Dannemeyer’s Stance on Gays and Lesbians

The Feb. 5 letters page is dominated by a discussion of various issues affecting gay men and lesbians in Orange County. This is a response to Rep. Dannemeyer’s letter and the letter from Mr. and Mrs. Wipperman.

Dannemeyer contends that homosexuality is a matter of personal choice and therefore those who are gay or lesbian do not deserve the protection of the law with reference to discrimination in housing or employment.

I leave to Dannemeyer the task of presenting scientific evidence supporting his notion that sexual orientation is a “choice” (by definition, a conscious act). My comments are directed instead at two other points.

First, I doubt that many Americans agree with Dannemeyer that ostensible “matters of choice” are beyond the protective power of the law. The Irvine ordinance in question also prohibits discrimination on the basis of “religion” and “marital status.” I have not heard him dispute the appropriateness of their provisions. Does he contend that religion is not a matter of personal choice? Or that some people are born married?

Second, Dannemeyer is blasting an ordinance that he seems not to have read. The text does not sanction any particular behavior, “abhorrent” or otherwise.

As to the Wippermans: The notion that any subject that arouses controversy among the taxpayers should be banished from discussion in a high school classroom is a plausible policy option, though one which I regard as destructive and impractical. But what, then, would actually be discussed in a psychology class? Or a political science class? Even the study of literature has the power to arouse.

If there is any consensus on the question of the origin of sexual orientation, the majority sentiment at present is opposed to the position taken by the Wippermans. If something must be done, wouldn’t it make more sense to allow parents with strong objections to withdraw their children from class on that particular day, rather than promulgating a watered-down, craven curriculum that offends no one and cheats the student out of a first-class education?

SCOTT R. DICKERSON

Los Alamitos