Just o u t ▼
5. 1007 Y 11
local news
T
he head of an Oregon gay and lesbian
rights group admits she has yet to be
convinced it’s a sound idea to launch
a proactive initiative campaign.
“I’m not totally sold on the idea at
this point,” concedes Jean Harris, executive di
rector of Basic Rights Oregon, a statewide
grassroots group that would take a lead role in
such an effort.
BRO recently kicked off a series of statewide
community discussions aimed at getting a pulse
on how others feel about promoting an initiative
prohibiting employment discrimination based on
sexual orientation.
The measure, which would be statutory in
nature and not a constitutional amendment, would
be proposed for the November 1998 ballot. Harris
says proposal language was submitted to the
Oregon secretary of state’s office Aug. 29, but
could be pulled and reworked at some point.
Chief petitioners are Cheryl Perrin, senior vice
president of public affairs for Fred Meyer, Inc.,
Ron Fortune, executive secretary treasurer of the
Northwest Labor Council/AFL-CIO, and BRO
co-chair McKinley Williams.
Washington voters will consider a similar
initiative this November.
Oregon’s first public dialogue was held Aug.
14 at Metropolitan Community Church of Port
land An estimated 85 people— mostly seasoned
activists and politicos—turned out for the two-
hour session.
Many expressed serious reservations about a
proactive initiative, echoing sentiments detailed
in a recent letter to BRO from Oregon Rep.
George Eighmey, an openly gay Portland Demo
crat.
In that missive, Eighmey argued there was a
“high probability” a pro-gay initiative would lose
Washington gay and
lesbian rights activists
plow ahead
ashington state gay and lesbian rights
advocates are looking south for a little
support.
“We’ve done mailings to raise money for
Oregon when you were battling anti-gay rights
measures there,” says Jan Bianchi, executive
director of Hands Off Washington, a statewide
grassroots group heading up the proactive cam
paign to pass Initiative 677.
The measure seeks to bar employment dis
crimination based on sexual orientation state
wide. It will appear on Washington’s ballot this
November.
In order to be victorious, Bianchi estimates
the Yes on 677 campaign will need to pull in
$750,000. She says Hands Off Washington has
W
Just do it?
Sexual minority rights activists in Oregon are pondering
the pros and cons of legislative proactivity
▼
by Inga Sorensen
and said the ramifications of such a loss could be
Suzanne Pharr, staff organizer of the Lesbian
severe.
Community Project, meanwhile, outlined poten
“We run the risk of having the failure used
tial positives of going proactive.
against us for at least the next five to 10 years. Our
She said it was a way for gay rights backers to
true hope of passing [the Employment Nondis
set the tone and frame the issue, rather than
crimination Act] lies within the Legislature,” he
always being on the defensive.
wrote. “If an ENDA initiative fails, our legislative
Pharr also said the effort could provide the
progress will be set back.... Those legislators
“spiritual reward of hope...of working for some
who were moderately supportive of it in 1997 and
thing instead of against something, working to
those who might be lukewarm in
win real improvements instead
supporting it in later years will
Proposal language of to win the right to stay at the
have the excuse of saying ‘the
status quo.”
was submitted
voters have spoken.’ ”
Another benefit mentioned
State Rep. Chuck Carpenter,
was the ability of a campaign to
to the Oregon
an openly gay Republican from
energize and strengthen the com
secretary of state ’s munity, to increase progressive
the Portland area, backed that
sentiment at the mid-August
turnout—thereby helping sup
office Aug. 29,
meeting.
portive candidates—and to cre
“If we lose, we won’t be able but could be pulled ate momentum for other rights
to pass anything...for the next 10
issues both at the ballot and in
and
reworked
to 15 years,” said Carpenter, who
the Legislature.
played a major role in success
Concerns, meanwhile, in
at some point
fully m aneuvering Oregon
cluded fears an initiative effort
ENDA through the Republican-controlled House
would squeeze already tight resources, thus un
this past session. The bill was subsequently killed
dermining fundraising efforts that could bolster
in the more heavily GOP-dominated Senate.
gay-friendly candidates. The question of whether
A loss at the ballot box would be used against
the majority should vote on the rights of the
gay and lesbian rights supporters “relentlessly,”
minority was also raised.
