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S oft S ell S olution
Bigot Busters hit the streets— and shopping centers—
on a nonconfrontational voter education mission by Jonathan
K i PP
hile many Portlanders were
spread implications and that all Oregonians
just starting their Memorial
would be negatively impacted.
Day weekend with a favorite
“This will effect all youth,” says Bigot Buster
esPresso drink, nearly a Jordana Sardo.
dozen decided to do some
This is a touchy subject, Laverdure adds,
thing different— spread the word.
referring to the issue of homosexuality and chil
Bigotry is back in Oregon and, as usual, sex dren.
ual minorities are the target. As summer
“People are concerned about their kids.
approaches, a small army of anti-gay petitioners
They’re playing on the myth that pedophilia is
are working on weekends to keep Oregon’s chil
perpetrated by gays,” she says.
dren safe. That is what the Oregon Citizens
Adrienne Weller, a veteran activist, says she
Alliance is telling voters, anyway.
heard anti-gay pundits on National Public
The Bigot Busters want to maker sure voters
Radio talking about classes on lesbianism
hear the other side before they sign the O C A ’s offered by public schools.
petition. Children aren’t in danger, the Busters
“They want to stop something that isn’t hap
say, all Oregonians are in danger.
pening,” Weller says.
“The legalization of discrimination against
Bigot Busters is not so much an organization
W
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PROFESSIONAL & TECHNICAL STAFFING • KEY PLAYER
Bigot Busters taking a break to confer with one another at Eastport Plaza
anyone is the first step,” a veteran Bigot Buster
says.
A combination of neophytes and veterans
from the days of measures 9 and 13 gathered at
Portland’s Northwest Neighborhood Cultural
Center to learn the ins and outs of being a Bigot
Buster. The training session lasted an hour; it
focused on the rules of bigot busting and cover
ing the tactics used by the other side— namely,
the O C A and the Oregon chapter of the Chris
tian Coalition.
The goal? To educate voters and defuse the
misinformation campaign being waged by the
O C A and the Christian Coalition, according to
organizer Jennifer Laverdure.
Bigot Busters, who go out into the commu
nities where voters are likely to sign initiative
petitions, are intent on reaching the people who
are interested in what they have to say. The vol
unteers provide information to potential voters
about anti-gay initiatives and legislation. The
group has no interest in debating with the
O C A , organizers say.
“They will try to goad you into debate and
push your buttons with their bigoted statements
and remarks,” the Bigot Busters’ policy warns.
The group members work in pairs and are
instructed to remain calm and orderly in the
event tempers flare or the police arrive.
The policy states: “W e are not to he arrest
ed.”
The O C A is busy collecting signatures to put
its “Student Protection A c t” on November’s
ballot. The initiative, if passed, would prevent
schools (including community colleges) from
presenting any information about homosexuali
ty or bisexuality “in a manner which encour
ages, promotes or sanctions such behaviors.”
The state chapter of the Christian Coalition
has joined the O C A in the effort to gather the
66,786 signatures needed by the July 7 deadline.
Critics say the initiative would have wide-
or movement as much as bigot busting is a tech
nique, Weller explains. The approach started in
Oregon during an anti-gay campaign in 1992,
when several members o f the Portland-based
organization Radical Women went to the streets
to convince voters they were being duped by the
O C A . W hile the Bigot Busters came out of the
No on 9 campaign, it since has become a main
stream strategy, Weller explains.
Group organizers say the call for Bigot
Busters goes out when needed. There is no office
or organization.
Many Oregonians are waiting until July to
see if the O C A submits the needed signatures
before taking the Student Protection A ct seri
ously, the Busters say. But those at the Bigot
Busters training believe they need to be as
proactive as possible before the proposed initia
tive makes it to the ballot.
Following the training session, the partici
pants made their way to Eastport Plaza, located
along congested Southeast 82nd Avenue.
O C A signature gatherers have recently been
spotted at major shopping centers in the area,
but they were not present when the Bigot
Busters arrived.
It was not clear whether the volunteers were
disappointed or relieved. Despite the O C A ’s
absence, the Bigot Busters approached shoppers,
handed out their pamphlets and tried to engage
voters in a short hut poignant conversation.
“We got a gcxxl response,” Laverdure says of
the overall feedback from voters.
But some were surprised that the O C A is
hack, she says. Many voters said, “Oh, no!”
■ The next BlGOT BUSTERS meeting is planned for
II a.m. June 3 in Room 201, Northwest Neigh -
borhood C ultural Center, 1819 N .W . Everett St.
(Donations may be sent to the same address, in care
of Radical W om en.) For more information, call
(5 0 3 ) 228-3090.
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