.
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5 comments:
I don't think the LDS church understands this separation of church and state thing. They should be told to mind their own business or lose their tax exemption.
Queers United, I think you're a little fast out of the gates there...The LDS Church is the biggest social influence in the area. I'm sure that the legislators in Colorado approach the leaders of the Uber-Mega churches there, just as in Texas before making their final decisions on laws, just as I'm sure Italian leaders approach the Vatican.
I don't know that it's the "separation of church and state thing"...because all it says in the constitution is that the State won't favor one religion over another, really.
oh -- and Scot, I agree, I wish they would just make up their minds. I'm ready to leave Utah, too, simply because I'm sick of the Uber-right-wingism that most people mistake as faithfulness to LDS religious tenets.
It's complicated here. The LDS are a big economic force and represent about 60% of the population, with all the rights to speak up too. They own and profit from a big chunk of downtown and Utah property in general. In that way they get special consideration in the same way our ski industry does. I can't argue with that.
I don't think anything would come of arguing separation of church and state, but there is a gray area they are walking in both not wanting to pay taxes and yet be such a big political player, one that fights against the rights of other citizens. I mean, I'm sure the ski industry would like to be tax free too, and I know my contributions to pro-gay rights political organizations aren't tax free.
Nevertheless, I don't think anything like that will change here.
Kengo "I'm sick of the Uber-right-wingism that most people mistake as faithfulness to LDS religious tenets."
Ah Kengo, if I were in your shoes I'm sure I'd be sick of that exact thing too. Wish it wasn't this way.
Not that this makes it an easy decision, but even without marriage you're better off in California, legally speaking.
But really what you need to do is wait until Foxy and I decide where we're going to be permanently, then move there (or stay there, as the case may be).
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