Salt Lake City bans some discrimination against gays; Mormon Church gives two-sided approval
”Across America and around the world, diverse communities such as ours are wrestling with complex social and moral questions…. The issues before you tonight are the right of people to have a roof over their heads and the right to work without being discriminated against. But, importantly, the ordinances also attempt to balance vital issues of religious freedom…. The Church supports these ordinances because they are fair and reasonable and do not do violence to the institution of marriage. They are also entirely consistent with the Church’s prior position on these matters. The Church remains unequivocally committed to defending the bedrock foundation of marriage between a man and a woman. ”
Michael Otterson, a spokesperson for the Mormon Church, addressing the Salt Lake City Council which has unanimously approved a non-discrimination ordinance that includes sexual orientation as it relates to housing and employment. Salt Lake City, UT is the location of the Mormon Church’s headquartes. The Church has come under heavy, public criticism from gay marriage supporters who blame the Church in large part for the repeal of gay marriage in California last November. Also, one of the Church’s leaders recently stated that the members of the church need to be politically active, which critics say is contrary to the tenants of the Mormon faith. The Church claimed that they suffered harassment and vandalism as a result of the anger over California’s Prop 8, but then they stepped into another controversy by strong-arming a gay couple that dared to hug and kiss while walking on the semi-public property of their Salt Lake Temple. (New York Times) (LDS.org)
”They are really trying to put some of the Prop 8 stuff behind them…. The discussions we have had over the last several months have shown what a caring, loving, concerned institution [the LDS Church] is.”
Jim Dabakis, a founding member of Equality Utah and Pride Center, commenting on the inclusion of sexual orientation to the Salt Lake City non-discrimination ordinances as they apply to housing and employment. The City is known to be a far more diverse place than the rest of the state of Utah. Dabakis is referring to discussions held between the gay rights group and the Mormon Church. The Church is said to have approved of this ordinance update, but remains steadfast in its opposition against same-sex marriage equality. (Salt Lake Tribune)
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