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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 1990)
letters VOTERS GUIDE 1 1 R IG H T T O P R IV A C Y P O L IT IC A L A C T IO N C O M M IT T E E 1 E n d o r s e m e n t s f o r t h e N o v e m b e r 6 , 1 9 9 0 G e n e r a l E le c t io n OREGON GOVERNOR D - B a r b a r a R o b e r ts L A B O R C O M M IS S IO N E R D - M a r y W e n d y R o b e r ts (I) U .S . S E N A T E D - H a r r y L o n s d a le \ U .S . H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S D is tric t D is tric t D is tric t D is tric t D is tric t O R E G O N #5 V O T E N O - - - - - D D D D D L e s A u C o in (I) J im S m ile y R o n W y d e n (I) P e t e r D e F a z io (I) M ik e K o p e ts k i B A L L O T M E A S U R E S #8 V O T E O R E G O N m LOCAL G O VERNM ENT M ULTN O M A H C O U N TY C om m issioner, District 2: G a ry H a n se n CITY OF EUGENE C ouncilor, Position 1: R a n d y M c D o n a ld METRO SERVICE DISTRICT C ouncilor, District 12: N O #10 V O T E I N O I William Jamison Portland S T A T E L E G IS L A T U R E STATE SEN A TE: District 3 D - Bob Shoemaker (I) District 5 R - Jeanette Hamby (1) District 9 D - Frank Roberts (1) District 12 D - Bob Johnson District 13 D - Joyce Cohen (I) District 14 D - Jack Elder District 16 D -J im Hill (I) District 17 D - Tricia Smith District 18 D - Cliff Trow (I) District 26 D - Jeff Golden Sa n d i H a n se n R o b e rt Lib e rty 1 2 3 4 5 community. No telling where this all will lead, M eier & Frank should or if it will lead anywhere. I do know that the emotional overflow I feel when reading Just Out leaves me wanting to be an activist, a be commended helper, a tender shoulder, a friend, an enemy, a person who does things to help others, a To the Editor, senator, a basher, a health-giver, a person that I am writing in response to Jack Riley s comments regarding ART/AIDS in the October lets life pass them by, and so much more. Thank you. Just Out, for helping me realize issue. First of all it should be noted that the event is a Meier & Frank event to celebrate the that there are so many outside the gay commu who have different ideals, beliefs and renovation of their Lloyd Center store and that nity concerns, as well as the same within the gay ART/AIDS will be the beneficiary of the event Meier & Frank is the first major corporation in community. You have helped me formulate in my mind, as I write, what is important to me. the state of Oregon to step forward to raise money in the battle against AIDS. In addition to That is why my wish is not just to help the gay community, but to help humanity; thus, funding long term care for persons with AIDS through the opening celebration, the employees becoming a PAL. Isn’t that what God puts us here for — to love one another and help each of Meier & Frank have begun a fundraising campaign that will be matched dollar for dollar other. May my tears, joys, disappointments and passions help someone in this world, whether by the parent organization, The May Co. they are gay or straight. Instead of putting the event and Meier & Signing my name is my contribution to Frank down as Mr. Riley did, I think that this “Coming Out Day.” company, its management and employees should be commended for taking a positive Patrick F. Campbell stand, for its commitment to educating the Portland community and its willingness to raise dollars to assist those in our community with AIDS. ART/AIDS will sponsor an event of its own next year which, like the two which have pro ceeded it, will be accessible to all in the community regardless of income. D o n 't align gays HOUSE O F District 2 District 3 District 4 District 5 District 7 District 8 District 10 District 11 District 12 District 13 District 14 District 15 District 16 District 17 District 18 District 19 District 20 District 22 REPRESENTATIVES: D - Jackie Taylor D - Tim Josi D - Hedy L. Rijken (I) D - Kathy Morris R - Ted Calouri (I) R * Mary Alice Ford (I) D - Vera Katz (l> D - Tom Mason (I) D - Phil Keisling (I) D - Judy Bauman (I) D - Beverly Stein (I) D - Lisa Naito D - Tom Novick D - Mike Burton D - Margaret Carter D - Ron Cease (I) D - Bernie Baker D - Rick Kotulski District 23 District 25 District 37 District 38 District 40 District 41 District 42 District 43 District 44 District 46 District 47 District 48 District 52 District 58 R - David Cook D - David McTeague (I) D - Sharon Little D - Jim Edmunson D - Carl Hosticka (I) D • David Dix (I) D - Bill Dwyer (I) D * Lynn Kahle D - Sam Dominy (I) D - Judi Pettengill D - Jim Whitty D - David Werschkul D - Nancy Peterson (I) D - Terry Edvalson VOTE NO V. 6 1 Right to Privacy PAC, 921 S W Morrison, Suite 518, Portland O R 97205, (503) 228-5825 | Reader moved to action To the Editor, I recently started reading Just Out. I have lived in Portland for 12 1/2 years, of which 11 1/2 were spent in a relationship. Through these years of living in Portland, I have continually become more comfortable with my sexuality. As I read Just Out I become an emotional mess. After the first two issues I read, I told a friend, “I am going to have to stop reading this paper because it depresses me in many ways.” Each time I pick up the paper and read so much about AIDS, I continuously have tears in my eyes or running down my face. As I read about other gays defacing property by spray painting, etc., the unashamed love that two men have had for 23 years, the memorials of those that didn’t last for a cure, the discrimination against gays in other countries, strides made in gay rights, the sharing of others’ laughter and tears, I find a power brewing in me. I guess what I am trying to say is that Just Out moves me physically, intellectually, spiritually and emotionally. I feel mad, happy, sad, tears, joy, love, loss, empathy, sympathy, and a bottom-line image of who and what I am. I want to fight, love, be loved, write rhetoricals, lash out, protect and unleash power. It is like going to a movie that makes me laugh, cry or sad or happy, etc. I consider a movie that gives me so many emotional feelings a “good” movie. Just Out has brought me closer to who I am, and what is important in my life, and has given me a feeling that I must provide something to the gay community, whether it is standing out in Pioneer Courthouse Square on “Coming Out Day,” or choosing to help those less fortunate than me. The latter is what I have chosen. I have lost so many to the disease of AIDS that I have called and asked for an application to become a PAL (Personal Active Listener). If it hadn’t been for Just Out, and, of course, the guidance of God, I would never have thought to reach out and help others in the gay w ith child m olesters To the Editor, Frorrftime to time there surface in these pages opinions about age-of-consent laws and underage sex. It is important that we support the right of people any age to explore their sexuality, but we need to take care to avoid the appearance of promoting exploitation or abuse. Just Out runs onto dangerous ground when it discusses the issue of sex between adults and legally underage teen-agers. If a teen-ager is sexually drawn to adults, he or she should be free to seek adult partners. There are obviously many adults who would like to have sex with teen-agers (witness straight America’s standards, Playboy and Penthouse, to see what is desirable in a woman). On the other hand, when an adult is sexually drawn to teen-agers or pre-pubescent children, the adult does not necessarily have to wait to find a willing partner, because teen-agers and children generally do not have the power or ability to say no to a grown-up and defend that no. Anyone, adult or child, can be sexually exploited, but some people are better prepared to avoid exploitation than others. For example, a newborn can’t express itself as well as a 2- , year-old; a 2-year-old can’t express (or care for, or defend) itself as well as an 8-year-old; and an 8-year-old not as well as a 12-year-old. There are many theories about when a person is “ready” for sex. Some believe it’s at adolescence — when your body is ready, you’re ready. Others feel readiness comes later, with mental or emotional maturity. Still others say puberty has nothing to do with it and that people are ready for sex at 8 years of age, or 4, or 2 months. I’m willing to bet that most Just Out readers believe it’s wrong to fuck a 2- month-old. Chances are, most even think it’s wrong to fuck an 8-year-old, maybe more so if the other participant is, say, 15 or 30 or 50. Just Out needs to do a little editorial soul- searching before it prints articles, letters, Just Briefs or anything favorable to those who want to have to promote sex with “minors” — that wide-ranging group of people that includes little kids along with sexually mature teen agers. Because when you defend grown-ups who want to have sex with minors, just because there are teen-agers (and chiltfrenll) who want to have sex with grown-ups, in the eyes of the
