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
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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)