Hiring of AIDS Researcher

I was very much amused by Rep. William E. Dannemeyer’s (R-Fullerton) avoidance of the issues surrounding his hiring with public funds the notorious Dr. Paul Cameron as a “temporary AIDS researcher.” Rather than addressing the Cameron controversy, Dannemeyer piously presented himself (Letters, Aug. 30), as a “messenger” bringing news of the necessity for protecting the nation’s blood supply from contamination by the AIDS virus.

Apparently, Dannemeyer is unaware that there is a very reliable test that is already being applied to donated blood across the nation and thus the blood supply is currently very well protected. Clearly, Dannemeyer is a tardy messenger.

Or, maybe Dannemeyer’s mission is other than that which he proclaims. Cameron is very familiar to viewers of Christian television on which he frequently appears in order to promote his belief that all homosexuals must be rounded up by the government and interned in concentration camps. Cameron consistently misquotes and misrepresents the research of others in his irrational and irresponsible attempt to spread his obsessive hatred of gays and lesbians. Indeed, his inability to function in a professional manner led to his being ousted from the American Psychological Assn.

Dannemeyer’s proposal is that male homosexuals must be denied the ability to donate blood. Such a plan would, of course, necessitate the government’s compiling lists of known homosexuals, which could be updated as additional homosexuals are identified. The implications of such a “witch hunt” are staggering. Good Americans would feel compelled to report to the government the names of those they know or suspect to be homosexual. Gays and lesbians would live in constant terror of being “identified.” In time, such government lists could be used for any purpose that might suit the convictions of those currently in power, including Dannemeyer and his friend, Cameron.

Objectivity is a hallmark of responsible research. Dannemeyer’s positions on gay/lesbian issues have always been hostile and subjective, so it should be no surprise to anyone that he would hire the most vicious, anti-gay hate monger available to do the redundant “research” that Dannemeyer deems necessary to “protect” the nation’s already well-protected blood supply.

The messenger is tardy; the overt message is redundant; the covert message is bigoted and unconstitutional. Ignore the messenger!

ANTHONY ANDREW ROWE

Whittier