September 15.2000
GUEST COMMENTARY
by
R on G
* ju s t out. 3
l a n v il l e
The IN publication for the O UT population
F ounded 1983 • J \ y B rown and R enee L a C hance
A rt D irector • R upert K innard
V ol. 17 N o . 22 S e p te m b e r 1 5 , 2 0 0 0
Complancency complaint
FEATURE
The No on 9 Campaign needs the entire community’s awareness
ANIM AL INSTINCTS: Five folks who’ve found
unique ways to talk to—and for—the animals
p 22
NEWS
NORTHWEST • Picketers protest premiere of
Dr. Laura; Metropolitan Community Church
of Portland plays host to district conference
pp 6-17
NATIONAL • Eminent melts in your mouth,
not in your hands
pp
18-19
WORLD • Get Thai’d, you’re talking to a tourist
whose every move’s among the purest
p 21
ENTERTAINMENT
& CULTURE
MUSIC • Everything you ever wanted to know
about opera
p 33
ROOKS • Rodger Larson speaks out for inclusion
p 35
THEATER • Maligned critic gets his say
p 36
THEATER • Chris Coleman readies a revolution
p 37
CULTURE • Showbiz hotshot in our midst
p 38
MUSIC • Life with a legend
I P 39
DIVERSIONS • Pedro & Judd; Jack & Karen;
Misha & her new tiara
pp 40-41
COLUMNS
s many of you know, 1 am actively involved in No on 9, the
campaign to defeat the Oregon Citizens Alliance’s latest
anti-gay, anti-education ballot measure. 1 serve as co-chair
of both the finance and steering committees.
I wish to write to you today about how serious this ini­
tiative is and the sense of complacency 1 detect within our community to
defeat this dangerous act. Measure 9 is dangerous to our kids and danger­
ous to our schools!
In conversations with some people, I’ve heard the overly optimistic
belief that Oregonians just will vote no on this issue because they are pro­
gressive, liberal or educated or because we have done so in the past. This
is naive! W ho are we kidding?
Does anyone remember a few short months ago the devastating defeat
in California of the No on Knight Campaign? Do you remember the
Defense of Marriage Acts that have swept the country?
Do you remember how close the vote on our last OCA measure was?
In fact, 1994’s Measure 13 failed hy just 4 percent!
Recent visits by Judy Shepard, mother of slain gay man Matthew
Shepard, and her wonderful support of No on 9, and the Westboro Baptist
Church of Topeka, Kan., with its message of hate, have raised awareness.
Unfortunately, many people I talk to have no idea we are in the midst of
another O CA measure fight!
Awareness of this divisive initiative is vital to our success. Our cam­
paign and message are well-developed. Our
llnlocc nil nonnlo
campaign is on course. Our success
Ulllcbj Ull fJcUfJlc
wj|| j epentj on trie entire commu-
who wish this initiative
nity coming to terms with itself,
rallying and bringing forth the
to be defeated rally their
necessary dialogue to help
get the message out!
energies, resources and time
Lon Mabon of the
OCA,
now an d
everv day until Nov. Scott
, Lively of the
Pro Family Law Center
we m ight well have
and Lou Beres of the
Oregon Christian Coali­
an anti-education, anti-gay law
tion are calling this the
last great battle to save
on Oregon's books.
Oregon from moral decline.
D o n 't wake up Nov. 8
They want to legislate to us
what will he taught in schools.
depressed an d wishing
They wish to take us back to
you had done m ore.
the time when I can remember
being in fear of taunting, jeers and
7
REFLECTIONS
sneers and to keep our children and
those who are seeking awareness of
their sexual orientation in the dark,
dangerous closet—the closet many
have escaped from and have vowed
to destroy. We have to fight to keep
kids from risk, depression and taunts.
If Measure 9 passes, it would
create an environment in schools
in which gay and lesbian kids and
teachers and children of gay and
lesbian parents are stigmatized. We
would lose crucial HIV/A1DS
courses that provide frank, life­
saving information to youth.
We would lose local control of
school boards. And schools that do
not comply with the OCA’s man­
date would be penalized by loss of
state funding.
Unless all people who wish this
initiative to be defeated rally their
energies, resources and time now
and every day until Nov. 7, we
might well have an anti-education,
anti-gay law on Oregon’s books.
Don’t wake up Nov. 8 depressed
and wishing you had done more.
We can stop this dangerous
measure! It’s up to you!
Write a check! Throw a house
party!
Volunteer! Join our Speakers
Bureau.
Tell everyone you know to vote no on 9. We have an excellent staff
and excellent steering and finance committees.
But we need everyone to volunteer to defeat this measure. It will take
all of us to win!
Call the campaign office at (503) 232-7176 or log on to
www.ncxm9.org. Don’t wait another minute j n
VOTE
is N o on 9 Campaign co-chair and serves on
the Human Rights Campaign’s board o f governors.
R o n GLANVILLE
15 years ago in
T i I gUf
T T n ®
1 m I 1 Ì ! . i I %
<» *
Rflft] PBMiwrilB 1 WCl a à 1 a.Ti :) a ;
M S . BEHAVIOR • Looking for love in all the
wrong faces
p 31
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Never
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• The Lesbian Aging Project is a small group
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reside
tne testen
ocang project
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• Openly gay Boston City Councilor David
Scondras, testifying before the Democratic
National Committee’s first Fairness
Commission hearing in August, warned party
leaders that to ignore justice for gay and les­
bian people is to ensure defeat at the polls.
« Jo th o b v
tut! <
'
F o m iU tK k m
;
• Portland Police Bureau Chief Penny
Harrington named Right to Privacy PAC Chair
Keeston Lowery to the recently established
Cross Cultural Communications Committee.
• Deputy Chief Tom Potter volunteered to be
police liaison to the gay community.
• City Nightclub celebrated its second
anniversary with a party and celebration
Sept. 1.
• Bonnie Raitt and J.J. Cale performed
Sept. 2 at Starry Nightclub. Tickets cost
$14.50.
«
• A book signing party celebrated the publica­
tion of Judith Barrington’s Trying to be an
Honest Woman Sept. 18 at Catbird Seat
Bookstore.
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