Utah should give back the 2002 Winter Games to prove to the world that the state's residents -- especially those who belong to the LDS Church -- are moral despite the bribery scandal surrounding the bid.
That was the message Thursday of Mike Ridgway, a Kearns computer technician who has put together an organization he calls Utah Citizens for True Repentance, or Utah CTR."Right is right. Wrong is wrong.
When you steal something, you have the responsibility to restore it completely," Ridgway said. That can only mean giving up the 2002 Winter Games to another city, he said.
"We simply can't violate the rules of fair play and expect to go without consequences," Ridgway said. Not accepting those consequences, he said, "is tantamount to condoning that behavior."
"That behavior" refers to the cash, gifts, scholarships, free medical care and other gratuities given to members of the International Olympic Committee before they voted to send the 2002 Winter Games to Salt Lake City.
The two top officials of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee resigned earlier this year after the details of the gift-giving surfaced, and the IOC is threatening to expel one-fifth of its membership.
None of that is enough for Ridgway. He said as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints he could not ignore questions being raised by the national media about what the scandal meant to a state dominated by the Mormon faith.
He said it is "cynical at best" to suggest that Utahns can redeem themselves by hosting a successful Games, as has been suggested by many leaders.
Although he was joined by only a handful of supporters at a press conference held in the Capitol rotunda Thursday, Ridgway said he believes he speaks for at least 50 Utah Mormons.
Although CTR also refers to "Choose The Right," a popular LDS catch phrase, Ridgway said he has not sought the support of leaders of the LDS Church for his campaign.
"He does not speak for the church. He does not represent the church's point of view," LDS Church spokesman Dale Bills said. "Our position in terms of supporting the Games was stated in a letter that went out to church members."