8/26/09

Salt Lake City Council Stunned by UT Legislators: Human Rights Battle Brewing


By kelli Busey/planetransgender

Salt Lake City human rights struggle pits the privileged, empowered LDS right-wing against the multi denominational and non secular underprivileged, marginalized, economically downtrodden masses.

In the red corner Utah State Senator Chris 'I never seen these facts' Buttars. In the Blue corner Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph 'Human dignity' Becker.

The prize: The center of the religious and moral high ground dominated presently by the LDS right wing, for the accountability and treatment of LGBT people in Utah.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports that "For more than a year, Salt Lake City leaders have cataloged cases of discrimination against gay and transgender residents who lost their jobs or their homes -- simply because of their sexual orientation or gender identity."

"But if the city passes an anti-discrimination ordinance to outlaw such prejudice, state lawmakers are signaling they may shred it when the Legislature convenes in five months."

"Depending on how they carve out a protected class," House Speaker Dave Clark says, "it creates a concern that is something we would want to look at."

"Sen. Chris Buttars, a vehement gay-rights critic, doubts discrimination against gay and transgender people is a significant problem." And Buttars reiterates his rational for opposing GLBT rights "I've never seen any facts. I see these wild accusations,"

According to KLS.com channel 5 "Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker says he heard Sen. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan, may try to reverse any non-discrimination ordinance, which the state does have power to do."

"We hope they will be considerate of us as we certainly want to be considerate of other communities," Becker said. "We have discrimination, and it's documented, and it's not significant."

Audio courtesy of KCPW of interview with Mayor Becker Download this story.

Source: Salt Lake City Human Rights Commission

7.6 » Percentage of Salt Lake City residents who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.
3.2 » Percentage of Utah's population that does.
539 » Number of employment-discrimination claims of all types in Utah last year.
105 » Number of housing-discrimination claims of all types in Utah last year.
3 » Number of calls the state received, on average, each month about employment discrimination based on sexual orientation when it voluntarily tracked such data.
58 » Percentage of unemployed in Salt Lake City's disabled population.
31 » Percentage of residents who speak a language other than English at home.

House Speaker Dave Clarke is elected by a "Protected Class" that is fighting to maintain its financial and religious dominance in order to control the press and to issue religious edict's that superimposes it's will over all people regardless if there is proven discrimination. That is the protected class Speaker Dave Clark owes his allegiance to.

The Mayor of Salt Lake City needs to know you STAND with him. He is putting his political career on the line for your life. His "HOT TOPIC" response the week of August 24-30: Salt Lake City Mayor Asks for LGBT Protection Feed Back

8/25/09

Christine Johnson Rocks For Utah Equality!


Source You Tube About event organizer:
"Candice Metzler's experience highlights the challenges faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) workers, who, in Utah, are not protected against discrimination in the workplace by local, state or federal laws."

Christine Johnson is an American politician from Utah and a Democratic member of the Utah House of Representatives. She represents the 25th district which includes parts of Salt Lake and Summit counties. She was first elected to the legislature in 2006.

Christine Johnson is a out Lesbian who along with two other out LGBT politicians, Sen. Scott McCoy and Rep. Jackie Biskupski serve in the UTAH Legislature.

Idolos - Livia Mendonça - 19/08/09, incrivel essa voz, impressionante !!!! this incredible voice, awesome!!



Thank you Matt Kailey at Examiner.com for sharing this and more PURE JOY with us:D

8/24/09

Demand Dr. Phil show give positive coverage on LGBT issues.

Dr. Phil the profiteer has once again crossed the line of common decency. Dr. Phil is planning new shows that profit from discrediting , maligning and marginalizing bisexuals and gay people.

Once again. If we respond as before we can bring enough pressure on Dr. Phil to pull these show that intentionally miss inform and marginalize our LGBT community.".

Dr. Phil has been on a crusade to pathologize gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people with shows about "gender confused children"

and "experimental bisexuality" and by giving a platform to so called experts on "ex-gay therapy"from Focus on the Family. Since the APA refuted the basis of Focus on The Families argument based on reparative therapy this sort of show only serves to muddy the water.

Now he is going to host two shows, one called "Teen Experimenting With Bisexuality?" and "Struggling With Sexual Identity?" Given his past record, the shows titles and descriptions, a serious red flag is being raised.

Boycott Dr. Phil and let him know why by contacting him.

Dr. Phil show

5482 Wilshire Boulevard #1902

Los Angeles, CA 90036

END CIA'S torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading wrongfull imprisonment of civilians.

The CIA Inspector General's report released today describes the horrific abuse of detainees in U.S. custody. The report goes beyond what has previously been released to describe CIA agents threatening prisoners with death and carrying out a mock execution. It also describes the use of waterboarding and other methods of torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.

The report demonstrates conclusively the need for a Commission of Inquiry to investigate our nation's use of torture, as advocated by the National Religious Campaign Against Torture. NRCAT has also called upon the Attorney General to undertake a comprehensive investigation for criminal culpability.

The White House announced the creation of a new elite interrogation unit, and the Justice Department's ethics office has formally recommended reopening a number of cases of prisoner abuse. These are important measures, but NRCAT believes a comprehensive investigation is needed.

The White House announced the creation of a new elite interrogation unit, and the Justice Department's ethics office has formally recommended reopening a number of cases of prisoner abuse. These are important measures, but NRCAT believes a comprehensive investigation is needed.

Our country will not end this sordid chapter of American history until we understand the full nature of U.S.-sponsored torture and put safeguards in place to make sure that U.S.-sponsored torture never happens again. It is our responsibility to assure that future generations of Americans grow up in a country that does not torture.

Please take action today: Please urge your elected officials to support a Commission of Inquiry AND urge the Attorney General to fully investigate the use of torture by the United States.

Click here to send a form email to the White House, both of your U.S. senators and your member of the House of Representatives, asking for a Commission of Inquiry in light of the horrific abuse detailed in the CIA Inspector General's report.

Click here to send a form email to Attorney General Eric Holder asking for a comprehensive investigation for criminal culpability in light of the CIA Inspector General's report.

Click here for suggestions for promoting a Commission of Inquiry.The response of the religious community to the Inspector General's report could be very important. Please send emails to the President, your senators, your member of the House of Representatives and the Attorney General today. Thank you for everything you have done to end U.S.-sponsored torture.Thank you.


Sincerely,

Rev. Richard Killmer

Executive Director

Salt Lake City Mayor Asks for LGBT Protection Feed Back


Click here ro respond to Mayor Mayor Ralph Becker request for feedback on the proposed city ordinance that includes protections for sexual orientation and gender identity and expression.

Source Examiner.com

"On Top Magazine is reporting that Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker has been circulating a proposal for a new city ordinance that includes protections for sexual orientation and gender identity and expression."

"The public discussion draft, titled "Overview of Possible Salt Lake City Non-Discrimination Ordinance", is based on a July 2009 report by the Salt Lake City Human Rights Commission that "provides further factual confirmation of the harms caused by discriminatory practices."

"If the ordinance is passed as written, it would represent a significant step forward in a city that has been dogged by contoversy over the past year, specifically due to the actions of the Mormon church, a large proponent of California's Proposition 8 same-sex marriage ban. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints recently detained a gay couple for kissing on their private property, leading to their arrest for trespassing. The charges against the couple were dropped, but the incident garnerned negative national attention to the church and the city."