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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (June 15, 2001)
4 just <Hrt • june 112001 BJW!3out It is, without a doubt, the poorest of traits a human being can have. Included in man’s mis treatment and injustice toward animals is the To the E ditor : industry of professional greyhound racing. attended the Rose Festival Grand Floral As a gay man who reads Just Out on a regu Parade this year for the first time since I’ve been living in Portland. Not that I had any lar basis, I am proud you and your publication thing against it. It just worked out that way. I have drawn this one small line in the sand and My partner and I had a good time altogether taken a stand against animal mistreatment and with only one exception...and Misha was her cruelty. As a token of my support, I have enclosed a check for $30 for a subscription to be name-o. I had heard that for a gay old time we should sent to our workplace. I hope we will continue to see your publi stand near the gay comer and listen to her com mentary. We did, and some of it was as we’d cation address the issues important to animals and those of us humans who love them. expected—i.e., playful and irreverent humor. Before I come off as prude or, worse, unhip, Thanks again for taking this stand and for let me say I love satire and dark humor. David bringing it to your readers for them to think Sedaris and Bruce Vilanch are two of my about. favorite gay practitioners of the art. But to attack people in the parade as Misha B radley H. W oodall did for being too hefty is nothing but mean-spir Animal Legal Defense Fund Anti-Cruelty Division ited intolerance. You know...that despicable thing gay people always are fighting against? Don’t ask, don’t testify That’s not my only complaint nor, in my opinion, the worst of this self-dubbed “Dragon To the E ditor : am concerned that the Portland Public Queen’s” bitter patter. When I was a teen—too many years ago to Schools policy on military recruitment, as modified at the May 21 board meeting, will admit to—I would’ve been crushed to have been singled out as “family” the way Misha did exacerbate the usual sense of second-class sta tus of gay and lesbian students and add to con the young and indeed nellie boy who marched and twirled with the high school band. Now fusion about the discriminatory “don’t ask, maybe there’s more to this story than I saw, don’t tell” policy. The new policy—or “clarification,” as the but it looked to my partner and I like this poor kid was being outed in front of his fellow stu resolution refers to itself—requires teachers and dents and the hundreds of other spectators on counselors who inform students of military “opportunities” (whether requested by the stu that comer. I was embarrassed for the boy and for dent or initiated by the staffer) to “advise the student about the military’s policy regarding sex myself for being a part of the jeering section. I work in a crisis center for mental health, ual minorities.” Thus, school staff now are man and I’ve seen my share of confused, suicidal dated to initiate the discussion of homosexuali youths coming to terms with their sexuality ty when speaking to students about military and hope to God this kid is not so adversely enlistment. Amazingly, however, the policy provides affected by this inconsiderate and feeble no guidelines on how to approach the topic. attempt to get a laugh. For what it’s worth, my vote is against repre It does not even suggest informing the stu sentation of our community by anyone so dent that the district officially objects to such nonexemplary of the values that make for an discrimination. Regardless of my opinion about the policy as accepting and accepted community. I’m not now written, 1 have to admire the board’s abili advocating censorship. Misha is entitled to her opinion—and so am I. ty to take a divisive issue and put together a Doesn’t Portland’s gay community deserve to compromise position that each of its members be more graciously represented? We pride our could vote for! But its relationship to the public selves on being a progressive city, and this type at the meeting was dismal. Before the board voted on the new policy, it of representation is anything but! took testimony from the public. But the limited P aul G regory time allotted was filled by phone sign-ups sever Portland al days before the meeting. So those who spoke addressed the estab lished policy or the original proposal (by Derry Dog gone! Jackson and Ron Saxton) to modify it; none To the E ditor : even mentioned the compromise that had wanted to take a few moments from my day to been developed by Sue Hagmeier since the thank you for your commentary regarding previous meeting. Then, the board discussion greyhound racing and your decision not to sup and vote that followed the public comments port the industry through advertisements in made no formal acknowledgment of the origi your paper {“Lord, Help Me Be the Person My nal proposal for change (not even to table or Dog Thinks I Am," June 1|. withdraw it). As an animal lover with two dogs of my own The board’s process resulted in the time at home, I fully understand the ability of our spent on testimony essentially being wasted. canine friends to give love and experience a And the public has had no public input on the number of thoughts, feelings and emotions. As modification. much time and money as I have spent on the Observing the public testimony and subse well-being of my two, nothing comes close to quent adoption of the compromise proposal what I have gotten from them in return. So for was rather like being in a station as two trains me to see a dog bred, raised and kept at a facili simultaneously stop at two different platforms ty where its only value is placed on its last per only a few feet apart, with no interaction— formance in the quarter-mile is, to say the least, nor acknowledgment—between the passen heartwrenching. gers of each. As a cruelty caseworker for the Animal Under this policy, I fear a student will be Legal Defense Fund, I am exposed to the pain able to walk away from an advisory session and suffering our canine friends are capable of thinking, “I’m not good enough for the mili feeling as well. It never ceases to amaze me how tary,” without so much as hearing an inventive and resourceful people can be when it acknowledgment from school personnel that comes to exploiting animals or even cruelly the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy is discrimina tory. And there’s certainly no assurance that treating them. Every rose has its thorn 1 Mention This Ad & Receive Your First Visit New Clients Only 1 ? yVPET Arbor CLINIC if, X. and Lesbian families on the Oregon Coast (Children ages 3 and older) • Family, adult and children activities • Family style meals • Caring staff • Friendly, accepting environment For more information or to register call 503-294-7476 Financial Assistance Available i __________ 503/291 -1717 4704 SW Scholls Ferry Road Located in Raleigh Hills Next to Western Pet Supply When you are Just Out and about/ visit the contemplative Japanese Garden west of the International Rose Test Gardens in Washington Park. 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