ju st o u t T m ay 19, 1 9 9 3 ▼ 13
local news
M ay -J une
White House no-show?
Merry-Lee Rae
Jay and Janet
Fine Cloisonné
Jewelry
O'Rourke
Exotic
Hardwood
Boxes
Oregon lawmakers may be unable to accept an invitation
to meet with officials of the Clinton administration
▼
by Inga Sorensen
regon’s four openly lesbian and gay
sioned gay and lesbian electorate that is frustrated
state legislators have been invited to
with his handling of sexual minority rights mat
the White House to meet with senior
ters—particularly the issue of lesbians and gay
Clinton administration officials on
men in the military. (The administration continues
June 13. Expect the contingent to be a
to challenge court rulings that say it’s unconstitu
no-show, however, due to a scheduling tional
conflict
to bar openly gay and lesbian service mem
that will likely keep lawmakers in Salem.
bers).
“There’s a good chance we’ll still be in session,
“I can see how people might think this meeting
which is unfortunate, because I think it would be
is a bunch of bull, but I guess if l were Clinton’s
great to meet with other gay and lesbian public
advisor, I’d probably tell him not to attend, too, at
officials,” says George Eighmey, one of those
least if he wants to get re-elected,” says Shibley,
invited to the meeting. “But it’s disappointing that
who worked on Capitol Hill as a legislative aide to
the president won’t be there. It makes you wonder
Oregon U.S. Rep. Jim Weaver in the early 1980s.
if he’s serious about this.”
“I know he has disappointed a lot of people, but
Kathleen DeBold of the Victory Fund, a na
he’s better than a President Dole or a President
tional organization that raises funds to assist se
Wilson.”
lected gay and lesbian candidates in getting elected
She adds: “If I am able to go, I would emphasize
to public office, says 85 gay and lesbian elected
that the administration has to show that there are
officials have been invited to Washington, D.C.,
some benefits to being a ‘Friend of Bill.’ If Bill is
including Oregon state
constantly taking his sup
Reps. Gail Shibley and
Organizers say the gather porters for granted and will
George Eighmey, both
ing to compromise with
Democrats from Port ing will mark the first time in those who are philosophi
land, Rep. C ynthia
cally opposed to him on hu
U.S. history that the White man rights issues, then he’ll
Wooten (D-Eugene), and
Republican state Rep.
continue to be stuck between
House has scheduled a
Chuck Carpenter of Port
the proverbial dock and ship.
land.
You have to make tough
meeting specifically with gay choices
sometimes. You
Organizers say the
gathering will mark the and lesbian elected officials. can’t have it both ways.”
first time in U.S. history
Terry Bean, an Oregon
that the White House has scheduled a meeting
resident and Victory Fund co-founder says, “I
specifically with gay and lesbian elected officials,
think the whole military fiasco really tainted many
though neither President Bill Clinton nor Vice
people’s views about Clinton, but the fact remains
that he has done more for us than any other presi
President Al Gore are expected to participate.
dent in history. He continues to fight for AIDS
“This is going to be a working meeting—not a
funding. He has quietly outlawed discrimination
photo op. Administration officials will be sitting
based
on sexual orientation in federal agencies.
down with gay and lesbian officials to discuss
There are now more than two dozen openly gay
substantive matters like reauthorization of the Ryan
and lesbian staffers working for the president. It’s
White CARE Act, gay marriages and domestic
unprecedented.” Bean also says he was among
partnerships, hate crimes, and other matters criti
several gay and lesbian activists who recently met
cal to our community,” says DeBold, who could
with Gore and his wife, Tipper, at the vice
not name any senior administration officials who
president’s home in Washington, D.C.
are expected to attend the gathering. “We’re still
working on that. I know people would like to meet
According to DeBold, gay and lesbian elected
with [Health and Human Services Secretary] Donna
officials will also conduct a coordinated series of
Shalala and [Attorney General] Janet Reno, but I
congressional visits to meet with key legislators.
don’t know if that’s possible.”
“Our federal lawmakers need to see the faces of
The fact that no high profile administration
gay men and lesbians,” she says. “I think it really
helps, too, if they see gay men and lesbians who
official has thus far committed to attend has some
questioning whether Clinton is simply trying to
have been elected—by popular vote—to serve
their constituents.”
score some badly needed points with a disillu
O
Portland observes
international AIDS event
Portland will join more than 230 cities in 40
nations in observance of
the International AIDS
Candlelight Memorial and
Mobilization on May 21.
This year marks the
12th anniversary of the
w orld’s largest annual
community-based AIDS
event. The vigil is designed
as a remembrance to those
who have died of AIDS complications and to show
support for those living with HIV and AIDS.
The Portland observance will be hosted by the
Community AIDS Network. It will be held at 7:30
pm at the First Congregational Church, 1126 SW
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Out on Broadway
hosts stroll on the strip
Gay and lesbian-owned businesses along North
east Broadway in Portland have formed a new
business association called Out on Broadway.
The group is hosting The Broadway Stroll on
May 2 1 from II am to 5 pm. More than 25
businesses located on Broadway between 7th and
33rd avenues plan to participate in the event, which
is designed to support all businesses on that strip.
One of the goals of Out on Broadway is to
promote the diverse businesses located along North
east Broadway to the gay and lesbian communi
ties.
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