15,2002
. - s ÿy V
out
M i
UNIQUE]
To be queer
To the E ditor :
PORTLAND
ORE&ON
Le Meitour Gallery
‘R eally Cool Stujf
A fun collection of Antiques,
G ifts A Home Furnishings
---------------------- -
Northwest Native
Landscaping Plants
Return March 23rd!
* *
Open Tue-Sat10-6
Sundays 11-5
The only museum where you
get to take the treasures home.
7814 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland • 503/246-3631
7872 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland
Ü 5 0 3 / 2 A 6 -6 2 6 7 ”
www. real ly - cool - stuf f . com
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# •175
Ha ml made
»>«
Silks
& Runners
Natural
« ....-
& War Rugs
Area Rugs
Floor
% ' n i *
Coverings $
whimsical c a d s, qifcts. jew elry A art
76S0 SW Capitol Hwy / 503.244.7381
~www.zingogallery.com-*'
i
W all Hang-
iugs
Marie in Afghanistan. Persia & Kazakhstan
Fast West Oriental Rugs (503) 203-4330
7642 S.W. Capitol Hwy.. Portland 97210
©lite jfattoríttó
Antique Home Furnishings
7858
Capitol Highway
(503) 293-5034
P h o n e : 5 0 3 / 2 4 6 -8 2 6 3
SMi) SW Capitol ll\\\ • Portland
Untile Essentials in M n /ln n n iab Villane
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■
t’s hard to decide—should 1 comment about
Byron Beck and some other nontrans queer
people who claim trans issues are irrelevant (or
incomprehensible) to them? After all, as he said,
what did you expect?
In fact, should we expect more? Should we
hope for a higher level of awareness about the
bias and exclusion that await those of us who
think (and identify, act, live and love) outside
the cultural box?
Should we expect all queer people to use
their hearts, minds and consciences to envision
and create a society in which every person has
dignity and worth? Shouldn’t we just expect
“mainstream” culture to expand its own values
to accept us? Do we actually have to show them
what that would lixik like in our own communi
ty for them to get it?
It’s hard work being out and queer in this cul
ture, and it’s hard work being a person of con
science in an unjust world. W hen do we get a
break ?
Don’t we get to draw our line of inclusion out
just so far? Don’t we get to lixik down our noses
at somebody? Don’t we get to admit we can he
bigots, t ( X ) , and just leave it at that?
Sure. G o ahead. Pretend the courage you
found to he who you need to he, to love who you
need to love, is mostly for folks who fit your defi
nition. Pretend it doesn’t really apply to trans
folks if you want. But remember, the very act of
closing the dixir on each other robs us of the most
precious gift our stniggles might have provided:
the capacity to show compassion and support for
the safety and dignity of others who really need it.
Next time we demand this society and its
institutions honor our human rights, we just can
hide behind our own rationalizations about why
we couldn’t do the same. Next time we feel
threatened on the street or by a ballot measure,
we can “go stealth” and pretend we’re just like
everykxJy else, only just a little gay. Maybe they
won’t notice us...or they can go after someone
more visible or more queer instead....
Personally, 1 don’t think it’s going to work,
hut I guess everykxly’s free to try. OK, doing so
will he a capitulation to the Kinds of selfishness,
fear and ignorance that are our real sham e.. .hut
hey, what did you expect?
L ori B uckw alter
It’s Time, Oregon! Executive Director
Prevention priority
To the E ditor :
vention. Mammography is only a detective device;
it does not prevent cancer. Also, an increasing
Nxly of research indicates mammography might
not make a difference in mortality rates.
More than 8.9 million people are living with
cancer in the U nited States. O ne in two men
and one in three women will develop some form
of the disease in their lifetime.
Despite years of research, there is still a lot we
don’t know a k u it what is causing cancer. Hered
itary factors only explain a small fraction of cases.
Growing evidence, however, indicates vari
ous environmental toxins are contributing to
our high rates of cancer and other diseases.
Although more research is needed, there is also
enough evidence now encouraging us to
decrease the use and production of pollutants to
stop the increasing rates of cancer.
We need to ask why these mainstream
organizations are not doing research on pre
ventable risk factors for cancer. O ne reason
might he because of their funding. For example,
Armand Hammer— the same company that
brought us Love C anal— pays for the Komen
Foundation’s headquarters in Texas.
The founder of the Komen Foundation is
married to N onnan Brinker, w'ho has been CEO
for various fast fixxl corporations. Many compa
nies that make breast cancer dnigs (and who help
fund these corporations) also make pesticides and
animal hormones. They also receive funding
from mammography equipment manufacturers.
1 would like to suggest Ashling and your
readers check out Breast Cancer Action of San
Francisco, an advocacy organization that raises
issues about environm ental risk factors and
alternative forms of research. It has instituted a
policy of not taking corporate contributions that
might compromise its message.
Its Internet site is www.bcaction.org. Support
ing BCA truly would he a positive step toward
eradicating the dreadful disease of breast cancer.
G race M. H ague , M PH
Portland
Airing grievan ces
To the E ditor :
t appears prejudicial to gay men and lesbians
for KGW-TV to have scheduled a Portland
Trail Blazers telecast March 16 that cuts off the
first half-hour of N BC’s The Matthew Shepard
Story. KMTR-TV in Eugene has scheduled the
entire two-hour movie at 9 p.m.
Is N B C trying to hide The Matthew Shep-
ard Story by first scheduling it for the same
tim e as H B O ’s The Laramie Project, then by
airing it Saturday night, w hich usually draws
the fewest viewers? W hy has K G W cut this
movie w hen it carefully shifts o th e r N BC
shows th at are pre-em pted by Blazers games?
Why did NBC give KGW permission to
read with great interest your story about Krys
tal Ashling (“Survival Story," March 1].
Although I applaud her resiliency from the loss
of her children and her strong motivation to
help other women, I also need to inform your
readers ak u it the Avon Breast Cancer Walk.
The fund-raiser is prixJuced by Palotta Team-
Works, a private, for-profit company. Partici
pants must contribute at least $1,900, and they j
must have health insurance.
1 9 5 7 -2 0 0 2
The walks raise between $8 million and $12
million in each city. All of the expenses are taken
ortland resident Fern Ridge died March 8.
from the hinds contributed by the participants.
She was 44.
As a result, only between $4 million and $8
She was K un Aug. 6, 1957. She graduated
million from each walk actually is distributed for
from Portland State University with a bachelor’s
breast cancer treatment. The programs b e n efi degree in fine arts.
ted include those encouraging women to obtain
Ridge worked as a professional bartender for
mammography screening as well as research
ak u it 25 years at several establishments, most
efforts at selected hospitals. The money may not
notably Virginia Cafe. She was known for
he used for screening itself nor for innovative
throwing Palm Sunday parties every year for
research being done outside government-hacked
more than 100 people.
facilities that already have access to ample funds.
A service will he held 1 p.m. March 24 at
The Avon Foundation and the Susan G.
W ilf’s Restaurant and Piano Bar, 800 N.W.
Komen Breast Cancer Fixjndation fix;us their
Sixth Ave. For more information call Steven
N iefat 503-281-5759.
efforts primarily on detection instead of on pre-
I
tr c ir is itio n s
Fern Ridge,
P