rrïTïyïn news
¿uly 1 7 . 19âfl »
P olitical R oundup
legislation in two ways: It would loosen the
restrictions on federal intervention and would
add sexual orientation, gender and disability to
the categories covered.
The OCA is having a bad day, while an Oregon senator is fighting the good fight in the nation's capital
Current law stipulates stronger punishment
only for crimes motivated by race, color, religion
The
instability
has
prompted
Lon
Mabon,
“
Based
on
our
anecdotal
evidence,
this
was
or national origin.
rom
over and
O C A chairman, to make a public pronounce­ no surprise,” says Westerling. “From what we
Eric H. Holder Jr., U .S. deputy attorney gen­
haker to haky ground
ment that his nearly decade-old group may soon
were hearing all along, we felt if anything was
eral, told the Judiciary Committee intervention
s the Oregon Citizens Alliance about to evap­ disband. Mabon has reportedly called a July 18 going to make it to the ballot, it would be the
limitations “have prevented the federal govern­
board meeting to come to a decision.
anti-choice measure.”
orate?
ment from investigating and prosecuting a sig­
One may believe so given the group’s failure
“But I think that’s highly unlikely,” assesses
Westerling suggests the time of single-issue
nificant number of violent bias incidents.”
to qualify two initiatives for the November bal­ Bill Lunch, an Oregon State University political
politics is winding down in Oregon. Multi-issue
The proposed legislation, meanwhile, has its
lot.
science professor and a frequent commentator
politics— that is, movements that address myri­ critics. Edward Jagels, a California state attor­
for Oregon Public Broadcasting.
Unlike the heated heyday of 1992 when the
ad issues— is the wave of the future, and one to
ney, said he fears “turf battles” between state and
which the right-wing movement is struggling to
O C A s anti-gay Measure 9 drew copious media
“This was a calculated move by Mabon to
local authorties.
attention and voter support (though it subse­ motivate and stimulate his supporters to say,
respond.
C hai Feldblum, a professor at the
“The right is reshuffling,” she says. “They’re Georgetown University Law Center and a fre­
quently lost), relatively few seemed to notice
‘No, don’t do that,’ and re-energize his base,”
when, in early July, the O C A failed to gather
quent consultant to gay and lesbian organiza­
at a point where they are trying to figure out
says Lunch, who estimates the O C A ’s positions
enough signatures to place a new anti-gay, anti-
appeal to as much as 15 percent of Oregon’s who they are and what they’re about.”
tions, testified the bill “has clearly been crafted
with a keen understanding of the the limits of
trans measure on the ballot.
electorate.
The proposed constitutional amendment
power of Congress.”
He adds that the O C A struggled to collect
■ Reported by I nga SORENSEN
sought in part to prohibit
The emotional high point of the hearing was
state and local governments
testimony by Renee Mullins, Byrd’s eldest
from providing benefits to
daughter.
yden ponsors
employees’ unmarried part­
In a voice at times breaking with emotion,
rl L
ate
rimes
easure
ners. It also aimed to estab­
she said: “A s Americans— and human beings in
t4x mu
I
lish a definition of “family”
‘V \ u r country’s history has been, and contin­ general— we have choices in life: to hate or not
for government purposes as a
to hate; to kill or not to kill; to be a leader or a
ues to be, marred by incidents of violence.
marriage between a man and
follower.
The men who murdered my father had
Some of the ugliest of these incidents are moti­
a woman.
a choice that morning. And
vated by hatred based on
Additionally, the m ea­
race, color, religion and
they
chose
violence.
sure read, “With reference to
Therefore, the laws of the
other characteristics,” said
the term one man and one
land should punish them."
Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah,
woman, the People further
Hatch closed the hearing
his voice laden with emo­
recognize and, therefore,
by
stating, “ I think you
tion and sincerity.
establish as public policy
should presume we are going
He was opening a July 8
that the concept of the
to do something. You should
hearing of the Judiciary
male/female relationship of U
help us do it right.”
Com mittee on the Hate
A scene from the O C A ’s better days
sexual affection is that which
Later, while speaking to
Crimes Prevention Act, a
is natural to mankind and that male/female gen­ enough signatures in part because Mabon has
measure
sponsored
by
reporters, Hatch expressed
der is determined at the moment of concep­ burned some bridges with allies who would have
Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden
his feeling that the current
tion.”
previously assisted in his efforts.
and Massachusetts Sen.
legislation is “too broadly
Some public agencies, including the cities of
Lunch also says the rise of paid signature
written” and “appears to be
Edward Kennedy, both
Eugene and Portland, and Benton and
gatherers within the conservative movement
Democrats, and Republican
unconstitutional.”
M ultnomah counties, provide benefits to
has also been hurtful.
Arlen
Specter
of
He said he was commit­
employees’ unmarried partners. Under the mea­
“Mabon views his work as a moral crusade
ted to trying to move a
Pennsylvania.
f
sure, state and local governments would have
and objects to paying people to gather signa­
rewritten version of the bill
Kennedy pointed to the Enc
H o‘der J n
only been allowed to provide benefits to those
tures,” he explains. “We’re seeing a situation
example of James Byrd Jr., the 49-year-old
this session, though he admitted that might not
fitting the legal definition of family— namely,
where some people who in the past may have
be possible. Hatch called the measure “a contro­
African American recently assaulted by a trio of
married heterosexuals.
circulated for the O C A for free have been lured
racists who chained Byrd to the back of a truck
versial bill” in the minds of some.
away by the likes of, for example, Bill Sizemore,
and dragged him to his death.
Measure supporters needed to submit 97,681
The House has scheduled a hearing on the
valid voter signatures by July 2. The O C A was
because they can make a couple thousand bucks
“That atrocity shocked the conscience of the
bill for July 22.
reportedly only able to gamer about 80,000 sig­ collecting signatures for him.”
country, and a strong response is clearly need­
House Judiciary Com m ittee Chairm an
March Westerling is the executive director ed,” said Kennedy. “Hate crimes are a form of
Henry Hyde, an Illinois Republican who was
natures.
terrorism. They have a psychological and emo­
of the Rural Organizing Project, a grass-roots
Group backers did turn in 100,711 signatures
instrumental in gaining passage of the Hate
tional impact which extends far beyond the vic­ Crimes Statistics A ct several years ago, has pub­
network of community human rights groups
promoting a constitutional amendment to ban
abortions in Oregon after the first 12 weeks of throughout Oregon.
tim. They threaten the entire community and
licly stated his support for the concept of a Hate
pregnancy. According to the state Elections
During the past several months, ROP sup­ undermine the ideals on which the nation was
Crimes Prevention Act.
Division, however, they gathered just under
porters attended OCA-related events to get a founded. We need to send the strongest possible
signal that hate crimes will not be tolerated.”
90,000 valid signatures, well short of the num­ sense of how the signature-gathering campaign
■ Reported by B ob R oehr
ber needed.
was coming along.
The measure would amend existing federal
OCA: F
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