august 18.2000 » Ju st owt g
nW!T7T!WTTTneu;s
D éjà Vu
A ll O ver
A gain
The Oregon Citizens Alliance
has been a thorn in our side
since 1987
T
by P at Young
he Oregon Citizens Alli
ance is back with another
Ballot Measure 9. Sound
familiar?
JKL,
History reveals the
state’s anti-gay saga began with a seem
ingly harmless primary race. In 1986,
the Republican campaign for U.S. Sen
ate pitted incumbent Bob Packwood
against Joe Lutz.
At the time, Packwood was respect
ed and popular. It seemed almost foolish
for anyone to challenge him, especially
during the primary, but Lutz did.
The Baptist minister thought
churches should be politically active.
Most people, especially Packwood, did
n’t pay much attention to Lutz.
Haul those old lawn signs out of the garage to fight
After all, who was this dark-horse the latest Measure 9
candidate who dared to encroach on
from promoting or encouraging such abnormal
Packw(xxJ’s territory? In the end, Lutz only cap
behaviors and would require schools to set a
tured 40 percent of the vote, but his campaign
standard that homosexuality was abnormal. It
inspired the religious right to become active in
was so extreme, the state gained national and
politics.
international attention with coverage including
After the election, he and several of his fol
a New York Times article titled “In Oregon, Big
lowers saw a niche for conservative views but no
otry Will Be on the Ballot.”
local or statewide organization to voice them.
Individuals went to extraordinary efforts stop
So, they formed the O C A in 1987 and tapped
Measure 9, which ultimately was defeated.
Lon Mabon as their leader.
However, the campaign took a toll on the gay
In 1988, the group backed at least 10 legisla
community, which was emotionally, financial
tive candidates and three initiatives. The state
ly and physically drained.
quickly learned the O C A was not to be taken
Did it have time to celebrate the victory?
lightly.
Not really.
Measure 8 sought to repeal Gov. Neil Gold
Within 24 hours, Mabon announced the
schmidt’s executive order banning discrimina
O C A would retool Measure 9 and put it right
tion by state agencies against homosexuals— a
back before voters in 1994. And it did with
milestone in Oregon’s history of gay rights.
Measure 13.
Attempts to add sexual orientation to Oregon’s
To gear up for the campaign, the O C A went
anti-discrimination law had failed in the state
around the state passing “Son of 9” initiatives at
Legislature since the first gay rights bill was
the city and county levels. The measures stated
introduced in 1973.
that sexual orientation could not be added to
When the 1987 Legislature still refused to
local anti-discrimination laws.
pass a gay rights bill, Goldschmidt took another
The No on 9 Campaign disbanded. In its
route and issued an executive order. Gay rights
place, Save Our Communities, better known as
activists were thrilled, hut religious conserva
SOC-PAC, fought the Son of 9 measures.
tives were angry and wanted to undo the execu
As soon as Measure 13 qualified for the
tive order as quickly as possible.
ballot, SO C-PA C became No on 13. Once
By now, O CA co-founder T.J. Bailey was
again, the O C A wanted to amend the state’s
chair of the state Republican Party. He thought
constitution to prohibit the extension of
only the Legislature or voters should decide
minority status to homosexuals and to prohib
issues relating to homosexuality.
it schools from representing homosexuality as
Still, it would’ve been a bit risky for the
acceptable.
Republican Party to sponsor an initiative to
The No on 13 Campaign faced a difficult
repeal the executive order, because such an
challenge. People still were exhausted from
effort might deepen the rift between moder
1992, and regaining that sense of urgency
ates and conservatives. Instead, Mabon and
proved difficult because Measure 13 lacked the
the O C A took up the task, and Measure 8
sensational language of Measure 9.
passed.
The media still condemned Measure 13—
On the positive side, the gay community was
but not with nearly as much zeal as they did with
forced to come of age politically in terms of fund
Measure 9— and voters rejected it. After the
raising and organizing a statewide campaign.
election, No on 13 grew into Basic Rights Ore
But it was a hard lesson to learn.
gon, which now faces the latest Measure 9, the
1992’s Measure 9 went even further. It
Student Protection Act.
sought to amend the state’s constitution to
group homosexuality with pedophilia, sadism
■ PAT Y oung , a Portland-based free-lance writer
and masochism as being abnormal and perverse
and gay and lesbian historian, is writing a book
behavior.
about Ballot Measure 9.
Further, it would forbid local government
N on -T raditional C ouples N eed M ore T han
A C ouple of T raditional S olutions .
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•2000
Presi den t ' l
Council
Member"