open letter letter to Assemblyman

John A. O'Connell

HON. JOHN A. O'CONNELL, CHAIRMAN

ASSEMBLY INTERIM SUBCOMMITTEE ON CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS SACRAMENTO, CALIF.

DEAR SIR:

WE HAVE FOLLOWED THE RECENT HEARINGS OF YOUR COMMITTEE IN SAN FRANCISCO WITH CONSIDERABLE INTEREST AND ARE HEARTILY IN ACCORD WITH THE TESTIMONY DECLARING CALIFORNIA'S VAGRANCY LAW AS "VERY ARCHAIC", "COMPLETELY INDEFENSIBLE" AND SADLY IN NEED OF REVISION.

WE NOTED WITH INTEREST TOO THE IMPRESSIVE ARRAY OF WITNESSES, WHICH ASIDE FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS INCLUDED REPRESENTATIVES OF THE AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION, THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE AND EVEN THE MUCH PUBLICIZED "BEAT GENERATION" (MORE POPULARLY KNOWN IN THE BAY AREA AS THE BEATNIKS). A VERY REPRESENTATIVE GROUP WE MUST ADMIT. YET WE DO FEEL SOMEHOW THAT ANOTHER VOICE SHOULD BE RAISED IN BEHALF OF STILL ANOTHER MINORITY GROUP WHICH IS VULNERABLE TO OFFICIAL PERSECUTION, DENIAL OF DUE PROCESS OF LAW AND EXTRAPMENT. WE SPEAK FOR THE MUCH MALIGNED AND MISUNDERSTOOD HOMOSEXUAL MINORITY – CONSTITUTING MANY THOUSANDS OF PERSONS IN CALIFORNIA.

MÓNY

AS MOST TESTIMONY BEFORE THE COMMITTEE CALLED FOR REVISION OF THE VAGRANCY LAWS WHICH CERTAINLY "COVER A MULTITUDE OF SINS", WE WOULD ASK THAT YOU REVIEW ALSO THOSE SECTIONS PERTAINING TO SEX CRIMES AND RELATED OFFENSES. CERTAINLY THERE SHOULD BE A RE-DEFINITION OF THOSE OFFENSES IN THE LIGHT OF TWENTIETH CENTURY PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIOLOGICAL STUDIES, SUCH AS THE FAMOUS KINSEY REPORTS AND THE SEXUAL DEVIATION RESEARCH CONDUCTED BY THE LANGLEY PORTER CLINIC UNDER THE DIRECTION OF DR. KARL H. BOWMAN.

IT IS GENERALLY CONCEDED BY THE EXPERTS IN THE FIELD THAT THE CAUSE

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