Clinton and Gay Rights

* As one of many openly gay staffers on the 1992 Clinton/Gore campaign, I was disappointed but not surprised by the Clinton Administration’s decision not to enter the Supreme Court battle over whether states and cities can strip lesbians and gays of legal protection against discrimination (June 8). After all, Clinton is now famous for his waffling. Why should his promises of equal rights for all be any different?

However, I am surprised and outraged at California Atty. Gen. Dan Lungren’s filing of a brief, on behalf of the people of California, supporting the Colorado anti-gay rights initiative. It is my understanding that the state of California and the City of Los Angeles have laws protecting gays and lesbians from discrimination--laws that were enacted by the people of California. Lungren’s brief is contradictory, to say the least. Arrogant at best.

Lungren argues that judges should not take away “the right of the people to set public policy.” Fortunately our Constitution and Bill of Rights are designed to protect us from such tyranny--the majority unduly discriminating against the minority. These safeguards have protected blacks from slavery and ensured a woman’s right to choose. Hopefully they will once again prevail and be used to guarantee gays and lesbians our basic civil rights.

TONY LEONHARDT

Los Angeles

* I am a gay American and I found Robert Dawidoff’s column to be both offensive and childish. He does not speak for all gays as the headline implies (“Gays Won’t Take Clinton’s Betrayal Lightly,” Commentary, June 11).

Any half-wit knows what President Clinton went through when he tried to reverse the ban on gays in the military. The climate for tolerance in this country is a nasty one. If anything, gays owe the President a tremendous debt for making this issue a national debate. From my experience, many gays left Clinton out on a limb as they hid in their closets instead of speaking up while the debate was raging.

Furthermore, if people like Dawidoff cast their votes based on one issue or one incident, then nothing more need be said about their simple-mindedness. The Republican Party has all but declared war on gays, women’s rights, the arts, immigrants, the poor and sensible gun laws. I will proudly support Clinton in the upcoming election and so will everyone else who is concerned about these issues.

DARYL VALDEZ

Long Beach