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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 18, 2000)
august 18.2000 rmmRTOlnews They'll tune your engine. They'll fix your car. And as an added bonus, they'll save P olitical P arty Informal gatherings are a great way to reach voters and raise money by Jo n a th a n K ipp r * PD X Automotive Is a certified Eco-Logkal Business. 282-3315 Mechanics With A Conscience (and x-ray vision) Onaon ctrflfod DEO rap * M b . / 4 S r Cmrnf^d > Gerard Lillie • 5934 N.E. Halsey RE/MAX S ignature P r o per t ies ! Intent listeners at a N o on 9 party leam more about the work that lies ahead ronda Adair says she heard people talking about the Oregon Citizens A lliance’s Student Protection Act. And she didn’t like what she heard. “O h, it will never pass,” Adair heard some say. She says her friends heard the same thing. T he act, now known as Measure 9, would amend Oregon statutes and prohibit “public schools from instructing on behavior relating to homosexuality and bisexuality in a manner that encourages, promotes or sanctions such behaviors.” Opponents say it would cut crucial HIV/AIDS education, take control of curriculum away from local schools and require them to comply with spe cial interest groups in order to maintain funding. Adair was around during the O C A ’s earlier attempts to turn Oregonians against the gay and lesbian community. She remembers the animos ity caused by 1992’s Measure 9. But after years of activism— not only volun teering but working for Basic Rights Oregon— she says she stopped wanting to be so political. “I just wanted to have a life.” Adair thinks others have similar feelings. "People are tired,” she says. She suspects that many just aren’t up for the fight and that this might be the reason some aren’t so concerned about the measure passing in November. G et I n vo lved Coming Soon Tastefully remodeled by impeccable contractor, 3 BR bungalow, refinished hardwoods throughout, new bath, remodeled kitchen, fireplace, slider to back deck, new int./ext. paint, new electrical, more! Across from McMenamin’s Kennedy School. Tina Schafer, gri , abr M u lti-M illio n D o lla r P roducer RE/MAX Signature Properties 282-4000 X 122 e-mail: tina@ rm ls.com mm 1. W rite a check . All contributions should be made out to Basic Rights Oregon PAC and sent to P.O. Box 40625, Portland, O R 97240. 2 . Volunteer. People are needed for phone banking, going door to door to edu cate voters and running the Speakers Bureau. C all KD Parman at (5 03) 232-7176. 3 . Speak o u t If you are comfortable speak ing publicly and feel passionate about educat ing the public about the dangers and decep tions o f the Student Protection Act, consider joining the No on 9 Campaign’s official Speakers Bureau. Call Amy Hojnowski at (503) 232-7176 to sign up. Speakers from throughout the state are needed immediately. 4 . Hold a house party. Include your friends and neighbors in this fun activity to raise awareness and money for the campaign. Call CM Hall at (5 0 3 ) 232-7176. state s largest gay rights organization already has held more than 3 0 house parties and has 60 more scheduled. T h e goal is 200, she says. She says the average party has 40 guests and raises $1,000. T h e money helps Basic Rights Oregon meet the $1 m illion goal it has set for the No on 9 Campaign. Parties are usually two hours long and feature food and beverage. A bout halfway through, Hall says, a trained speaker from Basic Rights Oregon talks to the guests, explains Measure 9, answers questions, then asks for contributions. She recommends inviting about 120 people to get 4 0 through the door. She says co-host ing— just like Adair did— “casts a bigger net.” Jim Morris and Richard Colom bo recently gathered their friends together for a house party as well. “It’s a really excellent way to get people together and do education, outreach and raise money,” Morris says. Despite the serious nature o f the event, he says the house party was actually kind of fun. Morris and C olom bo raised $ 2 ,1 0 0 to contribute to the campaign. Only 21 people attended their “wine and cheese” affair, but they were generous. They, too, had friends who couldn’t attend but com An acquaintance recently approached her about playing host to a house party— an infor mal get-together of friends and neighbors with the intent of educating voters and raising money for Basic Rights Oregon. Adair said no at first because she thought her home was too small. But her acquaintance didn’t take no for an answer. She paired up with two friends. One had a bigger home but didn’t know too many peo ple; however, Adair had the contacts. T he trio even ar ranged to get food donated from a local catering company. About 30 people at tended the event. Many invitees couldn’t com e but Rebecca Levinson, N o on 9 volunteer, educates partygoers about the agreed to send mon need for funds and volunteers to com bat B allot M easure 9 ey— an option Adair says she didn’t even think about. T h e house mitted to send in money. party raised $1,665, and she expects even more In 1994, during Measure 13, Morris says he to come in from those who couldn’t make it to raised only $ 5 0 0 at an O ctober house party. He the gathering. thinks the substantial boost might be a good She says the only real stress in playing host to such an event is the anxiety about whether any body will show up. But she says if people follow the procedures outlined in the kit provided by Basic Rights Oregon, everything will be OK. House party coordinator CM Hall says the ■ ■ sign o f increased awareness and support from the community. Others at the party stepped forward to vol unteer. “People that can ’t donate a lot o f money can donate tim e,” Morris explains. He fears the race might be a close one. He says the community can not be complacent but must send a clear message that “this is unacceptable.” But Morris says he sees encouraging signs. He thinks even ultraconserva Jim Morris and Richard Colombo wasted no time in bringing together their friends for a fund-raising event to support the N o on 9 Campaign tive people are sick o f th e O C A and Lon Mahon. He says he even got a donation from a conservative Repub lican at his house party. “W hich was a good sign to me he laughs.
