by Sarah Thompson
Director, Utah Gun Owners Alliance
[email protected]
http://www.UTGOA.org

April 3, 2002

KeepAndBearArms.com � Utah Gun Owners Alliance heard rumors throughout the legislative session that Gov. Leavitt was trying to kill Rep. Mike Thompson's HB 287 � Constitutional Rights of State Employees. It now appears that those rumors were true.

HB 287 says, quite simply, that state employees may not be required to surrender their constitutional rights as a condition of employment. It also says that foster parents may not be required to surrender their constitutional rights in order to foster children.

Last Tuesday, March 25, Gov. Leavitt vetoed the bill, thus thumbing his nose at the Constitutions of Utah and the United States, state employees, foster parents, and the legislators who passed the bill with overwhelming support.

According to Rep. Thompson, Leavitt didn't even have the courtesy to let him know that the bill would be vetoed! It seems that King Mike treats legislators with the same contempt he shows for the rest of us "commoners".

We've known for a long time that Leavitt was an enemy of gun rights. A couple of years ago he tried to call a special session to enact gun control. He's been vocal in his support for the safety of criminals who wish to assault people in schools and churches without having to fear encountering armed citizens. He's actively supported revoking gun rights for misdemeanor offenses as minor as spanking a child.

We've also known that Leavitt was none too friendly toward other constitutional rights. He's signed laws expanding asset forfeiture, as well as several ex post facto laws. Earlier this year he refused to support the right to religious freedom for Falun Gong members.

So we probably shouldn't be at all surprised that Leavitt would veto a bill that guarantees the rights of state employees and foster parents. Still, it's something of a shock that our governor would publicly declare that some people should NOT have Constitutional rights!

In fact, it's all rather reminiscent of Adolf Hitler's philosophy of government. In Mein Kampf he wrote:

"The People�s State will classify its population in three groups: Citizens, subjects of the State, and aliens. The principle is that birth within the confines of the State gives only the status of a subject. It does not carry with it the right to fill any position under the State or to participate in political life, such as taking an active or passive part in elections."

Of course, to be fair, there are 22 legislators who share Leavitt's hostility towards rights as evidenced by their opposition to the bill.

Leavitt also vetoed seven other bills and two sections of the appropriations bill.

The legislature can, by a 2/3 vote, override Leavitt's veto. Speaker of the House Marty Stephens and Senate President Al Mansell will now poll the members of the House and Senate respectively to see if they wish to call a special veto override session. If 2/3 of the members of both chambers agree, the session must convene by May 5. In other words, there's not much time!

Since all of the Representatives and half of the Senators, including both Stephens and Mansell, are running for reelection, we think this makes an excellent campaign issue.

Please contact the following people IMMEDIATELY and insist that they call a veto override session, and that they override Leavitt's veto of HB 287.

Speaker Marty Stephens, 801-731-5346 home or 538-1930 Capitol
President Al Mansell, 801-942-6019
YOUR Representative and Senator
Contact information is at http://www.utgoa.org/resources/legcontact02.html 

You should also ask any candidate who wants you to support him/her for a legislative seat where s/he stands on this issue. Remember also that several Congressional candidates � Kevin Garn, John Swallow and Matt Throckmorton � are current members of the state legislature and will be voting on whether to hold an override session. If they won't stand up to Leavitt, don't expect them to stand up to the big shots in DC either.

For those of you who are not in Utah, we suggest contacting Gov. Leavitt at 801-538-1000 or [email protected]. Let him know that you will not spend your hard-earned money in a state where people are denied their constitutional rights!

See also http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,380008675,00.html