Irvine’s Rights Law and the Attempt to Amend It

I got a good chuckle out of your recent Orange County Life section of Thursday (May 4th). I was interviewed for that same article, and the majority of the statements I made to the reporter were completely overlooked. However, the insights and enormous concerns of the “Typical Irvine Couple,” James Boone and Joseph Bucuzzo, a homosexual couple, were dealt with in great length and with deepest sympathy for their plight in Irvine.

Irvine is a city that has proven itself over and over again to be a city of non-discrimination. Our City Council had a Human Rights Committee study the issue of discrimination for over a year, and the conclusion was that almost no discrimination was found to be a part of our city’s workplace or in our community at large.

So why do we have a human rights ordinance in Irvine? Purely for political reasons. Our local politicians are backed and supported by many special-interest groups, and for their support at the polls, politicians then support and give favors to their causes. So the groundwork was laid in Irvine.

In spite of overwhelming opposition to the enacting of this law, special protection was given to the gay and lesbian community. Citizens then decided to use the democratic process and start a petition drive in an effort to put this controversial issue to a vote of the people. As I began to gather signatures, I was surprised to encounter the hostility of the gay community and its supporters. They cursed me many times in front of my children; they stole over 160 signatures from one of our gatherers, and they scribbled obscenities on several of the petitions. We were harassed and maligned and, on top of that, the press continually depicted us as bigots and neo-Nazis. These experiences taught me the real meaning of discrimination and hatred, and I have come to abhor it in any political persuasion.

Therefore, the issue in my mind is not an issue of discrimination. The issue to me is one of legislating special protection for a chosen life style, consequently opening the door for any life style to demand special protection in our city. I believe all citizens should enjoy protection and equality under the law, and our state and federal laws already ensure that. Allowing our local officials to enact duplicative laws so they can radiate benevolence from their personal fiefdoms at citizens’ expense is ludicrous to me. Our motto in Irvine should be equal rights for all, not special rights.

And if you think I am one who discriminates for having this view, well, all I can do is chuckle.

CHRISTINA L. SHEA

Irvine