Rep. Rohrabacher No Anti-Gay Bigot

The front-page article, “Rep. Cox Bucks ‘Get Along, Go Along,’ Eyes Senate Seat” (Sept. 20), portrays Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach) as anti-gay. It states that, “While Dornan, Dannemeyer and Rohrabacher railed about abortion, homosexuality and obscene art, Cox set out to reform the federal budget process. . . .” For one thing, Rohrabacher has never uttered an anti-gay remark, feeling that what a person does in one’s personal life is their own business. In addition, the congressman has always been involved in reforming the federal budget process.

As a personal friend of Congressman Rohrabacher and also a member of the gay community, I can say that the congressman has always been tolerant of alternative lifestyles. He also never refuses to meet with any of his constituents.

Your article did a disservice to readers, however subtly, by associating Rohrabacher with such vicious and lifelong homophobes as (Former Rep. William E.) Dannemeyer and (Rep. Robert K.) Dornan.

There should be a clear distinction made between Rohrabacher’s philosophical opposition to public funding of any art and the campaign of hatred pursued by the likes of Dornan and Dannemeyer. Rohrabacher is a dedicated, sincere, and a highly principled public servant.

While he is a far cry from a gay-rights activist or a liberal Democrat (while I am both), he is hardly the bigot with whom you would align him. I would hate to see Congressman Rohrabacher’s legacy in Congress as that of a homophobic racist, when in reality he has been the original co-sponsor of the Senior Citizens Tax Relief Act of 1993 as well as sponsor of other bills too numerous to mention.

ROD L. BOURLAND

Orange