STFU

Having been a long-time fan of Utah State Legislature goings-on, I spent many a day roaming about the Utah State Capitol in my job. In twenty-some-odd years, I've seen a lot of things that made me wonder.

I got most, if not all of my knowledge of what goes on at the Capitol from School House Rock's "I'm just a bill". Really.

As far as that goes, there are two things you should never see being made - Sausage and Laws.

But lately, there's something else you gotta wonder about. How did this:


Become this?

Or this?

I'm no expert in state politics. Hell, I must have slept through Mr. Rolfi's Civics class in high school.

So how did Chris Buttars come to this juncture? I'll let Jon Armstrong - one of my favorite bloggers at blurbomat.com - tell it in his own words:

Add Homophobe to Racist - February 20, 2009

Utah’s Republican Governor Enjoys Coddling Racist Senator - February 15, 2008

...and from the Deseret News (et al):

Amended evolution measure dies in Utah House - February 28, 2006

Buttars want to prohibit gay clubs - December 15, 2005

Utah Legislators Edit Gay Marriage Ban - February 2, 2005

At issue is not what Buttars speaks about; rather it is about how he speaks. For that, Senator Buttars needs to STFU.

Photo credits: Top photo, Deseret News; Middle photo, Salt Lake Tribune; Bottom photo, Deseret News