Just be aware . . .
Supporting a boycott or buycott can be a powerful weapon
estimated $350,000 this year (which they really
can’t afford since they’re trying to stave off
bankruptcy), the Human Rights Campaign
Fund has stopped using the telegraph company
ne Sunday morning, yours truly and your
to
deliver its “Speak Out” messages to Capitol
editor spent some time engaging in the
age-old practice o f “preaching to the choir.” Hill.
As Western Union challenged a San
Francisco
ordinance which prohibits discrimi
a result of that session, what was originally
nation against gays and lesbians. In April of
meant to be strictly an ongoing boycott list
this year, California Superior Court Judge Ira
evolved into this column. Based on my beliefs
Brown rejected their challenge. This company
that 1) While we can’t all do the same thing, we
had
the audacity to claim that it does not dis
can all do something, and 2) Racists, sexists,
criminate on the basis of sexual orientation
anti-Semites, religionists, and other bigots don’t
while maintaining that the law was unconstitu
like gays or lesbians either, I plan to advocate
tional,
and insisting that only state government
awareness and action in our community. If you
could enact anti-discrimination legislation. Let
know of anything (additions, deletions, updates,
Western Union know you got their message by
corrections) which should be included here,
contacting: Robert J. Amman, President and
please write to: Just be Aware . . . . c/o Just
CEO,
Western Union Corp, One Lake St.,
Out, PO Box 15117, Portland, OR 97215.
Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458,
Let’s start out this month with the good
(201) 825-5000.
news—the BUYcott list.
What do you give the man who has
“Whereas boycotts ask that people refrain
everything? If the man in question is Senator
from buying the products and services of
Jesse Helms, a $200,000 donation to help build
offending businesses, industries, and govern
a memorial is about right. At least that’s what
ments, BUYcotts encourage people to go out of
Philip Morris Inc. thinks. This donation is in
their way to purchase the products and services
addition to regular campaign contributions of
of parties which have shown themselves to be
the
maximum amount allowed under federal
particularly ethical, responsible, and coura
law.
geous.” (BUYcott definition courtesy of
In April, ACT UP/DC called for a boycott
National Boycott News).
of Marlboro cigarettes in response to Philip
It is only fitting that the first service
Morris’ support of this homophobe. You may
endorsed is the National Boycott News ( NBN ).
contact the Marlboro Boycott Committee, ACT
This is “an independent national magazine for
UP/DC, PO Box 9318, Washington, DC 20005,
socially concerned consumers.” The NBN is
(202)
546-9282.
run by volunteers and is put out almost entirely
It is of note that Miller Brewing Company
with income from subscriptions and reader
and
Kraft Inc. are subsidiaries of Philip Morris.
donations. Suggested subscription rates are:
Some other names associated with the largest
$10 individual, $15 organization, $20 corpora
tobacco
company in the United States are:
tions, low-income negotiable. For your money
Entenmann’s Inc., Ronzoni Food Corporation,
and a little patience, you get substantial
Oscar Meyer Foods Corporation, Louis Kemp
information on boycotts and buycotts. NBN
Seafood Company, Clausscn Pickle Company,
can be contacted at 6506 28th Ave. NE, Seattle,
Louis Rich Co., Chumy Company Inc., the All
WA 98115,(206)523-0421.
American
Gourmet Company, Lender’s Bagel
Next—the bad news— the boycott list.
Bakery, Tombstone Pizza corporation. Mission
In a move which will cost Western Union an
B Y
C Y D
A T H E N S
O
Laughing HorSe Book!
l]aa
nw ajrd Portland, O
r
97810 8 3 7 -5 4 4 0 . , : - _ v .
enjoy life,
eat in more
often!
. •
"take out'
Fre sh p a sta and sa u c e s, sa la d s,
prepared foods, cheeses, fine oils
a n d v in e g a rs ; g re a t v a lu e s in
imported and domestic wines.
