Gay and lesbian Democrats are satisfied with a compromise party platform on discrimination against homosexuals, but whether other delegates to the state convention - or Utah House Democratic candidates - will accept it and the rest of the platform remains to be seen.
"Some of the platform possibly may hurt us (in the fall elections)," said Democratic Party Chairman Peter Billings Jr. after Tuesday's platform committee meeting."These issues (of abortion and gay rights) are emotional. If our platform is taken out of context, yes, it can hurt," said Billings. "But political parties should stand for something, and what should they stand for if not fundamental rights of human beings?"
House Minority Whip Kelly Atkinson, D-West Jordan, is concerned about how the platform will be played - both in the media and by Republicans. If some balance isn't found, he says, the House Democratic caucus could vote not to run on the platform, a rather serious defection.
"I personally have no problem with what the gays want," says Atkinson, who voted in favor of the state's tough new anti-abortion law last year. But some members of the House Democratic caucus may, he says. "There's not one (Democratic) member of the Legislature on the platform committee. And we're supposed to run for election on this platform? I can tell you that Kelly Atkinson won't, I'll run on the issues important to most of my constituents - jobs, education - not on abortion and gay rights."
If worst comes to worst, says Atkinson, Democratic legislative candidates may just disavow the Democratic State Party platform. "I'll tell my constituents that, if I have to."
During a heated two-hour platform committee meeting Tuesday, committee members agreed on a shortened statement on gay rights in the equal-access plank that reads: "We recognize that gay and lesbian people are routinely the victims of discrimination in private and governmental employment such as the military, as well as public accommodations, housing, education, credit and government services such as arts funding, health care and immigration, and that they're disproportionately the victims of hate crimes and substance abuse.
"We recognize that their partnerships, families and privacy are threatened by laws which don't recognize and protect their relationships. We also recognize that gay and lesbian youth are disproportionately the victims of homelessness, physical abuse and suicide.
"When one in three Utah families has a gay or lesbian son, daughter or parent, it's right that we stand with them in defense of their civil rights. We'll help end these problems by encouraging our government to approve protections against discrimination of gay and lesbian people."
Dale Sorenson of Gay and Lesbian Utah Democrats led the fight in the committee, arguing for a strong anti-discrimination plank on homosexuals. Sorenson said his group will not seek platform changes in Friday night's convention debate - something they threatened if their amendments weren't adopted Tuesday - but will actively oppose any further watering down of the anti-discrimination plank.
The group is feeling its political oats after leading a fight that ousted long-time Utah House Rep. Ted Lewis in the Salt Lake County Democratic Convention two weeks ago. Lewis opposed a gay-backed hate crimes bill in the 1992 session, and Sorenson's group targeted him for defeat.
Pro-choice advocates did not argue Tuesday against a modified abortion plank, saying it speaks to a women's right to choose an abortion. "We're satisfied with that," said Suzanne Millsaps of the local chapter of the National Abortion Rights Action League.
The suggested platform on abortion reads: "Abortion is a deeply felt personal issue, and there is not consensus within the (Utah) Democratic Party. However, a majority of Utah Democrats believe that reproductive decisions are profoundly personal and private decisions, best made by a woman, her family and her doctor . . . "
While all the Democrats at Tuesday's meeting agreed that their party's platform needs a strong anti-discrimination plank, Sheldon Kinsel of Rep. Bill Orton's staff warned that the more specific a platform is, the greater the chances that someone will find fault with it and not support Democratic candidates.
"We want to be close to the mainstream (of Utah politics)," Kinsel said. "If we are specific (in detailing problems of homosexuals), we must ask will that bring more into the party or push more away."