Newport council says it’s for diversity as residents bash councilman over same-sex marriage comments

After more than two hours of discussion about a councilman’s recent controversial statements regarding same-sex marriage, the Newport Beach City Council on Tuesday approved a resolution reaffirming the city’s support for diversity, equality and inclusiveness.

Dozens of speakers, including residents and members of the LGBT community, lambasted Councilman Scott Peotter for his July 6 email blast to constituents, which took issue with the illumination of the White House in rainbow hues after the Supreme Court’s recent ruling legalizing gay marriage nationwide.

The resolution, which was approved 4 to 3, requires council members, when they share personal opinions, to ensure that their statements cannot be construed by the public as being the position of the council or city. Councilmen Marshall “Duffy” Duffield, Kevin Muldoon and Peotter voted against the resolution.

Tom Peterson, a Newport Beach resident who identifies as gay, echoed several speakers who said comments like Peotter’s could hurt children who are struggling with their own sexual identity.

“Everyone matters. Everyone deserves dignity, deserves respect, and everyone deserves equality,” he said.

The resolution also reaffirms the city’s policy of not discriminating against anyone on the basis of race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, age, religion or sexual orientation.

Peotter remained quiet — his gaze sometimes cast downward — as speaker after speaker requested that he step down from his position on the council.

Before the council’s vote, Peotter apologized to the public, city staff and his colleagues.

“It was never my intent to inflame the community,” he said. “I never had any intention to hurt anybody. I was stating an opinion on a very prominent issue of the day.”

Kevin O’Grady, executive director of the LGBT Center OC, took issue with Peotter’s comments about the gay community’s use of rainbow imagery.

“I do find it interesting that the homosexual movement adopted the rainbow as their symbol, as it was God’s symbol that he wouldn’t destroy the world by flood again,” Peotter wrote in the email, which was widely circulated July 6. “… maybe they are wishful thinking.”

O’Grady interpreted the comments to mean that Peotter believes that being gay is sinful and that those who marry could incur divine wrath.

Peotter said he was simply referring to a passage in the Old Testament that explains how the rainbow was a gift from God to mankind as a symbol of the promise that he would not flood the world again.

The councilman said he’s not homophobic but that he believes the Supreme Court should not have interfered with marriage laws. He favors a traditional view of marriage.

Peotter said he’s received emails from constituents that call him hateful, bigoted and homophobic.

“The intolerance I have received from the LGBT community … not from everybody … was very intolerant to my perspective.”

Tom Pollitt, founder of the Newport-Mesa Tea Party, said the 1st Amendment allows Peotter to share his views about same-sex marriage, even if people disagree with his opinions.

“It’s intimidation,” he said of the public outcry. “Soon no one will be able to express their opinion because they are intimidated.”

Some Newport Beach residents and City Council members took issue with Peotter’s use of the city seal in his email blast. Selich requested last week that Peotter remove the emblem from all future emails in response to the outcry, and the councilman agreed.

However, Councilman Keith Curry said he believes the resolution and Peotter’s promise not to use the emblem are not enough.

Curry asked city staff to bring back an agenda item during a future meeting that would allow the council to refer Peotter’s use of the city seal to the Orange County district attorney’s office for investigation. He also asked that the council consider a formal censure against Peotter at a future meeting.