I’ve always been a fan of Salt Lake City’s mayor, Rocky Anderson. Contrary to popular opinion, the few times he and I have spoken, he’s been gracious and engaging. And no matter your opinion of him, he’s obviously very smart.

Check out part of last night’s state of the city address:

One group that has been consistently marginalized in our city, as in much of the rest of the world, is the gay and lesbian community. Hateful prejudice, generated by a lack of acquaintance, understanding, and consequent fear, has rendered gays and lesbians second-class citizens in many respects. Many people appear to think that the innate sexual orientation of gays and lesbians should preclude them from full participation in social and political life. Society’s treatment of gays and lesbians has made life tragically difficult and painful for them, and has too often deprived our community of the valuable perspectives and resources they offer.

It was with this sad history in mind that I issued a non-discrimination Executive Order during my first few months in office, and issued another Executive Order a few months ago extending employee benefits to domestic partners of City employees. For the first time in our city, domestic partners and married spouses of City employees will be treated equally. The Executive Order affirms and encourages loving relationships between partners, and helps to better include them in our community. Our support for domestic partnerships, and our rejection of invidious attitudes of discrimination, improves the quality of life for gay and lesbian people - and, in doing so, improves the quality of life for our entire community. We know from experience that an individual’s experience of prejudice and exclusion is inimical to his or her well-being - and that bigotry and intolerance of any kind, whether based on religion, race, gender, or sexual orientation, infect a community to its very core.

We have made great strides with respect to our City’s practices and policies, reflecting healthier, more constructive attitudes by most people in Salt Lake City toward those who are not heterosexuals. Salt Lake City received honorable mention just a few weeks ago in Gregory Kompes’ book, 50 Fabulous Gay-Friendly Places to Live. A few months ago, I was honored to be acknowledged by the Human Rights Campaign as one of the top ten straight advocates for the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community. We have unquestionably made huge progress in a few short years, and it is being noticed with positive acclaim - a tremendous credit to our entire community.

Nevertheless, obstacles still remain. The recent decision at the Megaplex 17 at Jordan Commons to cancel a run of Brokeback Mountain shows how far we are from our goal of understanding, compassion, and inclusion - and how the decisions and practices of one person, or a few people, can reflect poorly on our entire state. The decision not to show the movie was obviously not financially motivated, as Brokeback Mountain was, as of January 10, the fifth-highest grossing movie in release. Nor could the decision have been based on artistic concerns, as the film won four Golden Globe awards - more than any other film released last year. The decision is especially disturbing in light of the theater’s continued marketing and screening of Hostel, the product of director Eli Roth’s effort to, in his words, “make the sickest, most disturbing film I can.” Reviewed by The New York Times as “one of the most misogynistic [that is, women-hating] films ever made,” Hostel also revels in scenes of graphic violence and extreme, sadistic torture. Apparently, some members of our community find this despicable, sick, women-hating film more acceptable than a beautifully rendered love story - on the sole ground that the people portrayed as loving each other are gay men who faced cruel, malicious, hurtful judgment by those who lacked understanding and compassion. It’s almost as if the cancellation of the movie, and the reaction to the cancellation, proved the main point of this poignant film.

I have a hard time understanding gay people who don’t support Rocky Anderson. His other political opinions aside, there’s never been anybody in any Utah public office as outspoken about gay rights as Rocky - even more than our own “out” legislators. He’s consistently stuck out his neck further than members of the gay community themselves, and for that reason alone, he deserves our support.

Apparently Rocky hasn’t decided if he’s going to run for a third term. I hope he does. No other politician this state - straight or gay - is going to work this hard for gay people. Enjoy it while it lasts, gay Utah…