Portland, Oregon j m in i ÌMSìziS**** b'ziìsi W hether diving into Mexico’s oceans, partying in Australia or exploring British Columbia, gay and lesbian travelers have many options for summer vacations. rcru>* W w - s + j » r» y to * * ’B h h i l i ** > u& SfU i s l ì 4jiJ,à r f i* 4 f XVJrtftS*: , Months before election day SOC PAC is working diligently to tell Oregonians what the OCA’s latest statewide measure is really about: discrimination and intolerance SOC it to ’em I by P am ela Lyons hen Measure 9 was de­ feated in November 1992, sexual minority communi­ ties and their supporters breathed a collective sigh of relief. In Portland, they danced and celebrated at a victory party at Montgom­ ery Park. People felt they could get back to their everyday lives now that the state­ wide measure sponsored by the Oregon Citizens Alliance had been warded off. Don’t look now: They’re ba-ack. The OCA is out about Oregon, work­ ing to gather the 89,028 signatures it needs to put another discriminatory measure on the November 1994 state ballot. While Lon Mabon says the wording for this one is “toned down,” Julie Davis, executive director of Support Our Communities Po­ litical Action Committee, says it would W have the same discriminatory effect that Measure 9 would have had. It might not matter at all how this mea­ sure is worded if a Marion County judge rules that it is unconstitutional, and can’t appear on the ballot. But if that happens, the OCA could come back with yet another d isc rim in a to ry measure, worded a little dif­ ferently. Out of all this political and legal mumbo-jumbo, one thing is clear: Queers and their supporters are in this for the long haul. “We ran Measure 9 like it was a 100-yard dash,” Davis said. “We gave every ounce of energy to the effort, because we went into it thinking one election will make it go away. But it didn’t go away. It’s becoming clearer we have to train like this is a marathon.” Leading the marathon is SOC PAC. With a strong commitment to grass-roots political organiz­ ing, the group is on the front lines of the statewide struggle and has been integral in assisting smaller rural communities battle the OC A in local elections. In the face of the exhaustion many felt after bat­ tling Measure 9, SOC PAC orga­ nized a wide base of support and a structure to directly challenge the OCA. Clearly, the OCA isn’t go­ ing to disappear on its own, Davis said, but SOC PAC’s goal is more than just battling Mabon and his Continued on page 15