august 18.2000
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P olitical P arty
Informal gatherings are a great way to reach voters and raise money
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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.
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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.