Council Votes to Oppose ‘Civil Rights Initiative’

The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously Wednesday to oppose a ballot initiative that would dismantle affirmative action programs statewide, calling on Mayor Richard Riordan to state his position on the controversial measure, and comparing its backers to Nazis.

“This is one sick puppy we can’t embrace,” said Councilman Richard Alarcon, one of three Latinos on the 15-member council. “[Hitler’s manifesto] ‘Mein Kampf’ comes to mind.”

But Councilman Hal Bernson refused to take a stand on the so-called “California civil rights initiative,” walking out of the chamber a moment before the 12-0 vote denouncing the measure.

“I am not going to stand here and give people the impression that I support any type of discrimination, and that includes reverse discrimination,” Bernson told his colleagues. “Two wrongs never make a right. You can’t have it both ways.”

The council vote--which has no legislative authority but represents one of the largest political groups yet to take an official position--came one week before the deadline for the measure to qualify for the November ballot.

Joe Gelman, a former city Civil Service commissioner who was forced to resign last fall because of his anti-affirmative action views and his leadership in supporting the initiative, described the council debate as “offensive beyond words.” Before the vote, Gelman told the council that the initiative simply reaffirms the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and begged members to reconsider their opposition.

“You will be marking a path that will put you on the wrong side of history,” Gelman warned council members, to no avail. “You are poisoning group relations. You are creating the exact type of tensions that this city, state and country could better do without.”

Also Tuesday, The Times obtained a draft copy of Riordan’s soon-to-be-released executive order on affirmative action, and the Los Angeles city attorney released an analysis of the potential impact on city policy if the statewide initiative passes.

Riordan has refused to state his views on the initiative, and on Tuesday, his press secretary would only say, “The mayor supports and enforces city goals relative to equal opportunity and access.”

In the draft executive order, Riordan reiterates former Mayor Tom Bradley’s views that “every city department shall engage in a vigorous affirmative action program” and states that “any form of discrimination, including sexual harassment, shall not be tolerated.” Riordan’s draft, however, lacks some of his predecessor’s superlatives: Bradley’s 1980 executive order described a “sincere commitment” to affirmative action, pledged his “wholehearted endorsement,” and asked “all city employees to support fully and contribute to the city’s affirmative action program so that equal employment opportunity will become a reality in the city of Los Angeles.”

Assistant Deputy Mayor Reggie Jones-Sawyer said the draft obtained by The Times is not the latest executive order, but refused to release an updated copy. He said the city’s affirmative action task force would be reviewing the order before it is finalized.

Meanwhile Tuesday, the city attorney’s office presented a report to the council predicting that the initiative would probably not “adversely impact” the city’s affirmative action programs, but could jeopardize any future efforts at increasing diversity among employees and contractors, including outreach programs.

The report also predicted that the initiative would “allow greater discrimination against women in public employment, education and contracting,” and would “severely limit the ability of the city to address situations . . . which would otherwise support the use of race- or sex-conscious steps to hire or promote anyone.”

During a lengthy debate on the issue, lawmaker after lawmaker rose to denounce the initiative, with Councilwoman Jackie Goldberg calling it a Republican Party plot to seize the presidency, and Councilwoman Ruth Galanter warning that its passage could trigger another round of race riots.

“We don’t need another war in this city,” Galanter said. “We have had enough violence to last us a very long time.”

Councilman Mike Feuer took it one step further, reiterating a demand that Riordan speak out on affirmative action and the initiative.

“It is incumbent on all responsible leaders in this city to take a [position],” Feuer said.

Besides Bernson, council members Mark Ridley-Thomas and Rudy Svorinich Jr. were also not included in the 12-0 vote because they did not attend Tuesday’s council session.