|uly 20. 2001 » J u s t o u t
EpRIHout
A m ockery off d em ocracy
To the E ditor :
E
xcuse me if I fail to find credible Tom
Stevenson’s assertion that the “dedicated
people” of the Rural Organizing Project “have
made a profound impact on the lives of
every...trans person who calls Oregon home"
(“So Far, So Good,” July 6].
Short of canvassing every trans person in the
state, he has no grounds for such a blanket char
acterization— and this is particularly true given
his recent and more modest characterization of
ROP to be “involved in a large number of ef
forts... of immense concern to the gay and les
bian community” [“Queer and Far,” March 16].
Similarly problematic is Stevenson’s unques
tioning repetition of ROP’s assertion that the
organization’s “broad-based goals include:
huildfing] statewide power for democracy.”
Just Out readers should he provided factual
information with which to make their own as
sessment of ROP’s capacity for building democ
racy rather than simply being expected to accept
such claims. Therefore, they might find it
enlightening to know that according to ROP’s
own bylaws adopted by its board Jan. 13, 1996:
1. Full voting membership is limited to
vaguely defined “autonomous groups”— individ
uals as such aren’t permitted to join and vote.
2. Nor does ROP allow its autonomous
groups to select candidates to the organization’s
hoard of directors— candidates are preselected
by the existing directors.
3. Candidates for ROP’s offices similarly are
selected by the board of directors and elected by
that same board— not by votes cast by the
autonomous groups’ representatives.
Such rules preclude the most basic tenets of
democracy (one person/one vote, representa
tional government, etc.). If our state and local
^
k II
think a community center is a great idea
[“What If?” July 6],
But how about including gay and lesbian
families with children, too? A day care center
and various children’s programs would be very
welcome.
My partner and I adopted our son, Dominic,
last year (Bob is about to bring home our second
son, Jack, in two weeks!), and we know many
other gay and lesbian families with children in
Portland who would welcome that kind of com
munity support.
By the way, a day care center or children’s
programs also would attract progressive local
straight families that want their kids to develop
values of tolerance, respect and inclusion. We
know many of those families, too!
Again, I think a center is a great idea.
Thanks for bringing it up!
I
M argaret D eirdre O’H artigan
Portland
Unholy a llia n ce
To the E ditor :
B ill G riesar
I n President Bush’s latest efforts to discriminate
I against sexual minorities he has entered into an
unholy alliance with the Salvation Army. 1 for one
will cease all donations to the Salvation Army
until it denounces its present anti-gay stand.
I hope all other sexual minorities, our sup
porters and those who believe in the need to
maintain a separation between church and state
will join me. Let our charitable dollars speak out
against discrimination.
Pass this on to others. Maybe the word will
get out that U.S. citizens will not tolerate dis
crimination based on sexual orientation and
that Bush’s “faith-based charities” scheme is a
bad idea.
Portland
The show m ust go on
To the E ditor :
his is not really a letter to the editor but
I more a thank-you and an update. First of
all let me say thank you for mentioning the
triangle productions! show 1 Love You, You’re
Perfect, Now Change in your recent commen
tary (“If You Must March Naked at Least
Dress W arm ly...It’s Been Chilly Lately,”
June 15J.
I am one of the actors in the show, and we all
appreciate the mention! We were delighted at
the Drammy Awards to be honored with five
including Outstanding Production.
G eorge E ighmey
Portland
G ary W ayne C ash
Portland
y014 t^ n k
B urnside Triangle should be
I d e c l a r e d P ortlan d ’s official gay d istrict?
want to see the Burnside Triangle saved. I
don’t want to see the rents go up— or what
ever it is that would force the businesses that are
now there to move or cease to exist. It is great
just the way it is.
A gay district designation is so limiting. It’s
the same as trying to have friends who are only
GLBT-designated.
However, if such a designation would save
the businesses presently there, I say go for it. It
would break my heart to find it eliminated.
