Deukmejian Defends His Endorsement of Prop. 102

Gov. George Deukmejian said Thursday that his endorsement of Proposition 102 came after “a lot of reading on both sides” led him to conclude that AIDS is continuing to spread and “if you believe life is sacred, society has to do everything it can to protect the lives of innocent people.”

In his first public comments since making public his plan to vote yes on the controversial ballot proposition, the governor also said he hoped a provision to eliminate confidential treatment of AIDS test results would not make people “so selfish” that they would refuse to be tested.

Deukmejian spoke to reporters before leaving on a one-day campaign swing through the San Joaquin Valley on behalf of Vice President George Bush.

Focus of Measure

Proposition 102, sponsored by U.S. Rep. William Dannemeyer (R-Fullerton) and tax-cutting activist Paul Gann, would eliminate anonymous testing for AIDS and require doctors to report to health authorities the names of patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus.

It also would require health officials to investigate the sex lives of people testing positive for the virus, and repeal laws that bar employers and insurance companies from using test results.

Key provisions of the measure were strongly criticized this week by U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop. The measure is opposed by all major health and AIDS research organizations in California, the state’s leading university officials and by every statewide elected official except Deukmejian.

Opponents say the initiative would undermine the system of anonymous testing and research endorsed by the Centers for Disease Control. And, the legislative analyst’s office estimates the proposition could cost “hundreds of millions of dollars.”

Asked how he arrived at his position, the governor said: “First of all, it should be recognized there is a division of opinion among medical people on that proposition.

“I did a lot of reading on both sides and I came to the conclusion that because the disease continues to spread, that if you believe that life is sacred, then I think that society has to do everything it possibly can do to protect the lives of innocent people.

“There are many people who are getting this infection, getting this virus, who are not aware that they have received it. I think we need to do everything we can to try to protect innocent people, children who are born to mothers who are carriers, women who get the virus not knowing that their partner was a carrier. There are a lot of innocent people who are being affected.”

At a press conference in Sacramento this week, Gann said Proposition 102 has the backing of about 1,100 physicians. At the same press conference, state Sen. John A. Doolittle (R-Rocklin) took credit for encouraging Deukmejian to endorse the measure. Doolittle said he gave the governor results of polling on public attitudes about AIDS, but that Deukmejian then asked for the medical arguments.

As for charges the measure would hamper AIDS research, Deukmejian said: “I don’t agree. I think there are enough people in this country who think enough about their fellow man that if they have contacted AIDS or are carrying the virus, I think they are going to want to do something to try to prevent its spread.

“I can’t believe that everybody who has this illness is going to be so selfish that they’re going to say, ‘Well, I don’t care about anybody else and I’m not going to go out and help prevent its spread.’

“I think that people will begin to think about this a little bit in terms of how they can help to stop it, and how they can help other people, rather than acting in sort of an emotional self-preservation kind of reaction.”

Deukmejian also said opponents who express fears that Proposition 102 might prevent carriers of the virus from getting a job are protected by existing law and are “failing to show any compassion or concern about innocent people who are now getting this virus and contracting AIDS through no fault of their own.

“I think people ought to start focusing in on thinking about those innocent victims. That’s why I came down on the side of feeling that’s the way I’m going to vote.”