Gay Protesters Disrupt Utah Gubernatorial Debate

Members of a GLBT equality group disrupted a debate between two Utah gubernatorial hopefuls on the evening of Oct. 19.

The televised debate between incumbent Gov. Gary Herbert, a Republican, and Democratic challenger Peter Corroon, who is currently the mayor of Salt Lake County, took place at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.

In the midst of the debate, eight protesters from Justice Vanguard stood up, one after the next, and loudly spoke the names gay youths who had committed suicide, reported local television station ABC-4 News on Oct. 20. The nation has been shocked in recent weeks by a rash of youth suicides, many of them GLBT teens who were bullied and harassed at school.

The eight individuals were rounded up by security and hustled out of the venue. They spoke with ABC-4 outside, and said that they were voicing their concern over the current governor's refusal to back a bill that would protect Utah citizens from discrimination.

"For too long these politicians have sat back on their heels and said, oh, maybe in the future or, no, we're not going to do it at all," said one of the protesters, Eric Ethington. "So, we're going to stand up and tell them what the citizens of their state want them to do."

Ethington also organized a mass protest earlier this month in which a crowd of GLBT equality advocates (estimates ranged from 1,000-4,000) lay down on the pavement outside the Mormon church's headquarters to protest remarks made by a church official who denounced gays, calling them immoral and saying that sexual orientation is a choice.

"There are those today who not only tolerate but advocate voting to change laws that would legalize immorality, as if a vote would somehow alter the designs of God's laws and nature," Boyd K. Packer, the 86 year old president of the Mormon Church's Quorum of Twelve Apostles, said in an Oct. 3 sermon that was heard in person by 20,000 people and televised to millions more.

"A law against nature would be impossible to enforce," added Packer. "Do you think a vote to repeal the law of gravity would do any good?" Packer's comments were made during the Mormon Church's 180th Semiannual General Conference in Salt Lake City.

Packer spoke against the testimony of gays and lesbians and the findings of modern science, both of which indicate that homosexuality is an innate and biological phenomenon. "Not so!" declared Packer. "Why would our Heavenly Father do that to anyone? Remember he is our father." Packer added, "Regardless of the opposition, we are determined to stay on course."

The Mormon Church was a major backer and contributor to the deeply divisive 2008 campaign to pass Proposition 8, a ballot initiative that went before California voters and rescinded the then-existing right of gay and lesbian families to participate in marriage. A recent decision from a federal court struck down Proposition 8 as unconstitutional. The Mormon Church issued a statement when the verdict was announced, saying that it "regretted" the finding. An appeal is underway.

The Oct. 7 protest against Packer's comments included an address by Ethington, who told the crowd, "We want to tell men like Boyd K. Packer that we are tired of watching our children die. There are consequences to your words. You cannot change us, we cannot change ourselves and the more you try, the more dead bodies you leave behind. Stop."

Ethington said that Packer had a right to his personal opinion, but added that gay Mormon youth needed to hear supportive messages. Ethington offered such a message, declaring, "We love you. You are beautiful. You are perfect just the way you are."

In turn, the Mormon Church upheld the right of the demonstrators to give voice to their concerns and opinions. "Those familiar with the Church's doctrine on the importance of marriage and family know it is based on principles of respect and love for all of God's children," a statement from church spokesman Scott Trotter said. "We have continually emphasized that there is no room in this discussion for hatred or mistreatment of anyone."

ABC-4 News heard from another Justice Vanguard member that the group intended to continue speaking out. "This is a movement we're not going to back down from," said Maren Lacy. following the disruption of the debate on Oct. 19. "This is something that needs to be addressed and it's something which needs to change."

The news station questioned how effective the protest had been, reporting that many of those who attended the debate in person were unable to hear what the protesters were saying. Viewers at home were also unable to hear much of what was said or to see the protesters' handmade signs bearing the names of young suicide victims.

Incumbent Gov. Herbert succeeded Jon Huntsman when President Obama appointed Huntsman to the post of Ambassador to China. Media sources have noted that Herbert is less supportive of GLBT equality than Huntsman was. Nonetheless, Herbert enjoys the support of the state's GLBT conservatives.