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.
Must see rooftop garden and sundeck.
Richard Voss. GRI
CENTURY 21 PENINSULA REALTY
503-804-9424 Cafl/VM 503 286-5826 Oflk«
a
Unique garden gifts
and one-of-a-kind art
KEN SPURLOCK, GRI
360-901-4944
503-240-8753, ext. 116
2707 St Belmont St Portland OR 972 I 4 Fax 503 234 6609
Email hollyhocksge@earthlink net
Phone 503 872 8672
Houseken@aol.com
John L. Scott Real Estate Vancouver West