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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 1986)
NEWS Election '86: One last analysis by W.C. McRae An important factor was ignored in all the hype visited upon last month’s election. For get how the Democrats or the Republicans fared: the gay and lesbian community did well. The gay vote in som e elections con tributed to strategic wins, and no openly gay candidate lost a re-election campaign. How ever, the real lesson o f the election for gay people and their supporters is that main stream straight politicians suffered not at all for being gay supportive. As Oregonians gear up for passage of a gay and lesbian rights bill this com ing year, it will be wise to recall that supporters o f gay and lesbian issues in national office did very well in the November 4 elections. "W e’ve gon e from being targets to being players,” claims Vic Basile, Executive Director o f Human Rights Campaign Fund, a national political action committee for the lesbian and gay community. All 69 co-sponsors of the (JS House o f Representatives and Senate bills guaranteeing gay civil rights were re-elected. New pro-gay senators and representatives were elected, particularly in the W est The California LaRouche-sponsored AIDS quarantine initiative failed by a huge margin, and two anti-gay initiatives in Washington State didn’t even make the ballot All three incumbent state governors who have signed executive orders forbidding dis crimination against gays in state hiring were re-elected in Ohio, New York, and Rhode Is land (the latter a Republican, proving, as did Norm a Paulus, that our friends do not sit only on one side o f the aisle). In Pennsylvania, the governor-elect has promised to sign a gay rights bill, as has O regon’s Governor-elect Neil Goldschm idt “Active support for gay and lesbian civil rights is clearly not a negative as far as the majority o f voters are concerned,” claims Basile. And it ought to make us think. In Washing ton State, gays and lesbians working for the state are protected against anti-gay discrimi nation. King County has anti-discrimination statutes, as does the City of Seattle. In Ore gon, and in Portland, we have no such protection. Next year the ACLCI will promote an om nibus gay rights bill in Salem. And we will hear from som e legislators that even though they’d like to help, now is not the time, or that electoral considerations dictate caution. “ Not now, not this time, and not you.” This past election, nationally and locally, ought to make us question what stand be tween us and equal rights, homophobia in the masses, or homophobia in legislators. I have believed for som e time that people are m ore prepared for instituting gay rights than w e’ve been led to think. People are re signed to the expansion o f civil rights. They may not like it but rights are not a popularity contest and most people realize it Political office is, however, a popularity contest Politicians should not confound their electoral viability with the need for civil liberties. People elect politicians to make dif ficult decisions for them. At som e point we have to believe, and make politicians believe, that we elect people to lead, not just to mirror our bigotry. The Novem ber 4 election was keenly watched by many gays and lesbians. In Ore gon, the make-up of the State Assembly will determine passage o f a revision of civil rights statutes to include protection o f Oregonians J u tt O ut. December, 1986 ^ ■:. ,,■ - . ,..,r * .. | ' v :, .; v ;.- > ■:■ regardless of sexual orientation. We also have a new governor who will (in the best o f all possible scenarios) issue an executive order for protection o f state employed gays and lesbians, lobby reluctant legislators, and sign the state-wide gay rights bill when it passes the legislature. In Portland the replacement o f City Com missioner Margaret Strachan with former police lieutenant Bob Koch, has realigned local politics into an all-male City Comm is sion. Victories for Gladys McCoy and Polly Casterline have resulted in an all-female County Commission. N o one, including either Com m ission members, knows how the elec tion o f new members will affect policy or organization. We asked political observers from around the state to com m ent on the election and its implications. Stevie Remington, Executive Director of the O regon ACLG, has completed a prelimi nary head-count of the legislature regarding passage o f gay rights legislation. In the Senate, Remington counts 13 "yes” votes, based on past voting history and responses to questionnaires. In the Senate, where 16 votes are needed to carry, one solid "yes” vote was lost, and there are two "unknowns" who have not been polled. In the House Re mington estimates 25 positive votes, with 5 “ maybes.” Thirty-one votes are necessary to pass a measure in the House. Remington claims that the totals are roughly the same as last spring, when the ACLCI Commission on Gay and Lesbian Rights first convened. Whether or not the bill can pass depends on "just how effective the lobbying is." She is encouraged, however, by the recent endorsements and participation of churches. “Th e margin might be whether Neil will g o out and call in chips,” says Remington, refer ring to Governor-elect Goldschmidt Reming ton questioned