Religious Activists Launch Campaign for Gay Rights Repeal

A coalition of religious activists launched a campaign Friday to repeal the city’s new gay-rights ordinance as the San Diego City Council formally enacted the measure that bars landlords, employers and private businesses from discriminating against homosexuals.

The newly created San Diego Citizens for Equal Rights has 30 days from Monday’s routine second City Council vote on the Human Dignity Ordinance to gather 28,293 signatures of registered voters calling for a citywide referendum on the statute.

The organization’s leaders promised to gather thousands of those signatures with the help of a growing coalition of San Diego churches and said they are seeking the support of Roman Catholic Bishop Leo T. Maher. Organizations opposed to abortions also will participate in the coalition.

“If we can’t get 40,000 (signatures), I’m sure we can get about half of it through our volunteer base” in area churches, said political consultant Barry Jantz, chairman of the organization.

The rest of the signatures might have to be gathered with the help of paid petition circulators.

The group is seeking 40,000 signatures to ensure that it collects enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot.

The Rev. Louis Sheldon, chairman of the Anaheim-based Traditional Values Coalition, said ministers in 30 to 40 participating churches will use their pulpits to preach against the ordinance and predicts a 10-point victory if his organization succeeds in getting the referendum on the ballot.

The organization will attempt to raise about $40,000 to qualify the measure for the ballot, he said.

Sheldon said the ordinance’s supporters want “to totally remove the heterosexual ethic from center stage and make homosexuality a viable lifestyle option.

“We don’t want it acceptable. We don’t want it as a viable life alternative,” Sheldon added.

Supporters of the ordinance said after the first vote on the ordinance two weeks ago that they, too, have already begun raising money and building an organization to campaign against repeal of the ordinance.

Monday’s vote adds San Diego to a list of California cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Berkeley, Santa Barbara and Oakland that have approved laws barring various forms of discrimination against gays and lesbians.

The ordinance, which will take effect in 30 days if the petition drive is unsuccessful, outlaws discrimination against homosexuals in employment, housing and real-estate transactions, education, business establishments and the provision of city facilities and services. Violators would face civil penalties from lawsuits brought by victims of bias.

If the drive succeeds, the council can rescind the law, call a special election or place it on the November general election ballot.