I
S ue H olter
Bend
• • •
A
To the E ditor :
What makes it so special for the entire cast
and crew, director Greg Tamblyn and producer
Don Horn is that the show has been a true labor
of love for all of us. The set was secondhand,
many of the costumes we brought from home,
and the microphones initially were purchased
out of the director’s pocket.
Somehow, this small budget and small
team came through with fantastic success. We
all feel honored and blessed to be part of the
show.
Now for the update. Your article mentions
that “this production no longer is playing.”
Actually, we reopen July 27. (Drammy
Award-winning actor Leif Norby will be joining
the cast this time around.) Our run, which
began Oct. 20, 2000, as a four-week engage
ment, already has played 26 weeks, and there is
no slowing down.
We took a short “breather” and are return
ing for at least four weeks this summer before
we open in Seattle for a five-week gig. The
“pride” in triangle productions! still is shining
bright!
Now you didn’t hear this from me, but talk is
when we return from Seattle we again will
reopen in Portland and run until the audiences
stop coming. Some of our diehard fans have
seen the show five times— and have tickets to
come back.
Well, again thank you for acknowledging our
show. We all really love every minute of it.
I just wanted you to know that I Love You,
You’re Perfect, Now Change is still alive and
“pridefolly” kicking with no signs of stopping.
This show has something for everyone; maybe
that’s why we still are playing— until “everyone”
sees it, I guess.
PH O TO S BY M ARTY DAVIS
¡1 1 ^ 1
J™ "
Fam ily ties
governments were held to the standards ROP
applies to itself, individual citizens would not be
permitted to vote for governor, mayor, legislator,
school board or any other elective office. Nor
would citizens be allowed to step forward of their
own accord to run for office—our future officials
would be preselected by current officeholders.
Although ROP claims to support “the values
of democracy and inclusion,” such an assertion
is belied by its own bylaws and its method of
selecting officers and directors. Isn’t it rather
presumptuous— to say the least— for ROP to
claim to support democracy while failing to run
itself in a democratic manner? And isn’t it
rather naive— at best—for Stevenson to repeat
such claims unquestioningly?
bsolutely not. I love Portland because
there is no one gay part of town.
There are establishments that are gay-owned
or serve a gay clientele in all five quadrants of
the city. A small official gay district downtown
takes away from these and could ghettoize the
gay community.
Further, it enhances the image of bars and
bathhouses being the core of gay culture. I think
that in 2001 we’ve moved beyond that. Instead,
why not proclaim the entire city an “official gay-
friendly district” and find some other way to
improve the Burnside Triangle?
D aniel S apon -B orson
Portland
• • •
he Burnside Triangle should be “our” offi
cial gay district. If “we” have to become a
recognized minority to retain an area of enter
tainment and social gathering, then Southwest
Stark Street should continue in that vein. Per
haps such official recognition will add to the
variety of businesses in the area.
T
___ ______ _
R ich R ibbons
Portland
•
9
•
o! Why does the gay district have to re
volve around a bunch of gay bars, strip
clubs and a bathhouse? Not to mention it’s not
exactly the cleanest part of town anyway.
N
I
Why not declare Northeast Broadway/Irv-
3. There should be a place where you can
ington the gay district? There are respectable, ! shop for your cultural needs.
gay-owned/operated businesses, nice stores,
4. There should be a place where you can
restaurants and a nice neighborhood nearby.
meet other people like yourself.
Maybe things will improve with the develop
ment in that area, but in my opinion, until P aul C hristensen
the bathhouse and all the trashy strip joints
Portland
are gone, there’s nothing to be proud of there.
¡ J ason P etre
N EXT ISSU E: Sinead O’Connor,
Anne Heche and Julie Cypher
Portland
• • •
es, the city should declare the Burnside Tri
angle a gay district.
1. All cultures have an area where they can
1 go to seek their likes and dislikes.
2. There always should be a place where you
feel safe to be in.
Y
redisctn'er their heterosexuality. W hat’s
going on here? Is <flesbo temping” some
trendy phase, a rite of passage for
straight women or a publicity stunt?
Respond at www.jtLstout.com.
( Don’t forget to include your name,
city and daytime telephone number.)
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