The Voters’ Approval of Irvine’s Measure N

Paradise is lost. As a 12-year Irvine resident I’m shocked, appalled and embarrassed that 53% of my neighbors passed Measure N. The Irvine Values Coalition scares the heck out of me.

If sexual orientation needs to be removed from Irvine’s human rights ordinance because it is a matter of behavioral choice, I suspect these narrow-minded reactionaries will be after me next.

I’m married, have children, and I have a religious preference, all matters of behavioral choice! Now they’re talking about attempting to stack the City Council with more of “their kind” and carefully monitoring what happens in our schools.

Decent-minded Irvine citizens, watch out. My traditional values of tolerance, truth, freedom and equality have just been threatened. I say let’s watch the Values Coalition very carefully. But now let’s talk about the real culprit here. The Human Rights Commission that we never needed said we didn’t have any discrimination problems in Irvine. Mayor Larry Agran and associates, ever pressing their “global” agenda, passed a law we never needed, inflaming the zealots and bigots, and polarizing our community. I doubt the scars will ever heal.

I certainly hope Irvine voters take note and think long and hard about what local leadership means when we next get the chance to select a mayor and council members. Neighbors, if 47% of you are as upset as I am, let your neighbors know. Maybe, together, with the voice of reason, we can change some minds.

MARK BREGMAN

Irvine