The Winner: Intolerance

Intolerance and ignorance have won the day in Sacramento, forcing Assemblyman Art Agnos (D-San Francisco) to withdraw his bill to prohibit job discrimination against homosexuals. Agnos surrendered with reluctance because he knows, even if the governor and more timid members of the Legislature do not, that the measure is not only needed but is also the right thing to do.

Last year the Legislature acted with more guts and passed a similar bill, but Gov. George Deukmejian vetoed it. The governor saw no “compelling show of need” for the measure. Legislators are willing to stare down intolerance and take the right course when prospects are good that a law will in fact go onto the books. But not enough are willing to take the heat--and it has gotten very hot in Sacramento on this issue--if ultimately their efforts will come to no good end. Agnos couldn’t muster the minimum seven votes that he needed to win passage of his legislation in the Assembly Labor Committee, so he pulled the bill back.

The campaign put on by the religious fundamentalists opposing AB 1 was both scurrilous and misinformed, linking as it did an end to job discrimination with the tragic victims of acquired immune deficiency syndrome, or AIDS. But for the moment it worked.

The Legislature could reconsider the legislation later in this session. This time around the Legislature heard mainly from groups far less tolerant than are Californians generally. The next time, people who believe that discrimination is wrong must make their voices heard as well.