Milk sculpture proposed for Utah Capitol

By 365gay Newscenter Staff

(Salt Lake City, Utah) A Salt Lake City area man has a unique proposal to counter what he sees as growing homophobia among Utah politicians - a statue to Harvey Milk at the Utah Capitol.

Roger Carrier says the statue, honoring the openly gay San Francisco politician who was assassinated, would serve as a constant reminder of the effects of bigotry to Utah lawmakers.

“When I heard Senator Buttars comments, I was disgusted and appalled,” Carrier told KTVX-televison.

In recent comments to a documentary filmmaker, Buttars compared gay activists to radical Muslims and said they are “probably the greatest threat to America going down.” He also said gay people lack morals.

The remarks drew outrage not only from gays and liberals but also from both sides of the aisle in the Legislature. Senate President Michael Waddoups removed Buttars from a judiciary committee that Buttars chaired and Democrats have called for greater sanctions.

Carrier, who is straight, said he never thought he would hear a public official speak that way, adding that the remarks have hurt Utah’s reputation nationally.

Carrier thinks that a Milk memorial would ” speak volumes about our state.”

“I am doing this out of a sense of justice for the gay community and not just for the gay community, it’s for everybody,” he told KTVX.

A retired teacher, Carrier said he believes same-sex marriage or civil unions are inevitable in the state.

*365Gay.com