Ride With Pride
[Editor's note: The following letter was sent by members of the Salt Lake City Council to members of Utah's legislative leadership. It is reproduced here in its entirety.]
To all who represent Utahns in the Utah State Legislature: We are writing to express our deep concern and disappointment about the complaints made by legislators that led to the removal of the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) pride-wrapped bus from the Utah Pride Parade.
UTA provides an essential service for all members of our community, regardless of sexual preference, gender identity, income, age or race.
The Pride rainbow stands as a welcome sign to all, especially the most marginalized, that we are safe to ride.
The pressure to exclude the bus from the parade sends a disheartening message to the LGBTQIA+ community and undermines progress toward inclusivity, belonging and acceptance.
Lawmakers asking for an apology from UTA reinforce the message that government systems can decide that some people do not belong; it reminds us of Rosa Parks being expected to give up her seat for a white passenger.
As lawmakers who represent all Utahns, your opportunity is to invest taxpayer funds responsibly and create an environment where all individuals feel safe and valued. And that includes transit.
Rather than being considered a political statement, we applaud UTA's display of inclusion and use of the bus with pride wrapping—which was privately funded—that would have served as a powerful symbol of support, demonstrating that Utah embraces diversity and stands against intentional exclusion and discrimination of all kinds.
We must remember the LGBTQIA+ community continues to face unique challenges and often encounters prejudice right here in the Utah cities they love dearly. In the spirit of unity and compassion, we wish the Pride Parade could have been used as a time to focus on the well-being of our fellow citizens and to uphold the values of inclusivity, respect, and love.
By always keeping that in mind, we, as lawmakers in our great state, can effectively embrace our communities' differences and celebrate our shared humanity.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. We have the power to build a community that cherishes the goodness in every individual and helps them feel safe, supported, and valued.
With hope for a more inclusive future, (District 3)
DARIN MANO (Chairman, District 5)
CHRIS WHARTON (District 3)
ALEJANDRO PUY (District 2)
Salt Lake City
"The Holy Firewall,"
June 8 Cover Story
Greetings from Salt Lake City, home of Mormonism BS and the infringement of civil rights. Here, you can't even look at topless ladies without the anti-porn police checking.
Last time I checked, if you wished to view adult sites, magazines and/or DVDs in the privacy of your own home, you were allowed to, as long as you meet legal age requirements set forth by federal laws, rules and regulations—not some religious organization or those who grew up in sheltered homes.
I moved here from Tennessee and have worked in an adult book store. I see [bills like SB 287] as an infringement on First Amendment rights and will not sit back quietly. What people view in the privacy of their homes is their business. People in SLC need to wake up and realize this and take back their God-given freedoms and vote these idiots out of office, including the governor.
Patrick B. Ramsey
Salt Lake City
