This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
A year ago, just half of American adults supported same-sex marriage. Now 58 percent do, and for adults under 30, it's a whopping 81 percent. The direction of America is clear.
Hillary Clinton recently stated that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender "Americans are our colleagues, our teachers, our soldiers, our friends and our loved ones, and they are full and equal citizens and deserve the rights of citizenship. That includes marriage."
Meanwhile, here in Utah, neither house of our Legislature would even vote on a simple proposal to ban discrimination against gays in employment and housing.
Sen. Stuart Reid, R-Ogden, opposed the legislation because, as he explained, discrimination against gays is OK because "homosexual activity is immoral." Even in a committed, loving relationship?
Well, it was immoral to deny civil rights to women because of their sex, and to blacks because of their skin color, but apparently it's OK to deny civil rights because of one's imprinted sexual orientation, which even Mormon leaders admit is not a choice.
Here in Utah, gays are not "full and equal citizens." Given the nation's trajectory, I have long-term hope for equal protection of the laws for gays, even in Utah.
Nathan Johnson
Salt Lake City