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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 15, 2002)
L’[i];ìi;ivi4.imeu>s - V- * ■« - r - -* ..........................-V " -w T* T ” ^ fV • I A C ivil A ction Student Protection Act II debate puts dialogue before discord by Jim R ad o sta A bout 50 people attended a one who’s in favor of gay rights. I don’t have any issue with that." forum focusing on the Oregon Jeremy Bowen, president of O C A Under Citizens A lliance’s latest pro ground, "a group of young activists dedicated posed state ballot measure Feb. 12 at Mount Hood C om to political change through political action," insisted-the 2000 measure failed only hecau.se munity College. the opposition outspent the Yes on 9 C am T he Student Protection A ct II would paign by a 10-to-l margin. “The reasons that prohibit public school instruction that we lost were out-and-out lies on the other approves, promotes or endorses homosexual or bisexual behaviors. Unlike 2000’s similar side,” he said. Bowen emphasized the health risks of homo Measure 9, it includes exceptions involving sexuality. He cited the increased risk of rectal A ID S education, suicide prevention and cancer, syphilis and A ID S among gay men. teacher termination. W hat made the two-hour evening forum— as well as a one- Jeremy Bowen, O C A Underground president, hour afternoon session— differ 5: emphasized the health risks of homosexuality ent from most debates was the lost off of a male homosexual’s life." relatively respectful tone main Lesbian mother Melissa Brown, a Mount tained throughout. Words such as “love" and “human worth” Hood forensics student, asked the O C A support ers to put themselves into the shoes of a sexual; replaced rhetoric such as “per minority. “The heterosexual, Judeo-Christian version" and “recruiting." value system is pushed upon you.. .multiple times O C A representative Jeff on a daily basis, from everything to the way that, Hakalmazian saw the forum as you are treated in a restroom to the way that you an opportunity to have a go about gaining your employment,” she said. healthy discussion with people Also arguing against the act was Michael whose views differ. “It’s not a chance to sling mud at each Sanchez, a member of Mount Hood’s Queers and Allies Student Organization. He said he has other and get angry," he said. made good friends and met wonderful people Hakalmazian supports the act because h e’s “tired of other Lou Beres, Oregon Christian Coalition executive director, through the campus club. people’s values systems being said Lon Mabon was unable to attend because he was at his “This group may no longer exist because of rammed down my throat.” He mother-in-law’s funeral in California the Student Protection Act because the school then invited everyone in the might he held liable for condoning homosexual audience to attend his church "with an open "The average life span of a homosexual indi or bisexual acts,” Sanchez said. “I feel this vio lates my First Amendment right of freedom of heart and an open mind.” vidual— male— as of 2000...was about 45 years, association because I’m no longer allowed to “ I am not a bigot,” Hakalmazian said. “1 when the average life expectancy of a straight associate with this group.” JH don’t hate anyone who’s gay. I don’t hate any- male was 75 years,” he said. “That’s a lot of time A T aste of T heir O wn M edicine Continued from Page 1 The couple have avoided paying Stauffer by illegally shuffling money between several O C A organizations so they appear to be broke. They also returned donations made to an account with a court-ordered freeze on it. “For over 10 years the Mahons have hid behind the law and played an elaborate corpo rate shell game as part of a willful campaign to avoid paying Miss Stauffer what she’s owed," co counsel Thane Tienson said. “With the arrest of the Mahons imminent, the O C A ’s illegal shell game is finally falling apart.” The Mahons also have tried to use a number of desperate technicalities to weasel out of the case. The couple claimed that their proper Christian names weren’t on documents and that Oregon judges are impostors because their oaths didn’t match the state constitution word for word. “T he M ahons essentially have ignored the orders of judges,” Foster said. “Anybody on the street knows that you can ’t do that. A nd yet the M ahons...have basically argued that they are above the law, and I think that what they’re going to find out here is that they’re not.” The arrest order was lifted, however, when Stauffer’s attorneys discovered Feh. 11 that the document summoning the Mahons had told them to appear at 11 a.m. instead of 8:30. been forced to pay a security Kind of $100,000. Another hearing has been scheduled for Feb. 20, Foster said. According to Tienson, the money ensures they Mabon, who refuses to grant interviews with will continue to appear in court. Just Out, admitted to KATU -TY that he Stauffer,‘33, told Just Out she was “in shock” wouldn’t have shown up regardless because he that the Mahons finally were going to be held believes all judges are fakes. “ I don’t believe accountable for their actions. She called the R il that I’m getting due process from the state of ing a victory for the entire sexual minorities Oregon, and that’s why I’m objecting, you community. know, to the jurisdiction of the Multnomah “ It’s clear that the Mahons would rather go Circuit Court,” he said. to jail than have money go to a lesbian,” she Mabon issued a press release Feb. 10 outlin said. “It’s also clear that their anti-gay rhetoric is ing his dispute with the warrant. He accused not just superficial.” Cinniger of a vast left-wing conspiracy to keep Mabon responded to Stauffer’s demand for the press and public from knowing the time and an apology by telling KATU: “I’m not gonna place of his court appearance. apologize to her. She should apologize to the “My consent to their false oath, in part, cre state of Oregon.” ates a parallel false jurisdiction; a fictitious juris Measure 9 would have amended the Oregon diction that is empowered, fueled and main- ! Constitution to define homosexuality as “abnor tained by my consent to their fictitious oath,” he mal, wrong, unnatural, and perverse.” A similar wrote. “Therefore, I will not prtKeed even one effort was defeated in 1994. inch before any so-called judge who does not In 2000, another Measure 9 was floated to have a signed constitutional oath of office on file prohibit public schtxils from “encouraging, pro with the Oregon secretary of state according to moting or sanctioning" homosexuality. Voters Article VII (Original) Section 21— where every rejected it 53 percent to 47 percent. ‘i’ is dotted and every ‘t’ is crossed, every word is Mabon was slated to attend a Feb. 12 forum exact and every comma in place. Then, and only debating the Student Protection Act II, a then, will I consent and proceed. Because then, watered-down version of 2000’s Measure 9 and only then, are my God-given rights guaran that might appear on the fall ballot. Lou Beres, teed by a signed contract. By the way, why are Oregon Christian Coalition executive direc they fighting so hard to not take, sign and trans tor, said the O C A chairman was unable to mit the right oath to the secretary of state T’ make it because of his mother-in-law’s funeral Upon their arrest, the Mahons would have in California. j n
