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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 18, 1995)
» * • »• >r » i» .i im V * ii » V i i 1 10 V a u g u st 10. 1009 ▼ ju s t o u t national news NO MORE FLEAS FULL ONE YEAR GUARANTEE Brian Marki Framing Action against Olympic torch run Route through Cobb County rekindles Olympics Out of Cobb movement • Semi hue, Innovative Designs • • Welded Steel Frames Chalet cclens 2236 NE Broadway, Portland 503-249-5659 Reas are a stubborn lot. You can dust tern, spray ’em, collar 'em, even bomb ’em, but still they persist. And all the while they’re driving your dog and cat crazy, not to mention you and your family. But there is an absolute way to kill fleas. Call Reabusters immediately. We specialize in killing fleas; your vet will tell you. It works for the entire flea season, and for one full year, guaranteed or your money back. So there's absolutely no risk, except maybe having your pet love you to death. Call Fleabusters today for a free telephone estimate 252-FLEA 3 5 3 2 IF YOU ARE ILL AND MONEY HAS RECOME A CONCERN . . . 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A preliminary map of the torch run’s route, tition moved from Cobb County, Ga., because of its anti-sexual-minority released July 21, shows that after entering Georgia resolution are now calling for nation at Savannah, and winding its way across the state wide protests against the Olympic torch run, which for 1,800 miles, the Olympic flame will make a they fear is going through Cobb County in 1996. two-day circle through Atlanta’s suburbs before Last July, after the Atlanta Committee for the entering the city. Suburban cities where the torch Olympic Games moved the volleyball venue, the will travel were listed on that map, and Marietta, Olympics Out of Cobb Coalition agreed to dis the county seat of Cobb—the largest county out band. But co-chairs Jon-Ivan Weaver and Pat side Atlanta’s urban core—was suspiciously ab Hussain announced on July 28 that they were sent. However, when asked by WXIA-TV reporter reviving the group after ACOG President Billy Payne, responding to an Atlanta television reporter’s query about whether the torch run would go through Cobb County, responded, “I don’t know why everybody thinks we wouldn’t do that.” ‘‘His statement violates the spirit of the agreement we reached last year. We really feel like we’ve been kicked in the stomach,” Weaver says. “The Olympic torch will not go through Cobb County if we can prevent it.” To that end, the coalition is vowing to organize protests at ev ery stop along the three-month torch run, the longest and most ambitious in Olympic history. Next April, the flame will ar rive in Los Angeles—site of the last American Olympics—from Greece and then be carried across parts of 42 states before entering Atlanta’s Olympic Stadium dur ing opening ceremonies on July 19. Cities along the route where festivities are Carmen Bums if the route would go through Cobb planned include Eugene, Salem and Portland, Ore., County, Payne’s response was “Yeah, it’s one of and Olympia and Seattle, Wash. It will also go the major population bases.” He then chided her through cities with major gay and lesbian popula for asking the question by terming it “not a very mature inquiry.” After tions including San Fran ’ Payne’s statement began to cisco; New York; Boston; draw media attention, Washington, D.C.; and Mi ACOG officials said the ami. route of the torch run has not Weaver says the coali been finalized and no deci tion plans to create a net sion has been made to run work of organizations in all the flame through Cobb. A of the major cities along the final route won’t be an route to conduct direct ac nounced before the end of tion protests, which could ” the year. range from infiltrating the However, given Payne’s ranks of volunteer torch car —Jon-Ivan Weaver comments, Weaver and riers to dousing the flame with water from the sidelines. The National Gay Hussain are convinced that ACOG already plans to and Lesbian Task Force’s “Creating Change” con run the flame through Cobb and is simply delaying ference next spring in Detroit will be used as a the announcement—a tactic similar to what hap launching pad, as will pride celebrations next sum pened during the volleyball fight when ACOG said mer in the months before the Atlanta games. The for months that no decision had been made even Internet may also be used to organize protesters in though the event site had been announced on national television. smaller cities and towns along the way. “We’re simply not going to wait for ACOG to Two years ago, the Cobb County Commission passed a resolution officially denouncing the gay announce its decision,” Weaver says. And unlike “lifestyle” and opposing any civil rights protec the last time around, the coalition won’t negotiate tions for gay men and lesbians. Since then, the with ACOG and attempt to educate Olympic Orga suburban Atlanta county of 400,000 residents has nizers on why the Cobb route is inappropriate. been the target of numerous protests. The decision Unless Olympic organizers definitively announce by ACOG to remove the volleyball venue was the that the torch won’t go through Cobb, they say, most high-profile victory won by opponents of the organizing for the protests will proceed. resolution. Weaver and Hussain say that, as part of “I think the time for trying to educate ACOG is their agreement, ACOG promised not to put any over,” says Hussain. A “[Payne s] statement violates the spirit of the agreement we reached last year.... The Olympic torch will not go through Cobb County if we can prevent it. CONCERN. \ i a u c a L B T P le a se coM fo r m o re in fo rm a tio n 1 800 871-9440 - I nc . Gay Owned and Operated - 24 HOURS FT LAUDERDALE • CLEVELAND PHOENIX • CAMDEN Learn more about our free Physicians Hotline, Available to all Viatical Benefit Foundation clients, Along with our 24 Hr. Crisis Intervention Hot Line, Staffed by certified HIV counselors. We are family concerned about the well being and security of all other families.