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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 1992)
4 ▼ dtccm bcr 1, 1092 ▼ just out letters a X a C le a n in g Se M rvice e tro Serving Portland & Salem Since 1981 A developing agenda Jennifer L. Arends, Owner Trained, Supervised, Bonded & Insured Personnel Specializing in Buildings 1-50,000 sq. ft "W E D O IT RIGHT!" • Clinics • Medical Buildings • Professional Offices - Free Written Estimates - Rehranc»« AvaiUbW 295-7702 P.O. Box 871 Portland OK 97207 Coventry Cycle (7 W orks — Sky TREK# NISHIKI MASI V O PEN TUESDAY-SUNDAY N ATURAL FIB R E CLOTHING 230-7723 2025 SE Haw thorne Blvd. W 54 SW 2nd - 228-1693 • M on - Fri 10-7 • Sat/Sun 10-6 TAX SAVINGS! BUYING A HOME NOW COULD MEAN AN ENTIRE YEAR OF TAX SAVINGS CONSULT THE HOME TEAM S U E S T A N D A R D D A V IS . Sue Standard Davis GR1 Assoc. Broker ..warm, wise, unbeatable. Successful real estate professional in the metro area since 1979. Native Oregonian with pioneer roots. ..sharp, honest, up-front. J A N Y C E J. B E N D E R . Licensed tax consultant with 17 years of tax experience and property management. A FREE CONSULTATION OVER A CUP OF TEA.... Sweeney Michael Ellis Sue will walk you through every step in buying a home... from finding the right property through the loan process to escrow. Then Janycc will provide a tax analysis and financial overview to show how your home purchase might result in tax savings. W H E R E ELSE C AN YOU G E T T H IS O U T ST A N D IN G C O M B IN A T IO N ? EX PER TISE • E X P E R IE N C E * PE R SO N A L SER V IC E K\ im -r * Member Million Dollar club Realtors Multiple lasting Service bender.. properties Office (503) 653-8378 Sue (503) 653-7669 FAX (503) 786-1227 To the Editor: The terrible and exciting election in this state is over, and we can take a breath of air and a sigh of relief. After all, for now at least, we are not officially perverse or legally barred from public employment if we decide to be honest with people. Makes us feel kinda secure, doesn’t it? If our answer is “yes” then we deserve Mea sure 9-or what is certainly coming in just two short years. Now the real work begins! Though my sexual orientation is hardly a secret (or shouldn’t be) to those who know me, as my beloved partner and I celebrated 15 years together in October, this is the first time I have “gone public” since we moved to Oregon three years ago. This is taking some risk, as I work with young people, and the OCA isn’t going to go away. The results of this last election supports a little faith that we can meet the challenge ahead. Having a woman I used to work with approach me to say, “Edward, if I had never met you and your lover I would have voted ‘yes’ on Measure 9,” further buttresses my store of pride and confi dence. It also tells me, clearly, what we need to do. We must, without delay, call a congress of ourselves together-the lesbians and gays, and the parents, politicians and community leaders who know, love and support us. This “congress of hope and justice” should have the following “agenda” (funny-I, for one, had no “agenda” whatsoever before this Measure 9 travesty was shoved in my face): 1. Establish and disseminate a clear and per suasive theological foundation to counter the ob vious misbeliefs of the Christian right. 2. Establish a core group of moderate speakers for-and supported by-our community to go out to those southern and eastern counties, visit church group», distribute positive literature, purchase air time, show documentaries such as The Times of Harvey Milk, and otherwise provide positive role models for citizens who really don’t know we are good pieople. 3. Establish a research bureau to accumulate documentary and scientific evidence showing the true nature of “core” homosexuals as a disposi tion of birth, not choice. 4. Formulate a counter-ballot initiative to establish the rights of all people as unassailable constitutionally-well beyond the reach of any simple election majority. 5. Establish a standard of public behavior and ethics that will self-regulate events. 6. Set up and supjport a dedicated group of “vigilantes” to watch and expose in the pjress the Jk machinations of the OCA and the militant Chris tian right. 7. Establish a terminal for a nationwide fund raising network to support this effort, and to counter the funds that come from national organi zations of the militant Christian right, a la Pat Robertson and his ilk. My fellow lesbian and gay Oregonians: We have had the dubious honor of living in [one of] the first “test case states” that will determine if the inexorable wheel of equal rights for all pieople that has been rolling in this blessed land since 1789 is to be stopped and turned back. We have also had the cutting edge of the American Civil Rights Movement pressed to our collective necks. The whole world watches to see if we will lose our heads or hold them high! Edward De Vito Portland The world is watching To the Editor: Quite simply, I write to tell you that though I am 5,000 miles away, I think of your struggle each day, and I am with you in my heart. Trite but true- you are on the front lines, already heroes in a battle not yet won. As gays and lesbians, we remember all too well the debilitating effect of isolation in the face of adversity, be it AIDS or ignorance. Know that you are not alone. The world is watching. As the first of many rounds draws to a close, have pride in the fact that you inspire us, an entire Queer Nation, with your courage and strength. Joseph Best New York, NY What’s driving Colorado To the Editor: As you are aware, the state of Colorado re cently pjassed the most homophobic and horren dous legislation to be enacted in recent times. What you might not be aware of is the fact that one of the pnime financial supporters of this amendment and one of the strongest opponents of gay and lesbian civil rights is a man named Wil Perkins, who is the owner of Perkins Chrysler Plymouth Dealership in Colorado Springs. This amendment has basically been underwritten by funds from the sale of Chrysler cars. Ian C. Gibson-Smith Thomas G. Martin Washington, D.C. tr a n s itio n s Sweeney Michael Ellis died in his home Oct. 31 from causes related to AIDS. He was 33 years old. Ellis was bom in Milwuakee, Wis., and grew up in Indiana, where he attended high school. As a hearing-impuired youth he participated in the Spiecial Olympics swimming and ice skating teams. When he moved to Portland in his early 20s, he trained to become a Certified Nurse’s Aide and worked in that field for several years. During that time, he and a friend worked with street youth giving them temporary shelter, feeding them and counseling them about drugs and other issues. During July of this year. Ellis achieved a lifelong dream when he traveled to London and visited various historic sights in the area. He is survived by his parents, Oakie and John Ellis of Portland; his brothes, John, Terry and Neil of Portland, Dan of Hillsboro, and Kevin of Rich mond, Ind.; his sisters Mary Midkiff of Mollala, Mcda Hicks of Portland and Nancy Enloe of Hcspierian, Calif.; and several nieces and neph ews. His is also survived by his other “family,” Meg MacBean, Opal Yansky, Jeff Case, Jim Coffey, William Bialk, Brian Smith, Gary Whitehad and Mary Jadwisiak. His family and friends would be pleased if donations in his name were made to Kaiser Hos pice Program, Cascade AIDS Project, the HIV Day Center, or any other organization that helps people with AIDS. Ron Schmidt Ron Schmidt barely got his last wish. This fad the prominent public relations expiert announced that he hoped he would live to see Ballot Measure 9 defeated; he did. Schmidt died Nov. 7 after a seven-year battle with cancer. He was 56. Schmidt’s career in public relations spann more than 25 years and included clients such as Sen. Mark Hatfield. His advertising firm, the Schmidt/Westerdahl Group Ltd.. lost only two or the 21 ballot measure campaigns it took on in years. When Schmidt heard that Ballot Measure 9 lost, he wrote, “It will bring Oregon toge cr again.” Schmidt is survived by his wife, Ede.
