Buttars Opens Mouth, Ugliness Spews
We've talked about this character before, HERE and HERE. He tried to stop Utah schools teaching about evolution, and he tried to outlaw Gay Straight Alliances in schools there. Great guy.
Here he is in the Salt Lake Tribune this week:
Well, whatever, I just wanted to remind you that this kind of attitude is still out there.
Here he is in the Salt Lake Tribune this week:
He called the gay-rights movement "probably the greatest threat to America," likened gay activists to Muslim radicals and dubbed same-sex relationships "abominations."
Now Sen. Chris Buttars finds himself in a familiar place: under fire amid demands he step down.
Last year, the NAACP called for Buttars to resign after comments he made on the Senate floor about a complex school-funding bill, saying, "This baby is black . . . It's a dark, ugly thing."
But Buttars kept his seat and won re-election in November.
"It is obvious that he believes he can say and do anything that he wishes without any consequences," said Jeanetta Williams, president of the NAACP's Salt Lake branch. "His words -- as before -- are despicable."
Buttars' latest remarks come from an interview with documentary filmmaker Reed Cowan that aired on ABC 4 this week. Buttars told Cowan the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community doesn't want "equality, they want superiority."
"It's the beginning of the end," the West Jordan Republican said. "Oh, it's worse than that. Sure. Sodom and Gomorrah was localized. This is worldwide." Buttars: Gays 'greatest threat to America'
Well, whatever, I just wanted to remind you that this kind of attitude is still out there.
posted by JimK at 4:50 PM
15 Comments:
I'm here scratching my head, trying to figure out why the NAACP is offended that the senator called a bill he didn't like "black." "Black" has many different definitions which are used quite commonly in everyday language. From the quote you gave here, the senator was using one of those definitions, completely separate from race (unless there is more to the quote than what you've listed here).
Ever heard of a "black comedy," "black Monday" "in the black, "black ice," a "black heart" - etc., etc., etc.?
Anonymous defends Buttars. Maybe they'll get married.
"Black" has many different definitions which are used quite commonly in everyday language. From the quote you gave here, the senator was using one of those definitions, completely separate from race
The N-word used to be used quite commonly in everyday language. Did that make it non-racist?
Open any dictionary to "black" and you will find the commonly used terms and phrases that use the word "black." "Black baby" is not among them.
What would you have thought and said, barryo, if a black Senator from Illinois named Barack Obama had said about a bill being discussed in the Senate, "This baby is white,...a pale, ugly thing" during his campaign last year?
Calling a black baby, a "dark, ugly thing" is insensitive and insulting to blacks, and not suitable language for any State Senate chamber.
With officials like Buttars and supporters like barryo who apparently do not comprehend the harmful effects of their words against minorities from blacks to immigrants to LGBT people, it's no wonder the GOP is gaining a reputation as the party of intolerance.
"Anonymous defends Buttars. Maybe they'll get married."
Maybe Tres Kerns can officiate, if he's not off "observing" some Pride celebration.
The usual anon hasn't commented on this post. I didn't say anything because I didn't know the context.
Besides, I can't comment on everything.
Let's hear it for George Mason University in Fairfax County Virginia:
Drag Queen Crowned George Mason University Homecoming Queen
Jim Burroway
February 21st, 2009
George Mason University students have elected a drag queen as homecoming queen last weekend. Student Ryan Allen, competing under his drag queen persona of Reann Ballslee, beat out two women for the title at the 30,000-student school in suburban Washington, D.C.:
Allen, who is gay and performs as a popular drag queen at local clubs, assumed the title of Ms. Mason. He was wearing a green-and-gold bow, sewn for him by the theater department costume’s shop, that was visible even from the cheap seats, a sequined top, a black skirt and heels. …
…”It was just for fun,” Allen, 22, said over coffee at the Johnson Center, where he was congratulated by classmates with hugs and squeals. “In the larger scheme of things, winning says so much about the university. We’re one of the most diverse campuses in the country, and … we celebrate that.”
Allen was crowned during halftime at last Saturday’s sold-out sold-out basketball game against Northeastern at the Patriot Center. University spokesman Daniel Walsch said that the school was “very comfortable with it.”
You can find a link to the video at Box Turtle Bulletin
I haven't watched the video yet.
rrjr
If Tres Kerns officiates, will Matt Barber, Robert Knight, Peter Spriggs and Peter LaBarbera be groomsman?
