The Nation - News from Dec. 10, 1987

Utah Gov. Norman H. Bangerter, Salt Lake City Mayor Palmer DePaulis and the Mormon Church issued separate denunciations of the Aryan Nations. Aryan Nations leader, Richard Butler, announced several months ago he planned to open a regional office in Ogden, Salt Lake City or Provo next spring. Since then, there have been several demonstrations in the state against the group. “It is very unfortunate that a small group of people would use their constitutionally protected freedom of speech to promote hatred and bigotry,” Bangerter said at a news conference at the Capitol. In a more terse message for Butler, DePaulis said: “You are not welcome in our city.” A statement released by the Mormon Church quoted remarks about racial equality by church President Ezra Taft Benson and by the faith’s director of public communications, Richard P. Lindsay.