Proposed Calf. initiative would legalize killing of gay people

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A Southern California lawyer is spearheading an effort to qualify an initiative on the ballot that calls for killing gay people "by bullets to the head or any other convenient method."

The California Attorney General's Office may have no choice but to let the initiative proceed. As might be expected, the proposed initiative, called the Sodomite Suppression Act, is drawing an emotional response and condemnation from various sectors.

"It's just cruel. I have friends who are gay, and they're the sweetest people in the world. It's just wrong. I don't like it," said Bakersfield resident Cassie Stoddard.

The person behind the proposal is attorney Matt McLaughlin of
Huntington Beach.

McLaughlin makes numerous biblical references to justify his attempt at proposing the initiative.

The act reads: "Seeing that it is better that offenders should die rather than that all of us should be killed by God's just wrath against us for the folly of tolerating-wickedness in our midst, the People of California wisely command, in the fear of God, that any person who willingly touches another person of the same gender for purposes of sexual gratification be put to death by bullets to the head or by any other convenient method."

It further calls for punishing offenders who distribute "sodomistic propaganda with a fine of $1 million and/or imprisoned up to 10 years and/or expelled from the boundaries of the state of California for up to life."

The next step is to have the Attorney General's Office write a title and summary of the initiative and clear it for signature gathering. Offensive as the initiative may sound, the Attorney General's Office may have no choice but to approve it.

"My understanding is that once you've paid your fee, submitted your language, the Attorney General is obligated to write a title and summary," said Bakersfield political consultant Stan Harper.

Eyewitness News called the state Attorney General's Office and was told the proposed initiative is under review.

A group of state lawmakers have written to the State Bar of California asking it to investigate McLaughlin's actions.

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