the southern section of the state and the Grant County Civil
Liberties Network in Eastern Oregon, ROP does battle wherever
the fight happens to appear.
That means when racism arises in Bend, a statewide network
of groups is ready to do whatever it takes to get the problem
solved. That means sexual minorities of all ages and all social
brackets, located in every single rural community, have a huge
voice to speak up for them. That means when key democracy
issues are on the ballot and people need help getting the message
out, they call on ROP. That means when economic justice
becomes a battle cry in someplace like quiet little Illinois Valley,
a statewide organization is ready to step in.
The biggest share of the state’s gay and lesbian community
does not live in rural Oregon, so ROP comes in handy when the
entire community is embroiled in a controversial matter. The
gay and lesbian community has defeated Mabon at the poll three
times since 1992, and the vast majority tends to think “every gay
and lesbian won,’’ according to Westerling.
But the fact of the matter is not everyone won. The huge
“no” vote in Portland swung the election against Mabon and his
cohorts, but in most rural counties the “yes” group came out
ahead. That means every single gay and lesbian living in those
counties had to face the likelihood that their friends and neigh
bors chose to discriminate against them.
"It should not be wrong to be gay or lesbian in rural
Oregon. Any of us need to be able to go and be
who we are wherever
we choose, without
any kind of fear."
—Marcy
Westerling
As Westerling
explains it,
when people
are sitting in
their “gay oasis”
in Northwest
Portland, they
need to remem
ber many, many
sexual minorities
in rural Oregon
have no such
place to be safe.
Instead of facing
subtle reminders of
discrimination, they
are faced with out
right hostility. That,
Westerling says,
should be an outrage
to everyone.
“It’s not just about
queer ZIP codes in the
big cities,” she adds. “It
should not be wrong to be gay or lesbian in niral Oregon. Any of
as emotionally draining as an anti-gay ballot measure on a con
stant basis. And, as Westerling says, no single person wants to be
us need to be able to go and be who we are wherever we choose,
without any kind of fear. That is still not the case.”
on the front lines of a fight all the time.
ROP encourages its members to ask themselves what they
1992’s No on 9 Campaign brought together people who
can do. Do they have an hour or two a week they are willing to
believe in equality for all. And having Mabon as the ldentifi-
able “bully” made the work easier in some ways, according to
dedicate to one of the causes? What one thing can they do that
would be meaningful to them yet not exhaust them? How can
Westerling.
they remain aware of the issues? How can they stay positive?
But when she tackles other projects, especially those during
To accomplish all this, members staff booths at county fairs
nonelection years, the task is more difficult. For instance, ROP is
throughout the state, spreading the message of ROP. They attend
one of the many sponsors of the Walk for Farmworker Justice in
Oregon—an issue that lacks a
specific foe.
“The OCA was a lovely
enemy,” Westerling says. “They
were everything you would want
the bully to be. When we’re deal
ing with issues like those facing
farm workers... they don’t have a
Lon Mabon. It does make it hard
er to get a conversation going.”
The fact of the matter, West
erling notes, is that one issue tmly
does tie in with the other. There
indeed are farmworkers who are
also queer. There are justice issues
that affect people who happen to
be gay or lesbian in ways that
have nothing to do with their
sexual orientation.
“If we care about homopho
bia, and fighting it, we have to
care about the other stuff as well,”
Westerling says. “The conversa
tion won’t be over until we’ve
dealt with all of the issues.”
Growth cannot be measured Kelley Weigel serves as co-director of the Rural Organizing Project
in gigantic steps, especially when
meetings in small towns and share their little victories with
dealing with social issues. These folks know that, so they look at
those who think like they do.
tiny victories in the same way most people look at huge ones.
Westerling says she only has to read the national news to get
But the biggest common hurdle they face is the misguided
“really depressed.” She sees what is happening under the Bush
notion that once a victory is won, such as the defeat of an OCA
ballot measure, the work is
done.
"Hfe cannot simply sit back, brush off our hands and say,
“We cannot simply sit
back, brush off our hands and
'Well, we did all that work and we won; now let's go play baseball.'
say, ‘Well, we did all that work
We did that. And while we were off celebrating, the radical right has always been
and we won; now let’s go play
baseball,’ ” Westerling says.
there preparing for the next fight. IVe can't forget that we are fighting for our
“We did that. And while we
rights. We can't simply say, 'I don't want to do politics anymore.' "
were off celebrating, the radi
cal right has always been there
—Morey Westerling
preparing for the next fight.
We can’t forget that we are
fighting for our rights. We can’t simply say, ‘I don’t want to do administration, she sees some gigantic steps being taken back
ward, and she has to deal with those thoughts on an ongoing
politics anymore.’
basis.
When that happens, Westerling warns, the radical right will
Yet she is keenly aware of the fact that each and every person
be right where they want to be. They will be able to catch their
has an "ounce of power.”
opponents off-guard. And maybe, just maybe, the next fight will
“Now for some, that ounce is really, really heavy, and for oth
not be won. That thought is frightening to all who work with
ers
it is light,” Westerling says. "What is important is that people
ROP and should be frightening to anyone who believes in justice
use their power to fight for what they think is right.”
for all, according to Westerling.
No one has the time nor energy to engage in a battle that is
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