The Straight Stuff
How to succeed at bigotry without really trying, sex
scandals a-go-go, and the latexing of America.*’
Apparently, none of the other media was
interested in doing so, perhaps due to fear
of making Cameron seem too extreme. TV
Cameron-dammerung
and radio have institutionalized the debate
format into its new methodology, and if
hile most of us were enjoying the
the media made Cameron seem too off the
May springtime, one group of Port­
wall, too unanswerably objectionable,
landers was arranging an Oregon
then
its lazy reliance on a thesis/antithesis
speaking tour for a man who would urge the
method of coverage would break down.
extermination of another group of
* But AIDS is not debatable: no one is for
Portlanders Paul Cameron was here the
AIDS. However, in the melee of lies and
last week of May. A self-styled scientist of
misinterpreted statistics that is a Cameron
homosexuality and AIDS, Cameron has
debate, to be against Cameron is to be
been stripped of his credentials by the
pro-AIDS. From here, it is not farto “ gays
American Psychological Association and
cause AIDS” (a Cameron article of faith)
the Midwest Psychological Association,
and then only a stroll to the concentration
censured by a Texas Federal Court and
camps.
ridiculed by the scientists whose statistics
The Oregonian fared no better in its
he distorts. Cameron’s notoriety derives
coverage of Cameron. In a more than usu­
from his asonishingiy anti-gay traveling
snake oil show. Fora $2, (XX) fee, Cameron
ally pusillanimous piece of reporting, the
was invited to Oregon by the ever-vigilant
Oregonian's Holly Danks cogently sum­
Concerned Women for America to par­
marized Cameron’s arguments against
ticipate in debates and lectures intended to
condoms and sex education, but somehow
scare the bejeezus out of his right wing and
neglected Cameron’s comments about in­
fundamentalist hosts.
ternment camps and executions. Further,
Danks describes Cameron as “ a psy­
Unfortunately, the local press, either by
chologist who has written several books on
collusion or ill-considered methods of
objectivity, helped spread Cameron’s
sexuality and taught human development
hysterical views
and family life at the University of
K(i W covered Cameron’s initial debate,
Nebraska,” and who “ heads a private sex
research institution.” If Danks had access
probarily giving us more credit (“ Port­
land's gay community was ready’’) than is
to this information she certainly also had
access to information stating that Cameron
strictly fair. Before Cameron’s arrival,
Mark Sanchez of KOIN had been prepar­
had been censured by his colleagues and
ing a two-part report on the impact of
his professional affiliates due to ethical
breaches, and that Cameron’s “ sex
AIDS, which Sanchez called “ AfrAlDS."
research institute” is staffed only by
Enter Paul Cameron, whom Sanchez in­
Cameron and his wife. By telling only one
terviewed as an AIDS expert. Even though
side of the story, our local paper of record
Sanchez and the management at KOIN
conveys information in a style that Paul
were notified prior to screening that Came­
Harvey would applaud.
ron had been professionally discredited
Cameron’s welcome in Eugene was
and that his appearance would negatively
affect many viewers, KOIN went ahead.
less fulsome than in Portland. He was in­
The report contained no references to
vited for a debate with an ACLU repre­
Cameron’s lack of professional credentials
sentative by the intriguingly named
or his reputation as a deluded loonyman.
Oregonians for the Rectitude of Life (a
Cameron's observatons were countered.
front group for county GOP chair Floyd
In KOIN's approximation of fairness, by
Beam). However, the ACLU and its
representative. Charles Hinkle, refused to
opinions offered by local advocates of
legitimize Cameron's views by debating,
AIDS patients, Cameron, by fiat, became
and w ithdrew. University of Oregon's
the sole “ medical” (“ Dr." Cameron)
Young Republicans distanced themselves
authority KEX radio aired a “ debate”
between Cameron and Cascade AIDS Pro­
from the Cameron debate and cancelled
the university classroom where the debate
ject's Tom Koberstein. KEX did not refer
was to be held Cameron did manage,
to Cameron's benighted professional status.
Only KGW had the nerve to broadcast
however, to speak to Churchill High
C ameron proposing the execution of
School health classes about AIDS.
gays as a solution to the AIDS crisis.
In contrast to the Oregonian, the
B Y
c.
