24 J u f t M t * novemùei 3. 2000 • .-.v. $x . , 1 9 ÉwÉ L ine on the As the dead-heat race nears the finish line, w orried families speak out Ü M Stories by Jonathan Kipp Photos by M arty Davis s Election Day fast approaches, ■Eg gay and lesbian parents are ; ' holding their breath, wonder ing whether Measure 9 will pass Nov. 7 and literally change their children’s lives. Their kids already have to deal with judg ment, harassment and ridicule— even violence. They worry that their children’s challenges will grow even greater should Measure 9 pass. Certainly, lesbian mothers are speaking out Polls indicate a dead-heat race. Although against the initiative. They will do whatever it voters rejected two previous anti-gay ballot takes to protect their children. measures during the past eight years, this years They say school is at the center of their kids’ effort to codify homosexuality in public schools lives, and they want them to feel supported and has at least an even chance of winning. protected there. They flare at the thought of the Some privately fret this might be the year the O C A making life more difficult for their chil Oregon Citizens Alliance finally gets a strong dren, who already have enormous struggles out hold on the state’s lawbooks after years of failed attempts. Few boast of an imminent defeat. side the warmth and safety of their homes. The measure would prohibit public But the kids— who aren’t just schools from encouraging, promot programmed to say what their par ing or sanctioning homosexuali ents want— are speaking out, Measure 9 passes, too. Even elementary-age chil ty; state funding would be withheld as a consequence dren understand what Mea I w ill be uncomfortable for violators. Its vague word sure 9 could mean, in real ing leaves many voters terms, to their lives. going to school wondering what the out because m y fam ily come would be if it is enact ove Makes a Family, an ed into law. international organiza- w ill be discriminated Some parents are worry tion providing a public voice ing in private, paralyzed by against." for sexual minority families, what they consider an attack on gave parents and kids an oppor — Briana their family; others are mad and tunity to address Oregon voters have decided to speak out. And while during a press conference O ct. 23 at the fiercely protective of their children, they are World Trade Center. The children’s words not attempting to keep them in the dark about were most compelling. Measure 9. Briana, a fourth-grader at Portland’s Buck- O n some level, the kids understand cer man Elementary, said she was teased when a boy tain people think their families aren’t as saw her and a female friend walking arm in arm acceptable as others. Even young children— through the school’s playground. He asked them whose typical worries are about family pets, if they were lesbians. pending art projects, spelling tests and Briana fears such comments wouldn’t be upcoming piano recitals— fear what might discouraged should the initiative pass. “If Mea come with the passage o f Measure 9. sure 9 passes, I will be uncomfortable going to "If L One of 5-year-old N ico s mothers, Jane Scolieri, promises to fight back if Measure 9 passes The Last Time? L on Mabon, at the helm of the Oregon Citizens Alliance since its inception, has implied that the defeat of Measure 9 could mean the end of his organization. It lost its two previous anti-gay efforts and has failed at multiple attempts to put initiatives on ballots throughout the 1990s. Defeating Measure 9 could put the final nail in the O C A ’s coffin, as it faces mounting legal troubles, dwindling donations and obvious public relations problems. This is a history of the organization: *1 Q Q l y O i “I Q O O A OO The OCA might go away if Measure 9 fails The O C A was founded in Klamath Falls. Lon Mabon was named the executive director. The O C A ’s Measure 8 passed, rescinding Gov. Neil Goldschmidt’s executive order prohibiting discrimi nation based on sexual orientation in state employ ment. The Oregon Court of Appeals later ruled the measure was unconstitutional. The executive order remained on the books. 1 Q Q ^ ^ 1 Q A ^ Q 1 9 » T h e O C A proposed a ballot measure to declare “pedophilia, sadism, masochism, homosexuality, bestiality and necrophilia (sex with a corpse) are recognized by this sate as abnorm al, unnat ural and perverse con d u ct.” T h e measure even tually was withdrawn. The O C A rewrote the 1991 measure, eliminated necrophilia and resubmitted it. Measure 9, a consti tutional amendment to the Oregon Bill of Rights, would have forbidden the state from “promoting homosexuality.” It failed 56 percent to 44 percent.