Carpenter added, to a round of applause.
Some who harbor reservations— including
raised about half that amount as of August’s end.
“I think we surprised a lot of people when we
actually got this on the ballot. Many were think
ing we simply wouldn’t get enough signatures.
Well, guess what? We did, and we’re going to
win this thing,” she says.
Yes on 677 is currently coordinating voter
registration and identification efforts, which will
be followed by an education and media cam
paign.
According to Bianchi, support from national
gay and lesbian rights organizations has been
mixed thus far. She says the National Gay and
Lesbian Task Force has been generous with its
campaign advice and assistance. The Washing
ton, D.C.-based Human Rights Campaign, mean
while, has yet to commit any financial resources
to the effort.
“But I’m on the phone with HRC a couple of
hours a day making our case,” says Yes on 677
campaign manager Mitch Fouchee.
Money is coming in from other sources,
however—but not without consequence.
impulse VIDEO
A few weeks ago, Fred Meyer, Inc., donated
$10,000 to the Initiative 677 campaign. In re
sponse, the company has been flooded with calls
from both proponents and opponents of the
initiative.
According to the Seattle Gay News, Fred
Meyer has received hate mail stating, in part,
“this nation is teetering on the brink of moral
collapse and we no longer support businesses
that are becoming part of the problem.” In addi
tion to calling for an official boycott of Fred
Meyer stores, the negative letters are filled with
false assertions, such as “[Initiative 677] will
force societal acceptance of homosexual
conduct...giving special legal protections to their
behavior.”
Jenny Schlueter, executive assistant to Fred
Meyer chair Bob Miller, tells Just Out company
officials are not surprised by the reaction.
“It’s bound to happen whenever you make a
contribution like that,” she says, adding that the
negative feedback will in no way sway the
company’s backing of such issues in the future.
former Gov. Barbara Roberts, an outspoken advo
cate for gay and lesbian rights—say they would be
supportive if the decision was made to move
forward with an initiative.
On another front, the board of Right to Pride,
Oregon’s largest lesbian, gay and bisexual politi
cal organization, recently passed a resolution sup
porting the formation of an initiative steering
committee comprised of an array of stakeholders
who would assess whether to move forward with
an ENDA initiative.
However, Barry Pack, RTP’s executive direc
tor, continues to express strong reservations. He
notes that more than 20 House seats will be open
during the next election cycle due to term limits.
Pack says there is “an incredible opportunity”
to make a difference in those races.
“If we had just a couple more moderate Repub
licans instead of conservatives in the Legislature
this session, ENDA would have passed,” he tells
Just Out, adding that he is concerned a push for an
initiative would detract money and energy from
critical legislative contests. (Pack estimates an
initiative campaign could cost as much as $2
million.)
“But we think it’s good to have this dialogue,”
he says.
Harris says BRO will continue to host commu
nity meetings across the state to assess whether
there is volunteer and financial support for the
idea. She says her group will conduct polling and
keep an extremely close eye on Washington.
It is too soon, she says, for the decision to be
made whether to forge ahead.
Will O ’Bryan contributed to this article.
Basic Rights Oregon can be reached
at 222-6151. Right to Pride may be
contacted at 228-5825.
Bianchi, meanwhile, attended the Aug. 14
community meeting in Portland where Orego
nians began mulling the possibility of launching
their own initiative campaign.
“I didn’t hear any concerns that I hadn’t heard
before in Washington state when we first began
talking about doing this two years ago,” she says.
“Like you, we had been going to the Legislature
for 22 years with a bill. In 1994, it came up one
vote short of passage. Some activists said we
should just focus on the Legislature. Well, the
next session the bill wasn’t even brought up in the
House.”
From the front lines of a new strategy Bianchi
asks, “How long are you supposed to keep trying
it that way?”
Inga Sorensen
Anyone wishing to donate to the Yes on 677
campaign may do so by sending a check to
Hands Off Washington, 1122 E Pike St.,
Suite 532, Seattle, WA 98122.
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