Same-sex marriage shouldn't irk Utah, nation
Christa Roberts
Issue date: 4/29/09 Section: Opinion
The defense did not motion to separate the trials of the men, so they faced the same jury. The first two trials were mistrials as the jury was unable to come to a unanimous verdict. The men argued in one of the three trials that Araujo had falsely led them to believe she was a biological female so she could have oral sex with them, and when they found out otherwise, fearful of what would happen to them if word of what they'd done with her ever got out, they killed her.
After the sentencing in 2005, and with the help of The Transgender Law Center, The Gwen Araujo Justice for Victims Act (AB 1160) was passed. According to thetransgenderlawcenter.org "...The bill puts California firmly on record as opposing a defendant's use of societal bias against their victim in order to decrease their own culpability for a crime."
In layman's terms this means defendants can no longer use the so-called "Gay Panic" defense in California criminal trials.
The state of Utah, under 30-1-2 of the Utah code, does not allow same-sex marriages to be performed in this state, nor does it recognize a legal same-sex marriage performed in any other state. Its hate crimes law also does not protect homosexuals or transsexuals, according to www.utah.gov.
After the Proposition 8 battle and Elder L. Whitney Clayton's statement that the LDS church "does not oppose civil unions or domestic partnerships," Equality Utah launched its "Common Ground Initiative," which addresses the issues mentioned by the LDS church, according to equalityutah.org/action/common.html.
According to the same site, many of these initiatives were introduced as bills and put before the Utah Legislature during the 2009 legislative session. The new bills addressed issues that included expanding health care, fair housing and employment, and wrongful deaths. You can learn more about the bill and the initiative at www.equalityutah.org. Four of the five bills failed in the committees during the session, according to equalityutah.org
I'll be honest: What some church leaders did during the Proposition 8 scandal was despicable. I think that any entity that would use the curtain of religion to deny the same rights they themselves enjoy to anyone else for any reason is despicable.
I was born into a primarily Christian household. I attended church fairly regularly growing up. I was taught to treat everyone equally no matter what. I was taught that everyone was created equal and that God is the only person who could judge us and that when we went before him or her, he or she would judge us by our actions on Earth. I have my prejudices and I admit there are things and people I disagree with, but I would never under any circumstances make a move to deny others the same things I enjoy, even if I disagreed with their beliefs or motives.
I also think that if we all treated everyone else equally we would finally achieve world peace.
After the sentencing in 2005, and with the help of The Transgender Law Center, The Gwen Araujo Justice for Victims Act (AB 1160) was passed. According to thetransgenderlawcenter.org "...The bill puts California firmly on record as opposing a defendant's use of societal bias against their victim in order to decrease their own culpability for a crime."
In layman's terms this means defendants can no longer use the so-called "Gay Panic" defense in California criminal trials.
The state of Utah, under 30-1-2 of the Utah code, does not allow same-sex marriages to be performed in this state, nor does it recognize a legal same-sex marriage performed in any other state. Its hate crimes law also does not protect homosexuals or transsexuals, according to www.utah.gov.
After the Proposition 8 battle and Elder L. Whitney Clayton's statement that the LDS church "does not oppose civil unions or domestic partnerships," Equality Utah launched its "Common Ground Initiative," which addresses the issues mentioned by the LDS church, according to equalityutah.org/action/common.html.
According to the same site, many of these initiatives were introduced as bills and put before the Utah Legislature during the 2009 legislative session. The new bills addressed issues that included expanding health care, fair housing and employment, and wrongful deaths. You can learn more about the bill and the initiative at www.equalityutah.org. Four of the five bills failed in the committees during the session, according to equalityutah.org
I'll be honest: What some church leaders did during the Proposition 8 scandal was despicable. I think that any entity that would use the curtain of religion to deny the same rights they themselves enjoy to anyone else for any reason is despicable.
I was born into a primarily Christian household. I attended church fairly regularly growing up. I was taught to treat everyone equally no matter what. I was taught that everyone was created equal and that God is the only person who could judge us and that when we went before him or her, he or she would judge us by our actions on Earth. I have my prejudices and I admit there are things and people I disagree with, but I would never under any circumstances make a move to deny others the same things I enjoy, even if I disagreed with their beliefs or motives.
I also think that if we all treated everyone else equally we would finally achieve world peace.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Boo
posted 8/21/09 @ 12:40 AM MST
What difference does it make? Black, White, Gay, Lesbian, we're all human beings. Aren't all men supposedly created equal? If that's so is our government implying that homosexuals are not equal to straight people? That they don't deserve the same rights as the rest of us? It's sad, and someday, hopefully soon, our government will stop being so closed minded, and be accepting of everyone. (Continued…)
Flounder
posted 8/27/09 @ 8:41 PM MST
Gay People are Like Zombies if they bite you , you will turn into one...
But Seriously Gays can have a domestic partnership, Marriage is between man and women. (Continued…)
Lizzie
posted 9/16/09 @ 11:05 AM MST
I really don't understand why gay people aren't allowed to get married.
how exactly does it demean traditional marriage? I'm married, and how does Ellen Degeneres being married make my marriage any less meaningful?
if you are morally against homosexuality, that's your right, but that's it, you don't have the right to force those beliefs on other people. (Continued…)
Post a Comment