In a news conference Friday, Utah State Senate President Michael Waddoups (R) announced that State Senator Chris Buttars would be removed from the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate Judicial Confirmation Committee, both of which he had formerly chaired. The move was in response to Sen. Buttars anti-gay screed released last week, and was in part intended to be a “freeing mechanism that will allow Sen. Buttars to more fully function…express his freedom of speech rights.” Waddoups went on to say, “We [Utah State Senate Republicans] agree with many of the things that he said.”

Here’s audio of the Sen. Buttars’ comments, followed by Sen. Waddoups’ press conference:

[audio:http://blog.mattalgren.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/butters_on_gays.mp3|titles=Chris Buttars on The Gays|artists=courtesy Reed Cowan Productions]
[audio:http://blog.mattalgren.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/waddoups-buttars-news-conference.mp3|titles=Michael Waddoups News Conference|artists=2/20/2009]
I’ve been trying all weekend to figure out how to add anything to the analysis of Jim Burroway and Timothy Kincaid over at the Box Turtle Bulletin. This morning, I decided that I can’t, so I’m going to post a few bits from their articles.

First from Timothy Kincaid:

The Mormons and the Republicans were sure upset that the tape of Buttars was released. But it wasn’t because they find the attitude behind his anti-gay rants to be offensive. They just didn’t like how Buttars’ raw hatred reflected on them.

There was no indication that the leadership of the Mormon Church or the Republican delegation have anything but complete agreement that gays are mean buggers, without morals, looking for superiority, similar to Islamic terrorists, and the greatest threat to America. Which makes me wonder, just what could Buttars have possibly said in his most irrational and ranting moment that would have caused them to say, “I disagree”?

Michael Waddoups cherishes an opportunity to wear lip gloss.

And from Jim Burroway:

So let’s put all this together, shall we?

• The Utah GOP “agree(s) with many of the things he said,” and,
• Now that Waddoups did Buttars the favor of removing him from the committees, it “frees Senator Buttars to feel more at ease in saying how he personally feels.”

So, when the Senate decided to remove Buttars, a former LDS bishop, from two committees, was it a sanction for saying the wrong thing? Or was it a reward that gives Buttars free reign so that he can now tell us what he really thinks? Because I have to tell you, the way Waddoups frames his actions it really sounds more like the latter.

I’m of two minds on this. On the one hand, I’d rather people who harbor such hate and prejudice not be entrusted with so much power, so I think Buttars should step down. On the other, he does have a right to say whatever he wants, just as we have a right to point it out when he’s saying something hateful and prejudiced.