flTTÌTl news
September 3. 1999 » Ja ta t oart 5
’m not attending,” says Jean Harris, exec­
utive director of Basic Rights Oregon, a
statewide gay and lesbian rights group.
“But 1 know some people in here who
have expressed an interest in going.”
Harris may not be at next year’s Millennium
March on Washington for Equality, but BRO
has nonetheless endorsed the April 30 march.
And the producers of the national queer rights
gathering are touting the new addition to their
endorsement list.
In an Aug. 19 media statement, David Med­
ina, a Millennium March on Washington board
member, says: “Jean Harris and the members of
Basic Rights Oregon are outstanding examples
of state leadership in our community. Together
they have set the pace in defending our rights
and advancing the cause of equality in our
nation.”
The missive describes BRO as the largest
statewide gay rights organization in the country.
“Jean Harris epitomizes grass-roots activism
and we are honored to welcome this superb
grass-roots organizer to the M M OW Leadership
Council,” adds Robin Tyler, M M OW ’s execu­
tive producer.
“I have no idea what that is,” says Harris,
referring to the council.
According to MMOW, every group that
endorses the march may designate a member to
serve on the leadership council, which oversees
state organizing efforts, works with fund raising,
and helps develop the march platform.
Harris says as far as she’s concerned, BR O ’s
endorsement is just that: an endorsement.
“W e’re not doing any organizing around it,”
she tells Just Out. “W e’re going to be gearing up
for the 2000 election here.”
The Washington, D.C.-based Human Rights
Campaign and the Universal Fellowship of M et­
ropolitan Community Churches are the lead
organizations promoting the march.
“This march will set a new tone for a new
century,” says Elizabeth Birch, executive direc­
tor of HRC, a national gay and lesbian political
institution.
“Together, we will solidify the gains we’ve
made over the past decades and call upon our
nation to live out its promise of liberty and jus­
tice for all,” adds the Rev. Troy Perry, founder of
M arch O n
Basic Rights Oregon endorses Millennium March on Washington;
opponents still grumbling while organizers plow ahead by Inga Sorensen
UFM CC, a predominantly gay Christian-spiri-
tuality organization. “This march will set the
pace for social justice and human rights.”
Established in 1968, UFM CC is composed of
more than 300 local congregations in 15 coun­
tries.
The Rev. Roy Cole of M CC Portland says
that, while UFM CC is
a primary backer of the
Millennium
March,
the fever so far has
failed to trickle down
to the local level.
He and (as of late
August) roughly 10
other folks from M CC
Portland
plan on
attending, but other­
wise, Cole says, there
just doesn’t seem to be
a huge amount of
interest.
“Marches
are
often viewed as polit­
ical
events,” he
explains, “and some
people get uncom­
fortable with the
church appearing to
be politicized.”
Cole notes, how­
ever, that UFM CC
was established from a social justice
tradition— that is, it was founded for sexual
minorities who were historically mistreated and
excluded from mainstream churches.
“So it makes sense that the denomination
would be involved in a march that promotes
social justice,” he says.
ot surprisingly, there has been controversy
surrounding the Millennium March since
N
Glasses That Make A Statement.
(A Good Statement Not A Bad Statement)
,
mmtK Ere ( umc
the idea was conceived last year. One of the
concerns expressed by critics is that a national
march could siphon energy and resources from
local and statewide organizing efforts.
In April, Kerry Lobel, executive director of
the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force,
resigned from the MMOW board.
“1 continue to
doubt the value of
this march at this
M time. I honor the
5 value of our previ­
ous national march-
| es and acknowledge
i them as having been
political
turning
points in the lives of
many current leaders
and activists,” Lobel
explained. “However,
the effectiveness of
such an enormous
commitment of time
and resources at a
moment when more
and more energy is
demanded
of the
G LB T movement at
the state and local
level is questionable.”
T he
last queer
rights march on Wash­
ington, D.C., was in
1993, and organizers estimate one million peo­
ple participated. National gay and lesbian rights
marches were also held in 1987 and 1979.
The author of an opinion piece regarding the
march that recently appeared on The Advocate's
Internet site asked: “What happens at the end of
the day, when the parties are over, the scaffold­
ing is dismantled...and the amplifiers are
packed away, and when the trains, planes, and
■ For more information, visit the MILLENNIUM
M a r c h o n W a s h in g t o n Internet site at
ivww.mmoiu.org.
KAREN M. S WEIGERT, MD
Obetetrice and Gynecology
0 M
77)-m o
automobiles carry the participants home? What
then?”
Nicole Murray-Ramirez, MMOW national
co-chair, responded: “Well, there’s no need to
guess or speculate. Past experience tells us exact­
ly what will happen: Hundreds of thousands of
grass-roots activists will return to their local
communities and become active in local LGBT
organizations. Local L G B T organizational
income will go up.... I know (because] I’ve
served on the organizing committee of all three
of the previous LG B T marches on Washing­
ton.”
According to Murray-Ramirez, the national
Latino/a Lesbian and Gay Organization; Par­
ents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays;
and the forerunner of today’s National Black
Lesbian and Gay Leadership Forum all sprouted
from past marches.
As for the local vs. national criticisms, Mur­
ray-Ramirez says: “Each is needed. Each has a
place.... Those who think the action is solely on
the local level have overlooked the fact that not
one of our demands from the first march on
Washington has yet been enacted into law.”
For her part, Harris says: “Some people real­
ly like going to the national marches. It’s how
they get their inspiration.”
She adds, “They’re not going to give me the
money if they don’t go. They just aren’t.”
Portlander Terry Bean, a well-known fund­
raiser who has helped launch national gay and
lesbian rights organizations, including HRC,
agrees. “It’s not an either-or situation,” he
assesses.
As for Portland-area organizing for the
march, Bean expects the local HRC steering
committee to become increasingly active in the
effort.
The MMOW board, meanwhile, will host a
community meeting in Portland on Feb. 6
and 7.
“There isn’t much going on at the moment,”
Bean says. “Most of the activity is happening at
the national level, but that will begin to change
as we get closer to the march.”
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