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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 1993)
2 T jai ■ M ry 1. 1 M 3 ju s t out since 1983 guest editorial PUBUSHER Renée LaChance contents EDITOR M oral im m une system VOL 10 NO. 4 JAN. 1, 1993 The far right came out the night of the Republican National Convention and the country looked straight into the face of hate 1992: The Game of Strife Ariel Walerwoman CALENDAR EDITOR Garland Terry REPORTERS Irene K. Hislop Jim Hunger PHOTOGRAPHERS Linda Carter Linda Kliewer ADVERTISING Amanda Colorado Meg Grace E. Ann Hinds CREATIVE DIRECTOR E. Ann Hinds PROOFREADER Marvin Moore TYPESETTER Amanda Colorado FORMATTER Meg Grace GAMEBOARD DESIGN Rupert Kinnard DISTRIBUTION Up Front Distribution CONTRIBUTORS Rex Wockner Lee Lynch Cynthia Cumfcr Sandra de Helen Barbra Streisand Andrew Rasancn Matthew Nelson Marilyn Davis JuM Out is puhlidied on the first and fifteenth day of each month. Copyright ©1993 by Just Out. No part of Just Out may be reproduced without written permission front the publisher. The submission of w ritten and graphic materials is welcomed. Written material should be typed and double- spaced. Just Out reserves the right to edit for grammar, punctuation, style, liability concerns and length. We will reject or edit articles or advertisements that are offensive, demeaning or may result in legal action. Just Out consults the Associated Press Style Book and Libel Manual on editorial decisions. letters to the editor should be limited to two double-spaced typed pages. Deadline for submissions is the 1st and 15th of the month proceeding publication. Views expressed in letters to the editor, columns and features are not necessarily those of the publisher. Display advertising will be accepted up to the 2nd and 17th of each month. Classified ads must be received at the office of Just Out by the 2nd and 17th of each month, along w«h payment. Ads will not be taken over the telephone. Ad policy. No sexually exploitive advertising will be accepted. Compensation far errors in, or cancellation of, advertising will be made with credit toward future advertising. Subscriptions to Just Out are available far $17.50 far 12 issues. First Class (in an envelope) is $30 far 12 issues. A copy of Just Out is available far $1 and/or advertising rale* are available on request The mailing address and telephone number for Just Out are: PO Box 1S117, Portland, OR 97215; (503) 236-1252. Our fax number is 236-1257. by Barbra Streisand ^ he moral immune system of this country has been and common sense revolted and out-organized, out-financed weakened and attacked, and the AIDS virus is the and out-thought those who despise what is best about our perfect metaphor for it. What’s happened these last country: our cultural, racial and religious diversity. I keep pinching myself. Finally, a president who is commit 12 years is that bigotry was legitimized. Rules were ted to finding a cure for AIDS. Finally, a president who made by and for white, Christian, heterosexual the patriotism of gays and lesbians willing to males. All the rest of us were left out. And a disease acknowledges that has serve in the armed forces.... I feel that we are now entering a infected far more heterosexuals than homosexuals throughout the world was dismissed as a gay disease, with that official time of healing. We’re grateful that our new president is homophobic wink, implying that those deaths didn’t really committed to life, that he has put before us an agenda which is matter. I will never forgive my fellow actor Ronald Reagan for compassionate and caring. And, as he has said, AIDS policy his gcnocidal denial of the illness’s existence, for his refusal to can now be made based on sound scientific and public-health even utter the word AIDS for seven years, and for blocking principles, not on panic, politics and prejudice. We will be adequate funding there to support for research and him every step of education which could have saved the way. Our hundreds of thou hopes are high sands of lives. and so are our ex Then came pectations. But George Bush, lest we be lulled once the moder into a false sense ate, who, in a of security, the Faustian bargain, struggle goes on. allied himself Just look at the with the same vote for hate in primitive, gay Colorado, where bashing, immoral voters rescinded minority. Like any protections many of you, I sat for gays in em and watched the ployment or Republican Con housing. And vention in utter there are plenty of disbelief. How us who love the could the Pat mountains and Robertsons and rivers of that truly Pat Buchanans, beautiful state, presuming to be but we must now the spokes people say clearly that for God, spew the moral climate such doctrines of there is no longer divisiveness, in acceptable and, if tolerance and in we’re asked to, humanity? Who is we must refuse to that God? A lot of play where they us of different po discriminate. litical outlooks came together that night. The radical right Many of us in this community worked very hard to get this linked the issues for us and reminded us of how much was at president and many members of Congress elected, and we stake as they branded the concerns of women, gays, minorities didn’t do so in order to be invited to formal state dinners at the and Democrats as un-American. How dare they call us un- White House. We supported these candidates because they American! When Pat Robertson stood up and warned of Clinton, promised us profound change, and we want them to know we and I quote, “He wants to repeal the ban on homosexuals in the will be listening, watching and waiting. military and appoint homosexuals to his administration,” I and In 1986,1 saw a play by Larry Kramer called The Normal millions of other Americans were even more convinced Bill Heart, which affected me deeply, and I plan to make it into a Clinton was our candidate. And when Pat Buchanan thundered, movie. Set against the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, it’s and I quote, “We stand with George Bush against the amoral about everybody’s right to love. The main character, Ned idea that gay and lesbian couples should have the same standing Weeks, founded the Gay Men’s Health Crisis, only to be in law as married men and women,” I wondered, who is Pat thrown out because he was too loud, too aggressive, too Buchanan to pronounce anybody’s love invalid? How can he accusatory, too angry. Months later, discouraged, disheart deny the profound love felt by one human being for another, a ened, sick of fighting his friends as well as his enemies, sick of love that all too often takes them to the bitter end, holding each the stupidity and worn down, he now faces his lover who is other in hospices and hospitals all over this nation? dying of AIDS. And his lover looks up at him and says: “Please Well, George Bush didn’t say no to the Buchanans, but we leant to fight again. Don’t lose that anger. Just have a little said no to George Bush. The far right finally went loo far. They patience and forgiveness, for yourself as well.” After his lover came out that night and the country looked straight into the face dies, Ned cries out: “Why didn’t I fight harder? Why didn’t I of hate, and thank God—the God I know—the majority of picket the White House all by myself if nobody would come?” people said; “Enough! Enough racism, enough sexism, enough We’re filled with hope right now that someday, somehow, gay-bashing, name-calling, discrimination, enough extrem we will see an end to this human tragedy. But let us vow, if need ism.” Isn’t it just fantastic that the American people came down be, to picket the White House all by ourselves, until somebody on the right side, the side of human rights, pure and simple? And comes. Thank you. 7 we elected new leaders. We did it, you did it, I did it, women, gays, Jews, people of color, working people, old people, young people—all of us who valued ourselves enough to demand that This is a speech given by Barbra Streisand to a star studded our voices be heard. All of us who cherished common decency gala benefiting the Los Angeles AIDS Project. T FEATURES Now you can live through 1992 as many times as you want—except this lime, you can have fun with it. (pp. 16-17) DEPARTMENTS Letters (p. 3) World news (p-4) National news (pp. 6-7) Local news Whose party is it, anyway? The battle lines are being drawn in Oregon’s Republican Party (p. 8) The new head of the Oregon Minority AIDS Coalition is ready to face the challenges (p-12) Thalia Zepatos is a first-time author and an active ally (p.13) CO LUM NS Legal Portland attorney Cynthia Cumfer explains living trusts (p. »5) ARTS Entertainment The Crying Game is a film of the times (p. 22) Theater Pomo Afro Homos return to Portland with a new show and new stories to tell (p. 23)