W
M c R A E
W
SAILING
•
P
olii ics m anes stran ge nea-
fellows” is not even an
effective colloquialism any
longer — it is practically a headline. The
liaisons dangereuses of Gary' Hart and the
PTL-cum-Babylon manipulated by Jimmy
Bakker has sharpened the teeth of investi­
gative reporters. You can’t pick up the
paper without reading about a politician
with his pants down. And. as Gertrude
Stein said. “ History teaches history
teaches” : FDR and his secretary, Eisen­
hower and his assistant. Kennedy and
Marilyn Monroe are all cited to establish
the tradition. Even our current paragon is
not immune. Barbara Ehrenreich and Jane
emember last winter when the
media, because of the delicacy of
their sensibilities, were shredding
their garments in consternation because of
a call to advertise condoms? Now it’s
hard to predict where you’ll see the next
condom ad, or what you'll receive in the
paper: New York City is running an
explicit series of ads (TV, print, and
billboards,) directed at heteroxuals.
‘ ‘ Bang, you’re dead! ’ ’ one begins; another
reads, “ The other night Charlie brought
home a quart ofjnilk, a loaf of bread, and a
case of AIDS. ) New York City is also
distributing condoms at singles bars, mas­
sage parlours and movie theaters. The
Boston Phoenix, an alternative news­
weekly, distributed condoms and a “ safe
sex” guide in a late May issue.
•
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AUTOBODY & PA.I NT
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Condoms, condoms,
everywhere
FERGUSON
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ztion and brochure, call
6 fc
and the politician
O ’Reilly, writing in Vogue, allude to the
“ unusual closeness between Ronnie and
his personal assistant, Helene Van Damm.”
So it was a surprise that, when last
month Massachusetts Rep. Barney
Frank revealed to the Boston Globe that
he was gay, the story did not explode into
the sort of anguished rhetoric visited on
recent revelations of heterosexual dalli­
ance. Apparently the press decided that
Gary Hart’s heterosexuality would affect
his performance in office, while Frank’s
forthrightness deserved their blessings.
The question isn’t how Frank, or Gerry
Studds, rose so high without being de­
tected. Rather, why hasn’t the press
unmasked more gays in government?
Locally, a former Washington governor,
and a former Portland City Commissioner
each served without the press staking out
their homes. Fomier County Commissioner
Shadbume was exposed only after finan­
cial irregularities came to light. But with
the scent of blood in the air, one wonders
how long these people, or senior members
of the Oregon congressional delegation,
can escape scrutiny.
WE MAKE IT EASIER!
<° 4 P/c, 1
-fena
H e ve ry
.
Sex
T
Lewis and Clark College Sailing Program . „
oth Basic Beginning and Open Sailing Sessions ~
■ v
Eugene Register-Guard printed a front
page debunking of Cameron. Identify­
ing him only as a “ writer and lecturer ” ’
Bill Bishop’s story quotes Cameron,
(“ Homosexuality is the single worst com­
mon habit system to which a human being
can fall victim ” ), and turns the story to a
questioning of Cameron’s legitimacy by
quoting three health care professionals.
The group that brought Cameron to Ore­
gon, Concerned Women for America, is
the equivalent of a ladies auxiliary to other
groups in the Bibie Truss that sometimes
seems to girdle Portland: Drew Davis’
Concerned Citizens of Portland, and Joe
Lutz’s coalition, Oregon Citizen’s
Alliance
After the Portland debate, I angrily in­
quired of a “ Concerned Woman” how she
could sit there and hear someone propose
the death of people like me, who were
sitting next to her. “ Why, it’s for your own
good,” she replied simply. I realized then
that what attracts these people to Came­
ron, and what they respond to, is not his
bogus epidemiology, but the opportuni­
ties he describes for suffering and pun­
ishment. When Cameron says extermina­
tion. these worshipers of The-Straight-
White-Man-Who-Art-In-Heaven hear
sacrifice. They feel strongly about AIDS
and homosexuality: It would add im-
measureably to the sanctity of their ideas if
someone were to suffer becuse of them. To
minds that feverishly and constantly
attempt to distill religious principles out of
hatred and bigotry, Cameron’s talk of
eradication is transubstantiated into a re­
grettable but compellingly necessary sac­
rifice of fellow human beings. Demanding
blood to justify the importance of a social
order is nothing new. The military estab­
lishment has always derived a large
measure of its sanctity by sacrificing the
younger part of our population.
5- week sessions
weeknights and weekends
beginning July 13
r- _ •
/nr-
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