Dannemeyer Backs Initiative on AIDS

Rep. William E. Dannemeyer (R-Fullerton) Wednesday became the first California public official to support an initiative by followers of political extremist Lyndon H. LaRouche Jr. designed to quarantine thousands of AIDS victims and those suspected of carrying the AIDS virus.

In addition, Dannemeyer told a press conference in Santa Ana that he will propose federal legislation next week to make it a crime for anyone testing positive for the AIDS virus “to be involved in an exchange of bodily fluids,” including kissing.

Dannemeyer--who for months has waged his own campaign against acquired immune deficiency syndome, claiming at one point that those with AIDS emit a dangerous “spore”--said he did not favor “bedroom police.” But he said public health officials and the U.S. attorney general should be able to issue misdemeanor citations to AIDS carriers after receiving complaints.

‘Take Reasonable Actions’

“I’m not suggesting that we invade the privacy of anyone’s home, but we should take reasonable actions to prevent the transfer of the virus,” Dannemeyer said.

Declaring that public health officials have been “intimidated by public pressure from male homosexual groups,” Dannemeyer said more stringent health measures are required to stop the AIDS epidemic.

“War is too important to be left to generals and public health is too important to be left to public health officials,” the congressman said.

The AIDS virus, according to health authorities, is spread by intimate sexual contact, through the blood by contaminated transfusions or needles, and from infected mothers to their newborns. It attacks the body’s immune system--crippling its ability to ward off disease--and is almost always fatal.

Asked about Dannemeyer’s proposed law, several county, state and federal health officials said Wednesday that they did not believe it could be enforced. But they added that the anti-AIDS initiative--which requires that test results of people carrying the virus be reported to state authorities--could be counterproductive, causing those who fear that they have AIDS to go into hiding.

Irvine physician Don G. Hagan, a gay member of a state health department panel on venereal disease, said that Dannemeyer was “on a witch hunt” against those who might be AIDS carriers. Hagan met with Dannemeyer on Monday afternoon in an unsuccessful effort to talk him out of supporting the anti-AIDS initiative.

Could Be Counterproductive

Dr. Rex Ehling, Orange County’s public health director, added: “We have evidence that a strong educational approach has indeed changed sexual behavior. . . . We need to have people come in to be tested for AIDS, and anything (such as the anti-AIDS initiative) which would inhibit that, such as fear of discovery, is bound to be counterproductive.”

Meanwhile, Khushro Ghandhi, the West Coast coordinator for LaRouche’s National Democratic Policy Committee and one of the initiative’s proponents, said he appreciated Dannemeyer’s support, although neither he nor the LaRouche organization had solicited it.

The controversial initiative recently qualified for the November ballot. According to some analyses, it would force blood testing of anyone suspected of carrying the HTLV-III virus that causes AIDS. It would also require the results to be reported to state authorities and could bar thousands of people with positive results from working in schools, restaurants and the health field.

Dannemeyer said he did not support LaRouche’s political views but agreed with the framers of the initiative that the results for those tested for AIDS should be reported to health officials. Dannemeyer also said that he did not support quarantining all carriers but that anyone who tested positive and then refused to identify his sexual contacts should be quarantined either at home or in an institution.

‘A Fatal Disease’

Although people who test positive for AIDS antibodies don’t always develop AIDS, “a person carrying the virus for AIDS in their blood is carrying what we know is a fatal disease,” Dannemeyer said.

The congressman predicted that the initiative, which has been denounced by health officials and the California Medical Assn., will be approved by the voters in the fall.

He added that “the AIDS initiative in California will be a bellweather” for treatment of AIDS around the nation.