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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (June 1, 1988)
cation” has not been constitutionally defined. The eleventh comandment? Thou shalt not take pleasure in anything. W ord play H ate-crim es bill passes House ver notice how fundamentalists confuse religious preference and sexual orientation? The religionists apparently believe that it’s religious orientation (why else would the Mormons be so obsessed with genealogy?) and sexual preference (a friend says his sexual preference is gay men, but he’ll take bisexuals or even a straight man in a pinch). And now the Saltshakers have added another chapter: the legitimization of homophobia. The Saltshakers are a group of fundamentalist ministers, educators (?) and businessmen who call themselves evangelicals. Lesbian writer and theologian Mary Daly points out that the root word fundament means anus. I checked Webster’s, and, sure enough, that’s what it says too. In other words, fundamentalists are assholes. A gathering of assholes was told last month that “ our [read: their] society has been desecrated by homosexualization.” James De Young urged opposition to the gay rights agenda, which he said includes legalization of “ homosexual relationships’’ and passage of lesbian and gay civil rights bills. De Young, a member of the teaching staff at Western Conservative Baptist Seminary in southeast Portland, also said that assholes should “ reach out in compassion to homosexuals to help them change their sexual orientation’ The Rev. Gary Wilson, pastor of Metropoli tan Community Church, had a different slant on the gathering of assholes. “ The seminar, or whatever they called it, was nothing but a program upholding homophobia as a positive value to society. Everything I heard them say, I’ve heard them say before,’ ’ Wilson (who is not an asshole) commented. “ It was a thinly disguised kickoff for their campaign against Gov. Goldschmidt’s execu tive order. They passed out petitions and voter registration forms.” Commenting on the assholes’ distance from reality, Wilson said, “ They cannot even deal with AIDS information separate from their homophobia. For example, they discussed the need to establish a hospice house where PWAs will be hounded to repent of their homosexuality.’ ’ bill requiring the federal government to keep figures on crimes motivated by Jesse Helm s’s amendment hits prejudice passed the House of Representatives Oregon by a 383-29 vote after an attempt to remove attacks on lesbians and gays from the crimes list really hate being a nag about this, but those was overwhelmingly rejected. Oregon’s con assholes are giving the Oregon Health gressional delegation split on party lines; Division a bad time. They’re writing nasty Democrats Les AuCoin, Ron Wyden and Peter letters to Kristine Gebbie and complaining DeFazio voted with the majority. Republican about the ad on page 24. The ad campaign Bob Smith voted against the bill. hasn’t even begun and those assholes are A hate crime is “ an act of violence which is already bitching. They’ve seen the poster only accompanied by an additional motive: an at in this publication and The Oregonian. tempt to intimidate a larger group or class of They’re saying that they don’t want their people,” according to Rep. John Conyers Jr. taxes spent on materials that “ promote (D-Minn ), chairman of the House Judiciary homosexuality.” So, may we assume that there Subcommittee on Criminal Justice, which held are taxpayers who favor the message in the ad extensive hearings on the bill since it was intro and that they will write to Gebbie also? duced in September 1987. The bill had 109 The address is 1400 SW 5th Ave., Portland, sponsors, the largest number ever to cosponsor OR 97201. a measure containing a sexual-orientation Bookstore in a crunch clause, according to the National Gay and Les bian Task Force, which assembled a coalition of Woman’s Place Bookstore is in crisis. 