the priority of a controversial issue such as gay rights in Goldschmidt's agenda; "N eil’s agenda is primarily econ omic.” She suggests that Goldschmidt might be well advised to support the bill this legisla tive session, rather than allow the bill to re surface next session, immediately before the next gubernatorial election. State legislators, elected every two years, have no such buffer, and may be less likely to back a controversial bill after such close elections as last month’s. Remington expects that Norma Paulus will support the bill. "Norm a has never failed us yet,” she said. Barbara McGuire, ACLG commissioner from Eugene, is guarded about optimism over recent elections. ‘Within the Lane County [E ugene] delegation, supporters didn’t gain, didn't lose." The Eugene City Commission has becom e more conservative, though McGuire doesn’t expect the new com m ission to shift the policies of the previ ous, m ore liberal commission. “ Overall, looking at the House, we may have lost ground,” for the gay rights bill. “The House will be tougher, and we ll have to go through the Senate first.’ However, McGuire stresses that gay rights is a non-partisan is sue, “There are good Republican women in the legislature who support gay rights.” She’s equally hopeful that Paulus will continue to actively support the bill. McGuire is hopeful about an executive or der from Goldschmidt but wonders how high a legislative priority the bill will be for him. "I wish I knew if Neil will push.” K eeston Lowery, Commission member from Portland, claims the Senate “ looks very good,” but the House is “ rather dismal,!’ re garding prospecive passage of gay rights legislation next session. “We have to rely on ourselves to pull it through," he says. The ACLG is spearheading the effort but the « -?•■{. ,v § K ' I . .... comm unity has to mobilize behind the bill. "It’s incumbent on us to find help in the Re publican caucus." Lowery assumes “ It's full steam ahead, and if we only make it through one house, then so be it” Lowery expects an executive order from Goldschmidt by early summer guaranteeing non-discrimination in state hiring. In city government. City Commissioner- elect Bob Koch is a “wild card, but we shouldn’t assume he’s against our com m un ity until he’s proved against us. If he turns out to be another Shadbume, he’ll be very isolat ed on the Commission," Lowery said. Election night Novem ber 4 was ‘one of the most exciting nights in my life." Besides the local and state victories, "W e can claim an even greater victory because of what was happening across the nation.’’ Lowery expects the Democratic congressional realignment in Washington to “ reset budget priorities.” Kathi Bogan, Commission member from Portland, claims to be "encouraged” by the recent election. Although both gubernatorial candidates "were good friends” the decision to vote for either Goldschmidt or Paulus was difficult for many. However, Bogan expects "pretty significant support" from Gold schmidt for a gay rights bill, since Gold schmidt should acknowledge that he “re ceived lots o f support in his campaign from gay people. Neil can’t help but add energy,” claims Bogan, adding that “the governor’s office can make a difference with the assembly.” Bogan expects more Senate support for a gay rights bill than there was in 1983, when gay rights last came to a vote in Oregon. She worries more about the House, where some gay-supportive legislators lost or moved to the Senate. Also, close races in Southern O regon might make sympathetic legislators less likely to g o out on a limb for gay rights. Much depends on Goldschmidt’s lead. “W e’ve got to ask for an executive order, but w e’ve got to be careful when." Bogan is less encouraged by local elec tions. “ City Commission is going to flounder without Margaret Strachan, and lack co m passion without Margaret There’s talk o f pre senting a wom en’s agenda [to the City C om mission] to support progress made in the past, to keep the human service agenda on track.” All in all, Bogan is encouraged by three things. First the ACLG gay rights initiative is progressing according to schedule. Also, the American Friends Service Committee Gay and Lesbian Task Force is doing valuable work with churches to advocate gay issues. Lastly, the Lesbian Community Project is successfully organizing the w om en’s co m munity in Portland. “These three things would be enough to encourage me, but with a new governor, we have it all." Billy Russo, Commission member from Roseburg, says politicians in Southern O re gon have tried to make homophobia an elec tion issue, but largely failed. “Joe Lutz built support using homophobia, but it didn't work for Bruce Long," who was defeated by Peter DeFazio in Congressional District 4. DeFazio is gay-supportive. Russo, and other co m munity members from Southern Oregon, were assured by State Senate President John Kitzhaber o f Roseburg that he would do everything he could to push the gay rights bill in the next legislative session. 5 ealtvGroui ic D T C v o 1 jo o o n n 1 DOQ0CQ 1 □hQQDtf . X --- X - fell ■ 149,950 F A B U L O U S C IT Y V IE W ¡Gorgeous Alameda Ridge Spanish in im-| peccable condition. 4 Bdrm, 2 V 2 Bths, 2 Fp, Ntrl woodwork. Full furnished lower level w/| view. 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