Not only has City Weekly reported on Cottonwood Heights Police targeting restaurant and bar patrons near the entrance of Big Cottonwood Canyon, but now so has the Cottonwood-Holladay Journal. The paper reported on continued harassment of customers of Canyon Inn, the Porcupine Pub, the Lifthouse and even 7-Eleven since 2008. Former Cottonwood Heights police officer Beau Babka said the department was told to target Inn customers. Whether or not you believe him, the community has collected 2,000 signatures on a petition about heavy-handed tactics of the police. The group believes that developers—and some politicians—are salivating over the area for the Canyon Centre, a UTA transit hub. Business on the corner has suffered, but other area businesses have not had the same trouble. Statistics show that 19 percent of DUIs issued in Cottonwood Heights are overturned. Compare that to Salt Lake City, where 4 percent are dismissed. No formal action has come out of this—yet.
Herbert's Love of Families
Not that Gov. Gary Herbert cares, but he nonetheless will defy good sense and address the World Congress of Families. Of course, it's because "families" is in its name. Utah is all about "families," although they really should be "traditional." You know, man-woman stuff. And the WCF is actively anti-LGBT, even arguably called a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. The Human Rights Campaign, meanwhile, has condemned Herbert, saying, "this is a hate group that's literally convening thousands of extremists from around the globe to strategize and share information about their nefarious activism." WCF says they're unfairly compared to neo-Nazi groups and don't advocate violence. They do, however, think Vladamir Putin's anti-gay agenda is right on target. WCF, Governor? WTF.
Turbo Righteousness
Speaking of gay rights, you can always count on Gayle Ruzicka, who told the Eagle Forum's national conference that conservatives "better fight like tigers" because the gay-rights movement's "next target is the schools; it's the children," according to the online RightWingWatch.org. She then called Troy Williams, the new head of Equality Utah, once an ally, her nemesis. Williams joined the Eagle Forum after his LDS mission. He says he was "so scared of my nascent sexuality that I sublimated it directly into right-wing politics." He thought if he was "turbo righteous," God would take his same-sex attraction away. Didn't happen, but Ruzicka taught him about lobbying, and he's grateful. "She is exceptionally good at what she does."
About The Author
Katharine Biele
A City Weekly contributor since 1992, Katharine Biele is the informed voice behind our Hits & Misses column. When not writing, you can catch her working to empower voters and defend democracy alongside the League of Women Voters.
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