Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 1986)
-------------------- — — J(^=? Outlook employee dismayed Dear Editor, I am an employee at the Gresham Outlook and just ran across your article “ Not again!” that states the Outlook Publishing Company will no longer print your publication due to “ religious beliefs." I was appalled that the Outlook took this stand. I went to the publisher and talked to him about this issue and left his office still in dismay. I went home and wrote him a letter and gave it to him in the morning. I should also say that I am not gay, but I do feel very strongly that this was not a fair move on the Outlook’s part The Just Out people have been very good to work with and I feel what you are trying to do in your publication is done very professionally. I wish you a lot of luck wherever you go. I know o f one other person that is also goin g to write a letter to our publisher and others that have just given us support We would just like you to know that this move by the Outlook is not the view o f everybody there. Sincerely, Larry Taraba Cameraman, Gresham Outlook Support Neil for Governor T o the Editor I am writing to urge my fellow members of the gay and lesbian community to support Neil Goldschmidt for Governor o f Oregon. Neil has a long and consistent record of supporting gay and lesbian rights. After being elected Mayor o f Portland in 1972, he voted to include “ sexual orientation” in the City Council resolution on non-discrimination in hiring City employees. In 1976 he proclaimed Gay Pride Day as part o f the gay and lesbian community’s annual celebration. Both these actions were unprecedented in Portland, and for both he was harshly attacked by the same local right wing who have slandered us. He left Portland in 1978 to becom e Secre tary o f Transportation in Jimmy Carter’s Cabinet Returning to Portland to campaign for Carter’s re-election, he made a point of meeting with a gay audience — only the sec ond Cabinet member in history to do that All through his career he has remained sympa thetic to the movement for gay and lesbian civil rights. To be fair, we should recognize that Norma Paulus, his Republican opponent also has a positive record o f supporting gay rights. But in this election we don’t simply vote for an individual — we vote for a party. The Dem o cratic Party o f Oregon has included gay and lesbian rights in the state party platform for over a decade. Our last Democratic gover nor, Bob Straub, in 1978 appointed the Gov ernor’s Task Force on Sexual Preference, chaired by Holly Hart and this commission did valuable work in its hearings and its re search to demonstrate the case for effective gay and lesbian rights legislation in this state. As for the Republican Party, how many Re publican legislators on any level have com e out in support o f our legal or social needs? D o any o f us need to be reminded o f the “ moral leadership” o f Ronald Reagan and the national Republican Party on issues deal ing with women, social services, assistance for AIDS, as well as gay civil rights? W e are always tempted to think of politics as either boring or dirty, som ebody else’s business. But the decision of the Supreme Court to uphold an anti-gay sodom y law, and the Justice Department’s policy effectively to allow discrimination against AIDS patients, show us that we can no longer afford that luxury. For once, the cry to “throw the rascals out” has direct meaning to our community — and the front line in this battle is now more than ever at the ballot box. If you can, give your time and money to candidates who sup port our rights. But at least be sure to VOTE! Sincerely yours, Edward Segel Portland, Oregon Endorsements prom pt disagreement T o the Editor: Vol. 3 No. 12 issue o f Just Out is an espe cially go o d issue. The articles by Cathy Siem ens and W.C. McRae are excellent I do disagree with a number o f the political recommendations by the Just Out staff con cerning the ballot measures we will be voting on in the N ovem ber4,1986 general election: Ballot measure # 11, the homestead ex emption is a measure which would give sub stantial property tax relief to homeowners while not exempting the holder of large com mercial properties. Ballot measure #12 would increase the incom e tax for those making over $40,000. The tax reform package o f # 11 and # 12 are superior to the other taxing proposals on the ballot. . . i.e. # 7 a sales tax which is anti-business and # 9 which would cripple local governments. I am also opposed to ballot measure #13 which would further restrict voter participa tion. Oregon has had no voter fraud. Norma Paulus and the Republican party had been active in restricting access to the polls by Oregonians. They succeeded in getting a one-day cut-off— and require that citizens co m e to the offices of the county clerks if they register within 20 days of an election. This will work a hardship on citizens who do not get interested in elections until the final week of the election ... get voters interested in the election just before voting date. Norma Paulus takes credit for fighting the Rajneesh; now the Rajneesh are gone and the honest citizens o f Oregon are left with the restrictions on voting rights. I am pleased with your endorsement of Neil Goldschmidt for Governor. Norma Paulus is a cheat She kept the marijuana initiative off o f the Oregon ballot on two occasions. Thanks for printing your recommenda tions. For the most part they present a pro gressive political point o f view that is needed in Oregon. I sent a contribution to the “ No on # 6 4 ” campaign in California. I appreciate your including it in Just Out. Richard L Pastega Klamath Falls OOB spat continues To the Editor: The P.S.CI. W om en’s Union would like to respond to the opinions expressed in Rag Times and Just Out, regarding the forum on lesbian erotica/pornography, and its relation ship to feminism, which it was sponsoring. As a group o f diverse women our m em bership held a wide range o f feelings pertain ing to this issue, the element com m on to all o f us was our desire for more information. It was for that reason and that reason only, that we proposed to sponsor som e kind of public discussion on the topic of lesbian erotica/ pornography and its relationship to feminism, in response to input from the community we changed the original format from a debate to a panel discussion, and also the title from, “What is the Place of Violent Pornography in a Feminist Bookstore?” to “A Discussion on Erotica/Pomography by and for Women and its Relationship to Feminism.” We want to stress that although individual members of the W om en's Union had their own opinions on this topic, it was the collective consensus o f the W om en’s Union to insure an unbiased forum. It was for this reason that when two panelists representative o f the S/M Lesbian Community withdrew four days before the panel discussion was to take place, we were forced to cancel in the interest o f fairness. Members o f the community who have criti cized the P.S.U. W om en’s Union for their in volvement in facilitating discussion on this topic did not bother to get their information from us. W e are very concerned that both Rag Times and Just O ut misled the public by presenting incorrect information regarding the W om en’s Union position on the forum. Contrary to the opinions expressed, we are not a bunch o f straight academics — well over half o f us are lesbians. W e were not supporting any one side o f this issue; our intention was to sponsor an unbiased forum. W e do not value the concept o f politically correct feminism and/or sex — nor are we certain o f what political correctness entails. During the course o f planning, promoting, and eventual cancellation o f this forum, there was a lot o f backstabbing directed towards the W om en’s Union. It is essential that the w om en’s community not becom e factional- ized in this manner. W e are saddened and frustrated that som e members o f our com munity feel so threatened that they would in effect prevent this discussion from even happening. Any wom en interested in continuing this discussion are encouraged to call the W om en ’s Union at 229-4452, ext 13. Love, The P.S.U. W om en’s Union ,IU V^ l£kJV> Just Out, November, 1986