■ H H W 4M )
Discrimination at
The Brig
To the Editor:
I was very disturbed by action taken against
me at one of Portland’s gay night clubs (The
Brig). This event took place on October 19,1991.
I had been in the club for 90 minutes when I
was tapped on the shoulder by an employee. I was
dancing with a friend and could not figure out
what this person wanted, so I asked him “What’s
up?” This man told me that I was loitering
because I had not purchased a drink.
I approached the owner. I told him I had been
in the club many times before. I also said that I had
never been harassed like this and there are no
signs posted requiring drink purchases. I was then
told by the owner to either buy a drink or get out.
Then he yelled “Get out.”
I have never caused any trouble at this club or
any club. There was no reason for anyone to be
treated like this. As a black male I think this act
was racially motivated and they did not want me
there.
I have never heard of any other person being
requested to purchase a drink or leave. I know
several white men who don’t drink and never
purchase drinks at the bar, and they have never
been approached like this.
It seems with all the discrimination in the
world against gays, you would not expect such
strong discrimination within the gay community,
but it is there. That is why most minority gays
don’t patronize gay owned businesses.
How do Portland gay establishments expect to
get equality from the non-gay community when
they don’t treat minorities within their own
community with respect and dignity?
Adrian Jeffries
Portland
No money for
OPB
(E ditor's note: The follow ing is a copy o f a letter
sent to OPB).
To OPB:
Until your organization becomes more sensi­
tive to the presence and needs of the gay and
lesbian community, I shall withhold my support
of your network, as will, I assure you, a growing
number of former followers. KBOO Radio ex­
emplifies the ongoing respectyou're not address­
ing, so I give to them instead.
Patrick Firmer an
Portland
Defeat the OCA
To the Editor
Measure 5 was a hoax. It moved the tax
burden from the utilities to the homeowners. It
played on people’s justified frustrations about
high taxes to put more money into the pockets o f
the big utilities.
Now we have a tax limitation measure put
forward by the Oregon Citizens Alliance, and
endorsed by Don Mclntire, the right winger who
initiated Measure 5. It also will not lower taxes
for most Oregonians, but it is designed to gather
support from angry taxpayers for OCA and its
homophobic, racist and sexist policies.
Let’s not be fooled again. What is needed is a
bill that specifically shifts the tax burden from the
individual homeowners and wage earners to the
large corporations, to the utilities, to the owners
with large property holdings-in short, tax the
rich!
Let’salso defeat theOregonCitizens Alliance’s
numerous petitions to destroy the lesbian and gay
community. In Hitler’s Germany the population
was frightened and angry because the economy
was crumbling. The nazis scapegoated Jews,
Catholics, radicals, gypsies and gays in order to
let Krupps and other large industrialists off the
hook for being responsible for the deteriorating
economy. They blamed the Jews and other mi­
nority groups instead of the profit system. Hatred,
fear and persecution of target groups was not the
answer then. It is not the answer now.
r
2nd Annual
WINTERTIME WOMEN
IN THE WOODS
January 17-19,1992
Homes, duplexes, apartment buildings &
commercial. Lloyd Center. Irvington
specialists. Full service Including property
management to meet all your needs.
Investment counseling, experienced In
relocation services for
out of state buyers.
Jordana Sardo
Scott P. Tim berlake
Owner/broker
Portland
I am writing to ask you to help intervene on
behalf of a segment of the gay population that is
sorely under-represented politically and blatantly
discriminated against on many levels. This group
is the gay consumers of the mental health system.
As a client of Mental Health Services West
(MHSW), I personally can attest that our voice is
rarely heard and manifestly ignored by such im­
portant community organizations as the Right to
Privacy, PAC. In particular, the RTP PAC has
turned down our many requests for complimen­
tary or discounted tickets to the Lucille Hart
Dinner.
A chance to be a part of mainstream gay social
events can make a huge difference in our feeling
heard and being an accepted part of gay and
lesbian life in Portland. I feel that the RTP PAC
must be held accountable for its discrimination.
I know the meaning of discrimination and
persistent and incidious hatred when it comes to
finding work and housing. I do not need another
dose of self hatred, internalized homophobia and
rage brought on by the mainstream in the gay
community who choose to represent us so shab­
bily if at all.
I ask you please don't allow us to slip through
the cracks. I have known much pain as a gay
manic depressive person. I seek a day in the light.
The Real Estate Finn
\
Open letter to
Keeston Lowry
Commercial and residential sales
(
Enjoy the natural wintertime setting,
therapeutic hot springs, pools, steam
sauna, rustic cabins, old mountain
lodge, ovolactic vegetarian meals
(included) at historic Breitenbush Hot
Springs, 60 miles east of Salem.
T his three day retreat for Lesbians is
limited to 100 participants. There will be
time available for healing workshops,
play, relaxation, music- your choice.
Sliding fee scale $120-165. Register
early, spaces go quickly. $25 deposit.
Carpooling.
(5031 284-8666
FAX (503) 284-8645
v
%
y
It\ My Piaiiwit
• jewelry «balloons
• music • video rentals
• sensual niceties
• erotic "toy" room
HOLIDAY GIFTS
DECEMBER HOURS
MON-FRI N O O N -7P M
SATURDAYS 11AM-7PM
620 SW 5th, Suite 710
Portland, OR 97204
(503) 223-8299
4526 SE HAWTHORNE
PORTLAND • 97215 • 236-0505
Kerry Hawley
Portland
I am afraid
To the Editor:
I have seen the OCA video. It shows clips
from a San Francisco Lesbian and Gay Pride
March and the March on Washington. It is us at
our most shocking, outrageous, and sacreligious.
It shows the once a year wild “mardi gras” release
and abandon some of us allow ourselves before
the Ash Wednesday of every Monday morning. It
is gay theatre at its best and most ridiculous.
What it doesn’t show is our community in any
of its complexity. Sex radicals are both homo­
sexual and heterosexual. The OCA, however,
isn’t filming videos of heterosexual S/M clubs, or
heterosexual child pornography rings. Their goal
is to stigmatize and scapegoat the lesbian and gay
community.
The OCA will use this video to educate ignorant
and naive voters all over the state. The people
susceptible to this propaganda believe they have
never seen or known a gay or lesbian person.
We must do our own education-and I don’t
mean making a video depicting us as Ozzie and
Ozzie or Harriett and Harriett.
I mean that we all must come out: secretaries,
mechanics, attorneys, doctors, loggers, and
teachers. We have to talk to our neighbors, co­
workers, and the cashier at the check-out line.
Only then can voters begin to comprehend the
complexity of lesbian and gay community. We
mustnot allow them to see us as one dimensional.
With solidarity and without denial we must
demonstrate our own diversity-the drag queen
and the dentist together.
If we don’t, I am afraid.
Cathy Siemens
Portland
Lloyd Center and Clackamas Town Center
GRAND OPENING
CELEBRATION
Sterling Silver
Chains
Bracelets
Earrings
Pendants
Pins
25%
off with this ad
(Good thru Dec. 31,1991)
L lo y d C e n te r L o ca tio n - 284 -1 5 1 8
C la c k a m a s T o w n C e n te r - 654 -1 2 9 9