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Wednesday, March 3, 2004
Since 1900 University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon
Volume 105, Issue 112
Same-sex marriages approved in Oregon
Multnomah County will begin
issuing same-sex marriage
licenses at 10 a.m. today
By Jan Tobias Montry
Managing Editor
Portland-area officials announced
that they will begin issuing marriage
licenses to same-sex couples today,
making Multnomah County just the
fourth county in the United States to
do so, KGW-TV and The Associated
Press reported Tuesday night.
Multnomah County commissioners
said in a statement released Tuesday that
the county's legal counsel approved the
decision to issue the licenses, a move
that could set the stage for a potential
same-sex marriage battle in Oregon.
"Based on a legal opinion released
by the county attorney, a majority of
the Board of County Commissioners
supports a policy change to allow the
county to issue marriage licenses to
same-sex couples," the statement said.
It was unclear Tuesday exactly what
legal justifications were used to make
the decision, however, Multnomah
County Judge Linda Bergman told
KGW-TV that she will begin perform
ing marriage ceremonies today for
same-sex couples, provided they pres
ent a marriage license.
Oregon law states that marriage is
"a civil contract entered into in person
by males at least 17 years of age and
females at least 17 years of age, who
are otherwise capable, and solem
nized in accordance with ORS
106.150."
In anticipation of a barrage of
same-sex couples seeking licenses,
along with the potential for protests,
law-enforcement agencies will also
appear at the Multnomah County
headquarters, located at 501 S.E.
Hawthorne Blvd. in Portland, where
the marriage licenses will be issued.
"We'll err on the side of caution
enough to make sure our presence is
known," Multnomah County Sheriff
Bemie Guisto told KGW-TV.
Former University LGBTQA Co-Di
rector Austin Shaw-Phillips, currently
the ASIIO multicultural advocate, has
mixed feelings about the ruling, say
ing that allowing same-sex marriage
won't change societal discrimination.
"That's good that that happened
and all this progress is being made to
ward gay marriage, but I don't put a
lot of stock in the institution of mar
riage in the first place," he said. "Case
in point: the Britney Spears thing.
"1 don't think this is going to
change the attitude toward queer peo
ple at all."
University College Republicans Chair
man Jarrett White reiterated his group's of
ficial position on same-sex marriage but
he also offered political and economic
reasons why it is a bad idea.
"We obviously are against gay mar
riage in any form, so we oppose (the
decision)," he said.
White said that Multnomah Coun
ty's move toward same-sex marriage
only underscores the need for a Con
stitutional amendment defining mar
riage as a union between a man and a
woman. With governmental action in
some states drawing fire, White ques
tioned whether revenue generated
from marriage licenses would be re
funded if an amendment is passed.
"1 will be moderate for a second to say
that it's unfair to give gay people licens
es and then take them back," he said.
Chris Looney, a junior economics
major and College Republicans
member, deviated slightly from
Turn to MARRIAGES, page 3
Election
schedule
revised
byASUO
The general election was
scheduled to take place during
the law school’s Dead Week
By Jared Paben
Senior News Reporter
The ASUO Constitution Court on
Tuesday rejected the ASUO Election
Board's election packet, calling it "con
stitutionally infirm" because the general
election was scheduled April 20 through
April 22, during the University School of
Law's Dead Week.
"Were the Court to approve such a date,
then any such student seeking office would
be placed in the untenable position of hav
ing to choose between preparation for a fi
nal examination and their campaign," Chief
Justice J. Michael Harris wrote.
ASUO Elections Coordinator Stephanie
Day said she submitted a revised packet
Tuesday afternoon that now sets the pri
mary election for April 5, 6 and 7 and the
Turn to ASUO, page 4
NEWS BRIEFS
Take Back the Night march
will feature three sections
The Take Back the Night march steering
committee has decided to separate the
march into three sections: women only,
gender-queer and gender-neutral.
During a meeting to discuss the issue
Thursday, people attending voted to advise
the committee to separate the march.
Erin Dury, sexual violence prevention and
education coordinator for the ASUO
Turn to BRIEFS, page 8
Kerry claims Democratic nomination
Chuck Kennedy KRT
Sen. John Kerry (D-Ma.), joined by wife Teresa Heinz Kerry, addresses supporters in Washington, D.C., Tuesday.
Despite conceding two weeks ago,
Howard Dean picked up a win in Vermont;
John Edwards is expected to announce
his decision to leave the race today
By Steven Thomma
Knight Ridder Newspapers (KRT)
WASHINGTON — Sen. John Kerry of Massachu
setts clinched the Democratic presidential nomina
tion Tuesday, crushing rival John Edwards in a
coast-to-coast primary romp and driving him from
the race.
Kerry, 60, dealt the final blow to Edwards' fading
campaign by beating him decisively in Ohio, one of
the states where Edwards had hoped his down-home
populist message would impress voters who blame
free trade for lost jobs.
Kerry added blowout wins in New York, Con
necticut, Maryland, Rhode Island and his home
state of Massachusetts in early returns. In all, 10
states voted Tuesday.
In a surprise that had no effect on the nomination
contest, failed candidate Howard Dean won a senti
mental victory in his home state of Vermont. Though
he quit the race Feb. 18, his name remained on the
ballot in Vermont and many other states.
Edwards clung Tuesday evening to hope for a vic
tory in Georgia, where the race was too close to call
two hours after polls closed.
Still, he abandoned any fading hope of overtak
ing Kerry and decided to fly to his home in Raleigh,
N.C., rather than continue campaigning as sched
uled. He was expected to announce his decision to
leave the race in a speech there Wednesday after
noon at a high school that his children attended, ac
cording to sources close to him who spoke on con
dition of anonymity.
A total of 1,151 delegates were at stake in the 10
states: California, Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland,
Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Rhode
Island and Vermont.
With Kerry's nomination now all but certain, both
parties signaled an immediate start of the general
election campaign.
Appearing on CBS Tuesday morning, Kerry
brushed aside a suggestion from some Democrats
that he doesn't have the passion to take on Bush.
Turn to KERRY, page 4
WEATHER
LOW f '> HIGH
38 " 50
I
INSIDE
Campus buzz.8
Classifieds.7
Commentary..2
Crime watch.3
Crossword.7
Sports.5
NEXT ISSUE
Ryan Nyburg reviews
“The Passion
of the Christ”