I was encouraged when I saw in this morning’s news that the bill banning gay clubs was pulled from the senate. I thought “at last they’ve come to their senses!” “Hallelujah!” from Handel’s “Messiah” began playing through my mind.
(Historical side note: Handel wrote “Messiah” because it was his job to compose music for the King. “Messiah” was written purely for entertainment purposes and not necessarily solely religious. Entertainment of the day often revolved around religious text, as dictated by the King. I recognize “Messiah” as a piece of musical brilliance….)
Then I read that the reason it was pulled was because there was no quorum.
(Music comes to screeching halt)
The bill’s sponsor, Chris Buttars, is ill and unable to attend. Other senators were not present, either, preventing a quorum.
Then I saw that the all-male senate committee voted not to require Utah insurance companies to extend contraceptive coverage to women. This was done by not even allowing it to get to the floor for disucssion. This is very frustrating to activists who support women’s reproductive rights (including me).
We need more women in the Utah Senate (This is a call to you women: RUN FOR OFFICE!)
The Senate has voted on making seatbelt violations a primary offense. Now there’s a good useage of time (and dollars) spent on issues.
A House committee passed a proposal to support a bill that would require citizens to post a $100,000 bond to sue the government. This would put roadblocks on anyone wanting to take the government to court for violating laws. Or if you are a group of science teacheres or the state Board of Ed wanting to challenge the evolution bill in court, you’d have to get this bond. I scratch my head……just who is the government accountable to?
And then I became even more discouraged over the state of our state: The evolution, or “origin of life”, bill has passed the House Committee by one vote.
If teachers teach origins of life, they would have a curriculum available from the State Office of Education.
But Education Office attorney Carol Lear fears the bill opens the door to religious discussion in science classes. “Proponents of the bill want to make sure there’s an opportunity for intelligent design or creationism . . . to have some moment in the classroom. I think (this bill) certainly allows for that. One of the questions is, does it require it,” said Lear, director of school law and legislation for the State Office of Education.
“This discussion has been so involved with people’s religious points of view . . . (that) it becomes a discussion about legislation with a religious viewpoint,” she said. “The court in reviewing that gets to look at the whole discussion, even how people perceive the discussion, and you can’t just say . . . King’s X, this isn’t about religion.”
If this bill passes, I guarantee you there are going to be some very, very unhappy science teachers out there (I work with one of them).
Deanna Dee-Dee Taylor 