3731 SE Hawthorne
Portland. OR 97214
(503) 232-1010
f
DIANNE D A V ID SO N
C j /O* L«gP>
September 16 • 8pm
m.c.c. 1644 n.e. 24th
LUCIE BLUE
TREMBLAY
GALLOWAY,
SULLIVAN A N D LEE
and
September 28 • 8pm
benefit 10 year anniversary
"our new beginnings"
first united methodist church
1838 s.w. jefferson
T re t F u re
October 12 • 8pm
m.c.c. 1644 n.e. 24th
donna luckett productions • 231-9351
ju st out T 14 ▼ August 1990
v>w\
♦ C\
The costumes were fabulous and the
people were enthusiastic. A record 1750
people attended the 4th Annual PEACOCK
IN THE PARK show on Sunday June 24th.
The show, a benefit for the Audria M.
Edwards Youth ScholarshipFund featured
production numbers from many entertainers
in the community. Darcelle made a debut
performance. Organizers were also pleased to
snag Bobbie Callicoatte, celebrating her 25th
year in show business, for a rare Portland
appearance. Lady Elaine Peacock, flawless as
always in her performance received a porttrait
by local artist Micheál Scott Jones. Misty
Waters, an ever popular crowd pleaser, also
lent her talents to the show.
4th A n n u a l P ea co ck in th e Park"'*
j
The VIDEO
j
I
Please send _ copies of the video to
j
| name_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ |
| address_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ j
II have enclosed $20 for each tape ($8 of which |
I will be donated to the Audria M. Edwards I
I
youth Scholarship Fund)
I
*
MAIL TO: Peacock Video
I
j 5235 NE Rodney Portland, OR 97211 *
jj)r call 284-6289 (2-3 wks for delivery)J
Viejo Realty Group Inc., Maxwell House,
Kool-Aid, Jello, Post Cereals, and Birds-eye
Frozen Foods.
Let Hamish Maxwell, Chairman and CEO
of Philip Morris know we don’t support
companies which support homophobia, by
contacting him at: 120 Park Ave., New York,
NY 10017, (212) 880-5000. Also, contact
Michael A. Miles, President and CEO, Kraft
Inc., Kraft Court, Glenview, IL 60025,
(708) 998-2000, and Leonard J. Goldstein,
President and CEO, Miller Brewing Company,
3939 W. Highland Blvd., Milwaukie, WI
53201, (414) 931-2000, with the same
message.
Now for something a little different— the
b?ycott, which is an undetermined entity. Your
help is needed to determine whether these
should be boycotts or buycotts.
In recent history, we were boycotting Visa.
They made donations to US Olympic teams
although the US Olympic Committee success
fully sued organizers of the “Gay Olympics,”
forcing them to change the name to the “Gay
Games.” This month, the Gay Games arc
taking place in Vancouver, British Columbia,
and some banks are offering Visa cards which
are being touted as gay-supportive. If anyone
knows what is going on with Visa, please
contact me.
Speaking of the Gay Games, those of you
heading up to Canada need to know that the
Vancouver community is boycotting White
Spot, Ltd. (known down here as Kentucky
Fried Chicken). They are being boycotted in
response to their homophobic Firing of a PWA.
Pick up a copy of Angles: A Monthly Magazine
fo r Vancouver's Lesbian and Gay Community
while you’re visiting, for more information.
On a more personal note, a while back I was
having dinner with two lesbian friends of mine
and the pre-teen daughter and son of one of
them. Somehow, the dinner conversation took
a turn that engaged these three educated, aware
adults in leasing the children about their future
opposite-sexed partners. The scary thing about
this story is that I didn’t realize our ribbing had
been homophobia in action until about a week
later. Talk about insidious.
▼
TWENTY-THIRD AVENUE
BOOKS
1015 NW 23rd Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97210, (503) 224-5097
Monday- Friday 9:30 am - 8 pm □ Saturday 10 am - 8 pm □ Sunday 11 am - 4 pm
A V ery S pecial E vening ^
H olly N ear
re a d in g from
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a t P oweix ’ s B ooks
( morrow :
1 0 0 5 W est H uraside/D ow ntow n
W ednesday, A ugust 22nd - 7 :3 0 pm
F ree advance tickets at P owell ’ s