53 organizations to lobby for the bill. A Woman’s Place Bookstore is much “ Hate and violence motivated by sexual more than a bookstore. In addition to selling orientation more than doubled between 1985 books, it provides a lending library, a and 1986. To me, it is a grave injustice to tell community resource area, a children’s space, a thousands and thousands of victims that their space to meet friends old and new, and a place pain, their suffering and their fear are unworthy to network, as well as to sit, read and enjoy of the attention of a government that is supposed oneself. to safeguard the rights and freedoms of all A Woman’s Place Bookstore has served Port Americans,” Rep. AuCoin said in opposing the land for fifteen years. Because of rapid growth amendment to delete that category from the bill. — expansion of both space and stock — in the A substitute amendment, submitted by Rep. past couple years, the bookstore finds itself in a John Miller (R-Wash.), that defines sexual financial bind. For more information on the orientation as “ homosexuality or hetero situation, stop by 1431 NE Broadway for a chat. sexuality” and states that “ nothing in this act And bring your checkbook! • creates a right for an individual to bring action complaining of discrimination based on homo sexuality” passed by a 383-30 vote. E A I Family Diversity. Wheeler added, “ I believe we must stand up for rights, even over small issues. Otherwise we will not receive equal treatment and may even lose the rights we already have.” Wheeler and Junkin were not willing to ac cept the opinion of a ticket clerk who held to the position that Family Plan tickets are for legally married couples only. In a telephone conversa tion with John Jacobsen, director of community affairs for the National Railroad Passenger Corp. (Amtrak), the official policy was clari fied. Amtrak issues Family Plan tickets without regard to the sex of family members. The policy, changed in 1985, is meant to be non- judgmental; no inquiry is to be made of the family’s legal status, and no proof is to be required. Couples must be willing to say they are “ married,’’ however, because the official policy requires that the half-fare adult be a spouse. For more information on this and other family issues, write to Couples Inc., PO Box 13323, Los Angeles, CA 90013-0323. Hot licks to cease he right wing, it seems, will stop at nothing to invoke the eleventh command ment. Last month Big Ron signed a law pro hibiting interstate phone-sex lines. The measure U nionists to join Pride march was an amendment to Section 223(b) of the or the first time in Oregon’s labor history, Communications Act of 1934 prohibiting any lesbians and gays who are members of interstate communication by phone for com organized labor will march as a united group on mercial purposes that is obscene or indecent. Amtrak OKs same-sex family fares Lesbian and Gay Pride Day this year. The amendment was the work of Sen. Jesse Lesbian and Gay Unionists has gathered gay couple’s refusal to accept bureau Helms (R-N.C.) and passed by overwhelming momentum since Jimmy Bryan, a staff cratic obfuscation has led to clarification margins in both houses. It will go into effect on July 1, 1988. of Amtrak’s policy on family fares. On May 10, secretary with the Oregon Public Employees Union, promoted the idea at OPEU’s annual Walter Wheeler was not permitted to buy an “ Phone-sex services have mushroomed in women’s conference in March. the past few years, in part because they are a Amtrak Family Plan ticket for himself and his “ It is time for gays and lesbians to come out partner of five years. Under the Family Plan, a safe sexual outlet for gay men,” observed one more time. It is time for our brothers and Urvashi Vaid, an attorney on the staff of the head of household pays full fare and the other sisters in the labor community to recognize the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. “ This adult family member pays half fare; children value and contributions that lesbians and gays vote by Congress continues a trend to enact between two and eleven years of age pay one- have made to the labor movement in its rich legislation that is counterproductive in the fight fourth fare. history and continue to do today,” Bryan said. 4 ‘This is just another example of the day-to- against AIDS. Like amendments which restrict Bryan encourages all gay and lesbian unionists the content of safe-sex educational materials, day discrimination that costs our families more to participate in the march to claim that they are this bill damages efforts to encourage creative, money for the same service,” Wheeler said. “ Rightfully Proud,” as the slogan of the march healthy and safe sex.” Wheeler and his partner, J. Carey Junkin, are and rally declares. For more information, call president and executive director, respectively, A court case challenging the constitutionality Jimmy Bryan at 230-9231 or 232-0662. of Couples Inc., the National Organization for of the law is expected. “Indecent communi - T F A rf- f JCD l Over 35 yw f» of service to ouf neighbor* * d T Frank Warrens- flutomotive Si Marine Services Inc. Our complete automotive repairs & BRADLEY J. WOODWORTH ATTORNEY AT LAW OREGON TRAIL BUILDING PENTHOUSE 333 S. W. 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