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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (May 5, 2000)
may i 2000' jMtMtj (4 X Sot saved in 1970 i and 1 was a hippie. 1 tcx)k drugs, was J into everything 1 ; . could be into,” said Lon Mabon, who paused and scanned the room, gazing at the dozen people propped before his eyes. Mabon wore his signa ture mustard blazer; his blond hair appeared longer than usual; his face was a lit tle more worn; his eyes looked kind of sad. Karen DeLano (left) and Tina Conover of BPA’s queer group “1 know what sin is.” Pause. “1 also know what accepting the Lord ty, by its Christian-focused employee group. Jesus Christ is." Last year, Mabon’s visit caused quite a stir, Mabon has been around Oregon for the bet gamering media attention and many more ter part of a decade, espousing an anti-abortion attendees. This go-round was comparatively and anti-gay-rights agenda typically manifested quiet. Just a few employees—some gay, some via initiatives sponsored by his tenacious Ore not—some snacking, some not—plopped down for his hour-long sermon on the woeful state of gon Citizens Alliance. the family. During an April 27 lunchtime chitchat at The issue of homosexuality—which wasn’t the Bonneville Power Administration’s head mentioned during his BPA presentation in quarters in Portland, Mabon sounded the call 1999—emerged from Mabon’s mouth repeated once again—but not before wife Bonnie let ly during his talk in 2000. loose with a little Christian ditty. “Homosexuality—does it attack the family?” “We’re pilgrims on a journey...” Bonnie sang he quizzed. “Of course it does.” (Exodus Interna out. When she mentioned God, her finger tional got a good word from Mabon.) sprouted to the heavens. God, he said, did not make a man to be a “She rarely doesn’t hit the right note,” Lon woman or a woman to be a man. God made a assessed. man to be a man, a woman to be a woman, and For the second consecutive year, Mabon was a man and a woman to be together. invited to speak at the BPA, a government enti- I t ’ s a Go T ell I t at the BPA God-fearing gaybuster Lon Mabon makes his second visit to the Bonneville Power Administration by Inga Sorensen Got that? The OCA is currently collecting signatures to qualify its latest anti-gay initiative, the Stu dent Protection Act, for the November 2000 ballot. The measure seeks to stamp out any form of instruction, organization or positive discus sion relating to sexual orientation in Oregon’s public schools. Mabon plugged the initiative and even brought petitions to the BPA, making it conve nient for visitors to his presentation to bolster his signature-gathering effort. Well, this didn’t sit well with Karen DeLano, president of the BPA’s gay and lesbian resource group, who asked that the on-the-premises sig nature collecting be immediately halted, which it was via the order of a BPA official who was on hand. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize,” said Bonnie. Tina Conover, who has worked for BPA for a dozen years and is part of the queer employee group, was peev ed by Mabon’s presence. “I’m angry!” she says. She was last year, too. “It really gets to me!” As with last year, DeLano didn’t like the fact that Mabon was in her work environment doing his thing. Yet, even with Mabon explicitly diss ing homosexuality, DeLano says the man’s got a right to free speech. (As do Darcelle XV, human rights activist Kathleen Saadat, and Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays mem bers—all of whom were previously brought to BPA by the gay employee group.) And, DeLano says, of the 12 people who came to watch Mabon, half were queer; the thought prompts a smile from her. ■ Any queer goings-on in your neighborhood’ Contact M arty D avis at marty@justout.com or P.O. Box 14400, Portland, OR 97293-0400. Send faxes to (503) 236-1257. D ate After skipping a year, Lesbian Community Project is poised to hold its annual membership meeting by Inga Sorensen here wasn’t one in 1999, but there will be one in 2000—May 21, to be exact. That’s the day the Portland based Lesbian Community Project will hold its annual membership meeting. And what transpires from that gathering will likely determine the organization’s future. “We’re looking for people to step forward and take leadership positions,” explains LCP board chair Amazon Knightly, one of LCP’s three board members. “We have money in the bank. We have an office, but we don’t have any board members.” LCP has been without a full-time staff orga nizer since Deke Law departed last fall. Long time community activist Kristan Aspen just completed a stint as the interim staff organizer for the 13-year-old organization. She has been retained on a contract basis until fall, and two part-time organizers—Lori Patterson and Libby Harrison—were recently brought on to handle a variety of projects throughout the summer. During the past few months, Aspen and the board have solicited from the community thoughts and feedback about LCP in what has been dubbed a “listening period.” Says Aspen: “This will be an important meeting, because we will present some proposals for the membership to consider about the future of the organization. The proposals are not completed yet. “We have a committee formed by women who attended chats and board members to syn thesize and coalesce the input we have received into proposals we think the membership will support,” she continues. “We also will be asking for new board members to run and be elected at this meeting. AU of this is the result of the groundwork we have laid since January, during our ‘listening period.’ ” Adds Knightly: “This is the time to step for ward.... We need board partners to help and guide us.” ■ The L esbian C ommunity P roject ’ s annual membership meeting is slated for 4 to 7 p.m. May 21 at the Bijou Cafe, 132 S.W. Third Ave. in Port land. Kathleen Saadat will facilitate. For more infor mation, contact LCP at (503) 233-3913. VANCOUVER HOMES Great opportunity for: Homes below $145,000 Duplexes New Construction Homes on Acreage FREE buyer consultation and $75 home inspection discount. UNLIMITED ACCESS s 1995/ mo • s 99°°/6 mos NO START UP FEES • CALL TODAY IS J 503*240-8200 E-mail: info@SpiritOne.com rxü N Richmond Ava • Portland OR 97203 fax 503 2408205 2211 S.W. PARK PLACE #503 PORTLAND, OREGON 97205 Age of Unit: 1965 • Square feet: 1039 • Bedrooms: 2 Baths: 2 • Extras: Covered Patio • New Appliances Walk to downtown, N.W. area. Unit comes with separate storage & parking. 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