i
#
novemher 3, 2000 ■ J w t K , 1 \ g
OL chief donates $8 million to
church that funds ex-gay min
istry," read the headline for an
Oct. 18 story by the online serv-
. ice Gay.com.
Within days, TheAdvocate.com, the Hu
man Rights Campaign, columnist Michelangelo
Signorile and other were piling on. The one
thing none of these players disclosed was their
own vested interests in stoking the controversy.
The thread of this story began with an Oct. 18
article in the Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Sun-Sendne! an
nouncing a gift of $8.35 million from Jean Case,
wife of America Online chairman Steve Case, to
Westminster Academy. She graduated from the
private high school in 1978. The bulk of the
money was earmarked to build a new high school
campus, the remainder to fund a scholarship pro
gram.
The abbreviated Gay.com article emphasized
that Westminster was founded by the Rev. D.
James Kennedy and is affiliated with his Coral
Ridge Presbyterian Church. He is a leading anti
gay television preacher whose matrix of organi
zations supports “ex-gay” ministries and the con
troversial but ineffective “Truth in Love” adver
tising campaign claiming that gays can change
their sexual orientation through Jesus. The arti
cle insinuated that some of the money would be
used to promote these activities.
The next day, H RC send a letter to A O L
asking them to reconsider the donation. “We
find it unfathomable how your family could
reward a school inexorably linked to teachings
that say gay and lesbian Americans are not wor
thy of dignity, respect and full citizenship,” exec
utive director Elizabeth Birch wrote.
Later that afternoon, Jean Case responded
with a statement saying the gift was “specifically
in his body,” M accubbin said of Steve Case.
T h eir extensive series o f contacts dates back
to the late 1980s.
Maccubbin said whenever the gay communi
America Online chairman donates millions to anti-gay organizations
ty was upset with AOL, he would drive out and
have lunch with Case. “Steves reaction was
by Bob Roehr
always, ‘Tell me about it.’ ...H is
directed to benefit ch il
response generally was, ‘You know, that
dren,” a cause the couple
makes sense.’ And within a week or
regularly support. Steve
two, it was changed.”
Case earlier had given $10
An online industry analyst, who
million to the private high
wished to remain anonymous, said
school he attended while
Gay.com really has a financial incentive
growing up in Hawaii.
to trash AOL. The site is struggling to
“The gift was not given
attract users to reach a critical mass and
lure advertisers. Controversy alone will
to benefit Coral Ridge Pres
byterian Church or its pro
help generate that traffic, which further
would grow if some of AOL’s gay and
grams,” Jean Case insisted.
“In no way was it intended
lesbian subscribers became disenchant
to send a message of intoler
ed and left the service.
ance. Steve and I strongly
In addition, the collapse of dot.com
oppose discrimination in
initial public offerings on Wall Street
any form.”
has closed that method of financing the
red ink that most online operations con
But H RC would have
none o f it. Spokesman
tinue to hemorrhage. The Darwinian
Wayne Besen said, “It is
struggle to survive is becoming more
not a gift toward education
intense.
but one toward indoctrina
H RC surely believes its criticism of
tion.” He said the Cases
Case.
But it also launched its own
Steve and Jean Case say they strongly oppose discrimination in any form
were “funding an assembly
“H RC FamilyNet” earlier last month.
line o f bigots.”
also was midwife to the huge gay and lesbian
A boycott of A O L might help drive more Web
surfers to its new site.
Signorile chimed in with his Gay.com col
community on AO L.
umn O ct. 23. He lambasted the Cases for dona
Maccubbin called the Cases’ donation “a
Plus, both Gay.com and PlanetOut are cor
tions their foundation made to a fundamental
damned foolish move to make, because it sends
porate sponsors of HRC. Could the political
ist church in McLean, Va., and all but threat
a very inaccurate message. There is no way to
group be trying to line its own coffers by guilting
ened a boycott.
interpret it as other than something that is
AOL into joining that list?
harmful to the gay and lesbian community. It
“D eacon” Maccubbin is founder and co
tarnishes their good name.”
owner o f Lambda Rising, what many consid
B ob R oehr is a free'lance reporter based in
er the premier gay bookstore in the world. He
But “I never detected a homophobic bone
Washington, D .C .
W eb of C ontroversy
CITY OF PORTLAND, OREGON
OFFICE OF THE CITY AUDITOR
RFP # 00-A 01
E lectro n ic R ecord s M anagem ent System
P rop osals due 1:00 pm , PST N ovem ber 13
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
The City of Portland Office of the City Auditor is soliciting proposals from
qualified vendors of records management software to provide an enterprise
wide Electronic Records Management System (ERMS) for the management
of electronic and physical records. This purchase will include the procure
ment of professional services from the selected software vendor to provide
configuration, implementation, data conversion and training for the City of
Portland. The Request for Proposal (RFP) outlines the software and services
requirements, criteria for qualifications, anticipated scope of services,
selection process and required documentation that must be submitted in
response to this RFP.
in
They'll tune
your engine.
They'll fix
your car.
And as an
added bonus,
they'll save
the planet.
A complete description of the project is included in the RFP and may be
obtained by picking up a packet at the Office of the City Auditor,
1221 SW 4th, Room 140, Portland or by phoning and requesting a packet
from Jessica Hurley at 503-823-4565 or jhurley@ci.portland.or.us. Proposals
are due by 1:00 PM., PST, November 13th , 2000. For other information
about this Request contact Diane Betcher at 503-823-4567
or dbetcher@ci.portland.or.us.
The City of Portland is committed to increasing contracting and employment
opportunities for minority and women owned businesses. Firms responding
to the RFP are encouraged to investigate all sources of MBE and WBF
participation that could be incorporated into the contract services. Firms
submitting proposals should note that Equal Employment opportunity
certification with the City of Portland is necessary for submission of a
proposal as outlined in Chapter 3.100 ot the City Code. Details ot the
certification requirements are available from the Bureau of Purchases and
Stores, 1120 SW 5th Avenue, Portland, Oregon, 503-823-6855.
This notice is not an offer, but is an announcement of the Office of the City
Auditor's intent to procure an Electronic Records Management System (ERMS).
Aaron Lawrence
The Male Escort's Handbook:
Getting Rich The Hard Way
i
James Ridout, IV
Plantation Secrets
P D X Automotive Is a certified
Eco-Logical Business.
(5 0 3 ) 282-3315
A U T O M O T I V E
Mechanics With A Conscience
(and x-ray vision)
O w n cwMM 0 ( 0 1 « * MM».
ASE Cam*»
Gerard Lillie • 5934 N.E. Halsey
Nov 10th 7:30PM Lawrence (an
escort from Unzipped Magazine)
brings his latest book The Male
Escort's Handbook and Ridout
reading from his debut fiction
novel Plantation Secrets. Cay
authors Lawrence and Ridout will
read from their latest works at:
QcU-Pied
2544 N E Broadway
(503) 331-1125
requests@gaipied.com