Aunt Bea,
Black people know that the word "black" is used in many different ways, just as white people know that "white" is used in many different ways. It's not the same as the "N-word" at all because calling someone "Black" is not considered to be a racist term. Calling someone the "N-word" is considered racist. So I'm not getting your analogy here.
The senator apparently said "this baby is black...." He didn't say "black baby." The two have completely different meanings. Have you never heard the term "this baby is...."? If you're referring to a car, you might say "this baby is FAST." If you're referring to a project you're working on, you might say: "this baby is hard."
Unless, as I said, there's more to the quote then what's listed here, "this baby" obviously refers to the legislation and he seems to be using the term "black" in a non-racial way. He's using another, commonly accepted definition of "black" -- the same way someone uses "black hearted."
I am very sorry to point out that you are utterly lying, Bea, when you say that the senator called a black baby a dark, ugly thing. And you know that you're not telling the truth.
Regarding Obama saying "this baby is white...." Well, first of all, it wouldn't be equivalent because the definitions are different so it would have to be reworded to make any sense. It might be more equivalent to say something like "you might think this baby is white as the driven snow, but it's not even opaque....this baby's just plain white and ugly." And, no -- I wouldn't be offended in the slightest because in neither case is anyone calling a black or white baby ugly.
old anon making a comment here
one thing that has always been strange to me is that "white" people aren't really white and "black" people aren't really black
maybe using these terms was always a bad idea as "black" has a negative connotation
of course, that's not the fault of the guy in Utah and, again, without knowing more, I wouldn't want to comment on that
Thanks for the news from GMU, Robert, but the link didn't work. :(
I managed to find the video though at BTB: http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2009/02/21/9030
Here's MSNBC's news clip and interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E81BoQl-KDM
Gotta love diversity!
University diversity is even better!
Peace,
Cynthia
Here's the link to the Washington Post's coverage of the crowning of Reann Ballslee as the Homecoming Queen at GMU. Congratulations Reann!!
barryold -
I'm not the only one who thinks Buttars was out of line with his racist comment last year.
A 2008 Salt Lake City ABC 4 news story about the "baby" remark, called "Buttars under fire for 'black baby' comment; NAACP leader calls for resignation", reports that Reverend France Davis of Salt Lake’s Calvary Baptist Church said:
"It perhaps comes across as racist but I think its just sheer ignorance."
And Buttars himself
responded, "I made a comment that I think a lot of people could take as racist. I certainly did not mean that in any way. But it was wrong and could easily be taken that way. I apologize to anyone that took offense and in no way did I mean that to be degrading in anyway. I just got my mouth a little bit ahead of my brain here."
Did he learn to think before he speaks? Apparently not. Regarding Buttars' statement comparing gays to radical Muslims, Salt Lake City ABC 4 reports:
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released a statement on Friday regarding recent comments made by Utah state senator Chris Buttars about homosexuality.
Church spokesperson Scott Trotter released the following statement:
“From the outset, the Church’s position has always been to engage in civil and respectful dialogue on this issue. Senator Buttars does not speak for the Church.”
Senator Buttars made the controversial comments to former ABC 4 reporter Reed Cowan, who is an openly-gay TV news anchor and reporter now living in Florida. Cowan is also working on a documentary about Proposition 8 and the role of the LDS Church in its passage. Cowan interviewed Buttars as pert of the documentary and released audio recording of the senator's statements to ABC 4 News earlier this week.
In his comments, Buttars compared gay activists to radical Muslims and called homosexuality the "greatest threat" to America.
Buttars was removed from his chairmanship of the senate judiciary committee on Friday.
He's a good example of why the country voted for change last November. I hope his serial contemptible statements mean he will not be reelected again but in a GOP stronghold like Utah, who knows?
Repaired link to Washington Post story Reann's election as Homecoming Queen
Drag queen wins homecoming queen?
If I were in the stands, I would need a vomit bag.
And if you had been in the stands when Buttars made his statements, you'd have been cheering him on.
It's a shame that a Drag King didn't win for Homecoming King. The symmetry would have been beautifully complete, and anons the world over would be convinced that such blatant promotion of the homosexual agenda was sure sign of the second coming.
Have a nice day,
Cynthia
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