Dannemeyer Assails Study on Youth Suicide : Congressman Says Federal Report Promotes Gay Life Style, Urges Bush to Fire Those Involved

An irate Rep. William E. Dannemeyer (R-Fullerton) on Friday denounced a federal study of youth suicide for allegedly promoting homosexuality and urged President Bush to fire the government officials who “concocted this homosexual pledge of allegiance.”

Dannemeyer, one of Capitol Hill’s most strident critics of homosexuality, stated in a letter to Bush that he is particularly disturbed because gay-rights groups are likely to use the federal study “to maintain support for school districts which give aid and comfort to militant homosexuality.”

Dannemeyer cited a briefing, scheduled Monday for congressional staff members, on the problems of gay and lesbian youth that is sponsored by several gay-rights organizations. Dannemeyer said the groups will use the federal suicide study “as a federal cloak of legitimacy” for their lobbying efforts.

But an official at the National Institute of Mental Health, which published the 700-page report, said the section that offended Dannemeyer is not officially endorsed by the government and does not reflect the views of the task force that produced the four-year study. The institute is part of the U.S. Public Health Service, which is a unit of the Department of Health and Human Services.

“The focus of this very, very long report was not on gays and lesbians, and the recommendations do not support a homosexual life style, in my personal view,” said Pamela W. Jones, an institute spokeswoman.

But Paul Mero, an aide to Dannemeyer, said recommendations adopted by the task force reflect the view that homosexuality is a legitimate form of sexual expression, Mero said.

In his letter to the President, Dannemeyer quoted extensively from a section of the report written by Paul Gibson, a licensed clinical social worker from San Francisco, who discussed the problem of suicide among homosexual young people.

Dannemeyer singled out Gibson’s conclusions that:

- “We need to make a conscious effort to promote a positive image of homosexuals at all levels of society. . . .”

- “Laws prohibiting homosexual relationships between consenting adults should be repealed, and marriages between homosexuals should be recognized.”

- “Parents should know that homosexuality is a natural and healthy form of sexual expression.”

- “Religions need to reassess homosexuality in a positive context within their belief system.”

The letter to Bush was the latest salvo in a Dannemeyer campaign to purge the federal government of what he has said is a homosexual influence. He had earlier called on the President to sign an executive order banning government officials from promoting homosexual interests.

Dannemeyer reminded Bush of that earlier call to action in his letter.

“If you choose to affirm traditional family values, my next suggestion would be to dismiss from public service all persons still employed who concocted this homosexual pledge of allegiance and then issue my draft executive order that would seal the lid on these misjudgments for good,” Dannemeyer wrote.

A spokeswoman for one of the gay-rights groups sponsoring Monday’s congressional briefing said Dannemeyer’s criticism is off base.

“I think Mr. Dannemeyer is out of the mainstream of congressional thought on many issues, not just this one,” said Peri Jude Radecic, legislative director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

The purpose of the briefing, she said, is to educate Capitol Hill aides on the importance of establishing alcohol-, drug- and suicide-prevention programs for gay youth.

Although a news release distributed by one of the briefing’s sponsors, the Human Rights Campaign Fund, said the session would be sponsored by the National Parent-Teacher Assn. and the National Assn. of State Boards of Education, both groups said they are not involved in the event.