IRVINE : Gay Activists Protest Dannemeyer Event

About 20 gay rights activists and others demonstrated Sunday outside the Irvine Marriott Hotel where Rep. William E. Dannemeyer (R-Fullerton) was being recognized for his recently published book that condemns homosexuality.

Dannemeyer, a frequent and outspoken critic of the gay lifestyle, was among 50 authors honored at an annual banquet sponsored by the Orange County Friends of the Library, a 25-year-old group affiliated with UC Irvine.

The protesters said the Friends group, which is overseen by the Development Office of UCI, is violating university anti-discriminatory guidelines.

Dannemeyer’s book, titled “Shadow in the Land: Homosexuality in America,” contains passages such as: “We must either defeat militant homosexuality or it will defeat us.”

“If it’s a UCI-affiliated group then they still need to abide by the guidelines of the university,” said Lissa Richards, a UCI psychology graduate student. “It’s totally contradictory to the university’s anti-discriminatory policies.”

The protesters stood on the sidewalk outside the hotel’s main entrance, flashing large signs at motorists.

One sign read: “To Honor Dannemeyer Is to Celebrate Bigotry. Stop! Think!” Another said: “Mr. Dannemeyer: What Makes You an Authority on Homosexuality?”

Dannemeyer was unavailable for comment.

“We want to illustrate to (the Friends) what this is doing, what kinds of acts of violence this is against us,” said Jacqueline Sowell, a protest organizer.

John B. Cobb, president of the Friends group, said that there were two basic requirements for authors to be among the 50 recognized Sunday: that they reside in Orange County and that they had been published during 1989.

“We’re not condoning anything,” Cobb said. “Mr. Dannemeyer is here as an Orange County author like all the other 50 authors.

“It sounds like what they advocate is that we prohibit either Mr. Dannemeyer or his book to be published, and that sounds like censorship to me,” said Cobb, adding that he has not read the book.

Protesters said that the issue was not one of censorship.