Bernson’s Proposal to Publish Johns’ Names

* In the story “City OKs Shame Campaign to Spotlight Sepulveda Johns” (April 13), The Times reports that Councilman Hal Bernson introduced the motion, which received the City Council’s unanimous approval.

You ignored the fact that this motion was one of many conditions imposed against a parking lot in connection with the appeal of a Zoning Administration decision. That decision, declaring the parking lot to be a public nuisance, to me as co-counsel for the owner of the center where the parking lot is located was both insupportable and a clear violation of the constitutional rights of my client as well as all of the businesses located within the center.

Publishing the names of convicted “would-be johns” may indeed be a deterrent to prostitution, but it was unfortunate that the councilman used our client’s case to promote his own agenda.

Our client’s case had nothing whatsoever to do with prostitution. The question presented was whether the operation of the parking lot constituted a public nuisance. A true, unbiased review of the overwhelming evidence submitted on behalf of our client should have resulted in a resounding no !

We were disappointed that the Los Angeles Times would totally ignore what is being done to our client and numerous other mom-and-pop (mostly minority-owned) businesses throughout Los Angeles. The city’s violations of its own ordinance as well as the civil rights of business owners and operators should be considered newsworthy by The Times and its readers.

DAVID R. BILFORD

Van Nuys

* City Councilman Hal Bernson’s desire to rid his district of street prostitution is indeed a noble gesture. But his solution of broadcasting the names of men arrested for soliciting sex is an exercise in fascism.

Forget the fact that those arrested are innocent until proven guilty. Forget the fact that airing the name “Bill Jones” may sully the reputations of dozens of innocent men. Just remember this: Broadcasting names, like mandating scarlet letters, is nothing less than right-wing pornography.

It’s a shame how low politicians will stoop to get reelected. Let the courts, not the politicians, see that justice is served.

JAY RUBIN

Tarzana