Sex Discrimination

Professors Erwin Chemerinsky and Laurie Levenson (Commentary, Jan. 10) are guilty of either carelessness or a deliberate misreading of the proposed California Civil Rights Initiative. To contend, as they do, that CCRI would “expressly allow” sex discrimination by the government is to stand the measure on its head.

In fact, the initiative would prohibit both discrimination and preferences by the government on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin. The provision Chemerinsky and Levenson refer to merely states that CCRI’s prohibitions do not extend to “bona fide qualifications based on sex,” which are allowed under current law.

But if, indeed, such qualifications are presently forbidden by the state Constitution, they would continue to be forbidden under the initiative. In other words, CCRI would not, as the authors contend, “undermine” existing protections; if anything, it would strengthen them.

JOEL SUFFENS

South Gate