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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 1985)
/ s I I \ ____ / l__ \ ___ / . A Gays join in apartheid protests by Ginny Foster Many diverse protesters — men and wo m en of color, liberal politicians, a dressed for-successer on her lunch hour next to a guy in an arm y jacket, college professors, ex-60's radicals, secretaries, a woman from a retire m ent home, a roofing contractor, an artist, a m inister's wife — turn out to picket Calvin van Pelt, the Oregonian who is South African Honorary Consul, at his office every Wednes day and Friday noon. And some gay men and lesbians are right there as part of the picket, shouting “Van Pelt Must Go” and “Apartheid No." One man wears a pink triangle; two lesbians confer on leafletting the Lesbian Forum . If these people were in South Africa pro testing apartheid (laws governing the separa tion o f races) they would be in jail. As a result of dem onstrations in South Africa between September and December 1984 more than 160 people died violently and more than 5,000 were arrested. South African laws concerning residence o f blacks are enforced by means o f hum iliat ing passbook laws; the books have stamps indicating where the holder can go. Figures show 206,000 arrests in 1982 for a crime only blacks can com m it — that of being in a white area illegally. City workers are housed in barrack-like dorm itories in townships (ghet tos) outside the white town. A black woman dom estic may not have her children live with her in her rooms in the backyard. All “super fluous" black Africans — including the old, the sick and disabled, the mothers and children, the unemployed — are transported to reserves, located in the poorest, most eroded and over-farmed land, to live in tin shacks on tiny plots where there is seldom any work. Infant mortality is the highest in the world. Black South Africans cannot vote and can not own land; they are legally confined to the worst housing, education, and employment. They are subject to deportation, curfews, “banning," and arrest under laws which allow the police to hold anyone indefinitely, in isola tion, and without charges. A wave of protest has swept South Africa and is catching fire here. Last November, in W ashington D.C., demonstrators went to the South African Embassy to ask for the release of thirteen South African labor leaders not heard from since their detention. Since then visible protest has spread throughout the country. At our local picket, two people go up to Van Pelt's office each day. When they re fuse to leave without seeing him, police issue a citation (that is, unless your name is Margaret Strachan or Gretchen Kafoury; police refused to arrest them). You can send a message to the white m inority rulers of South Africa and to Ronald Reagan, whose policy of “ construc tive engagem ent" is designed to protect CI.S. investments. You can join the picket at 838 SW First (behind Yamhill Market) on Wed nesday and Friday from noon to one. The picket will continue until Van Pelt resigns. Black South Africans are giving their lives for freedom; can you get away an hour at noon to help and legalized racism? Call 230-9427 if you need more information. (When I began to write this I spent some time doing research at PSU to see how gays were treated in South Africa, but they must be so far underground they aren t even written about. I found one reference to im munological diseeises. but that was all. Anyone else know?) Calvin L. Van Pelt resigned on January 18, citing the demonstrations as the reason for his action. Anti-apartheid groups, including the Black United Front, American Friends Service Comm ittee. Rainbow Organizing Committee and Portland Is Organized for Southern Afri can Freedom, will now push for elimination of all O regon connections to the South Afri can governm ent A safe place to grow Springfield teacher appeals to Supreme Court by Rosanne King The Oregon Supreme Court has been asked to hear the case of a Springfield school teacher fired for "im m orality" after he was observed in sexual activity with another man by police. Dismissal of teacher Frank M. Ross by the Springfield School District in 1980 was up held by the Oregon Court of Appeals by a 2-1 winter clearance sale on now NATURAL FIBRE CLOTHING for women men & children new market west building 54 S.W. 2nd Ave. 228-1693 Mon-Sat 106 Sun I2-6 6 decision in late November. Ross and his at torney. Robert D. Durham of Portland, filed a brief with the Supreme Court Jan. 18. According to Durham, the appeal to the state's highest court will address three major isuses in the Ross case. First is the question of private versus public conduct. Ross was observed at an adult bookstore, inside a stall, with seven-foot-high plywood walls and a door with a bolt lock. A police officer observed Ross by standing on another officer’s shoulders. The second issue involves policies set by the Springfield School Board, which require open com m unication between parents and teachers. A breakdown in com m unication was not a direct result of Ross' actions, Durham said. Rather it was the parents' re sponse to inexact information and to Ross being “ just somehow involved" with the adult bookstore in Eugene. Ross' activities had “ no direct impact on his students." Durham stressed. Constitutional questions were raised in Ross’ case before the state Court of Appeals and that court's failure to address those is sues is the third issue the Supreme Court is being asked to consider in the case. If the Supreme Court agrees to hear the case, Durham said it would be at least five or six weeks before any court action would oc cur and “ many, many m onths” before any decision would be reached. The Supreme C ourt is the last avenue of appeal on the case and if the court declines to consider it, it will be dropped. Durham said. New leaders receive group leadership train ing from Bob, allowing people to progress to a leadership role in a natural way. and provid ing them with valuable new skills. This pro gram is designed not as a professional therapy group, but is by-and-for-equals. The program is divided into two parts for all participants. The growth portion is a place for sharing and working on personal issues with goal setting and cooperative problem solving. The activity portion involves partici pation in leader-planned activities designed to encourage com m unication and personal awareness. People learn m ore about them selves and how they relate to other people — in a fun way. Feedback from participants is overwhelm ingly positive, indicating that the program fills a need not readily available elsewhere. The cost for the program is based on a sliding fee scale beginning at $35.00 for the entire eight week block. Another “ current event" at Phoenix Rising is the first annual fund-raising campaign. In order to make our services affordable to the largest possible num ber o f people, we use a sliding fee scale. The fees do not cover costs o f operation, so the balance o f our support com es from private donors and an occasional small g ra n t The cam paign is organized by divisions: m ajor gifts, professional organiza tions. social events, phone-a-thon and mail, and gay businesses. If you want more information about Phoenix Rising, call 223-8299. (Phoenix Rising Foundation is a private, non-profit, tax-exempt social services agency for the Lesbian and Gay com munity. providing counseling, referral service, and a Speaker's Bureau.) by Helen Lottridge What's so special about Tuesday nights at Phoenix Rising? A social growth group called the Tuesday Night Program. Bob Weinreich, Ph.D., Co-Director of Counseling heads up the program, and de scribes it as more than just a social ch a t It's a place to grow socially, and networks people fro m diverse parts o f our community. Participants can expect a safe and c o m fortable place — an environment neither sex ual nor alcoholic— to meet other gay people and work with them on personal issues. It’s also a good place to play and have fun. The Tuesday Night Program generates its own leaders. All the leaders are paraprofes- sionals who have participated in the group. Gay radio needs coordinator K B O O is seeking a replacement for the person who has been coordinating the lesbian/gay program m ing for NIGHTRAP, Tuesdays, 10-11 PM. The coordinator seeks out individuals or groups who will be willing to speak about topics o f interest to the lesbian/gay com m unity. The program s may be pre-recorded, call-in, interviews, or what ever techniques would best work for the topic and participants. Call Ross Reynolds at KBO O. 231 -8032 or 231-8187. Family Business Traffic W orkers Comp. Divorce Custody Support Modification Visitations Gay Coupke Agreements & Breakups Contracts Licensing Admin. Hearings Partnerships Corporations Smal Businesses Tickets Suspensions Accidents D a rk Driving Hearings Appeals Preparation Other WMs Bankruptcy Property Medical Consents Ben Merrill 2 9 5 - 2 4 5 6 408 SW Second , Suite 519 Downtown Portland 97204 Just Out. cebruarv. 1985