Karcher to Lead Today’s Patriot Parade in Laguna : Celebration: Despite his philanthropic causes, the selection of Carl Jr.’s founder as grand marshal draws fire from gay and abortion-rights activists.

The choice of hamburger magnate Carl Karcher for grand marshal of this year’s Patriots Day Parade has provoked anger among some local gay and abortion-rights activists who object to what they describe as his “anti-gay” and anti-abortion stances.

“It’s a slap in the face to a third of this town,” said Bivens Hunt, chairwoman of the city’s Human Affairs Committee, who was “outraged as both a lesbian and a woman” by the selection. “If there are poor choices, he’s certainly toward the top of the list.”

However, Karcher said in an interview Friday that he was pleased to be named grand marshal and hopes the city will cheer him on as he leads today’s parade through downtown, beginning at 11 a.m.

“I was very happy to accept and I just hope everybody feels the same way,” he said. “I’m not anti-gay. We don’t discriminate against anybody, our company or myself. I never have.”

While Karcher has aligned himself with political conservatives over the years, drawing fire from women and gay rights activists, he is also well-known for giving generously to charitable causes, including Catholic charities and the United Way. Karcher and his wife have also donated to AIDS Services Foundation, Orange County’s largest AIDS support group.

Some of the controversy surrounding Karcher dates back to 1978, when he gave $5,000 to a failed state initiative that would have allowed school boards to fire teachers or other school employees who practice or advocate homosexuality.

Karcher said that he made the donation because he believed the initiative was meant to prevent teachers from being able to “indoctrinate your child into becoming a homosexual.”

“That was the issue. It wasn’t about being anti-gay,” he said. “I’ve been trying to bury this hatchet.”

Karcher, who entered the fast-food business in 1941 when he bought a hot-dog stand in South-Central Los Angeles, said Carl’s Jr. has hired many gay employees over the years, some of whom have died of AIDS complications.

AIDS Services Foundation director Priscilla Munro said Karcher is “very definitely a friend of this agency’s.” Once, she said, he toured the Irvine center and sat in on a meeting during which nurses and social workers discussed the plight of AIDS patients.

“He was extremely moved by all of this,” she said. “He really is quite a humanitarian.”

Regarding abortion rights, Karcher said he does not believe the procedure should be legal, with some exceptions. As to whether he contributes to causes that oppose abortion rights, he said: “That’s a very personal thing.”

Former City Councilman Robert F. Gentry, who was Orange County’s first openly gay elected official, said Karcher is a fitting choice for grand marshal of the parade. “It is about patriotism and nationalism, so it makes sense that Mr. Karcher is so honored,” Gentry said. “He’s a very true symbol of patriotism.”

Phil Kams, president of the parade association and a member of the committee that selected Karcher, said the selection was especially right because this year’s parade theme is “The Family and Spirit of Laguna.” Karcher is the father of 12, including a daughter who died two years ago.

This year marks the 29th Patriots Day Parade, an event with a decidedly small-town flavor--the city clerk and council members have been among its grand marshals.

Kams said the parade committee’s real challenge each year is finding a new Patriot of the Year, a designation reserved for Laguna Beach residents. Most local patriots have already been honored once, if not twice, he said.

This year’s star patriot is George Ampagoomian, a Vietnam War veteran and retired Marine Corps colonel. The parade will also honor Diane Lichterman as Citizen of the Year and Tara O’Connell and Jeff Venstrom as Junior Citizens of the Year.

But some residents have not been able to see past Karcher.

“A number of us have been very upset with the selection of the grand marshal,” said Anne Johnson, Laguna Beach Democratic Club vice president. “We are going to make our displeasure known to the committee. . . . There’s a whole bunch of us who have never had a Carl’s Jr. hamburger in 20 years.”

In 1992, Cal State Northridge rejected a Carl’s Jr. fast-food outlet on campus because of protests by gay and abortion-rights groups.

Kams said politics has never played a part in the parade. “It’s an unwritten law . . . we don’t want any politics,” he said. “This is just a parade for the people and the children of Laguna Beach.”