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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 20, 2002)
20.2002 J U S t [ 11 U COMMENTARY m M a k h dwis i M The IN publication for the OUT population F ounded 1983 • J ay B rown Vol. 2 0 N o. 4 and R enée L a C hance Decem ber 2 0 , 2 0 0 2 FEATURE ZMZMREVKVftA look back at the year Lon Mabon went behind bars. Portland created change and two gay dads lured Rosie O ’ Donnell out o f the closet p 22 NEWS N9RTHWEST • Kathy Beige resigns from Vanguard Youth Services; Oregonian upsets lesbian newlyweds; check out three new and improved gay-owned coffee shops; two deaf queer interpreters fill the seat o f morning news mainstay Hank Stack w 7-14 NATIUNAL • U .S. Supreme Court agrees to hear Texas sodomy case; Baltim ore protects trans residents; Cracker Barrel ends decade-long struggle pp 17-18 WHRLR • China flexible on rubber ad ban; Canadian televangelist scolded pp 20-21 ARTS AND CU LT U RE MUNI • Ju st O ut's guide for ringing in the new queer p 35 M L T H i • The ultimate penny-pinching, last-minute gift guide P 37 IIVIRSIINS • Cary Leibowitz at Soundvision; Ramblers celebrate 20 years; F a r from Heaven and The Hours tick o ff award nominations p 38 WHAT'S POPPIN'T • Denzel Washington’s directorial debut p 39 CULTURE • Yee-haw! The arts roundup Season's pleading When did it become unacceptable to wish someone a “Merry Christmas” ? S here in Portland have made the sterilization o f Christmas a popular topic. A n often-used comparison asks why the Christmas tree has become a “holiday tree” while our Jewish friends and neighbors still light their menorah, not their “festive holiday candleholder.” Yes, Jewish culture is rooted in thousands and thousands o f years W ell o f course not. T h e best he could possibly dare do o f history, pain, tears, persecution and oppression. T h e Christmas is offer a watered-down “Happy Holidays.” Surely no tree isn’t. But it has been with us through the infancy o f our own politician in his right mind would be so foolhardy as to country and our toddler growing pains and, yes, we’ve had our use the word “Christmas.” Good lord no. Talk about your political shares o f hard times, sad times and agonies, too. suicide. If we willingly and easily cast aside, or allow others to take Racism, that’s one thing— but Christmas, whoa now. T h e senator from us, our traditions, how will we ever survive it to would have to leave the Black Entertainment Television studios the point where we, too, are a nation with a history m yself am about rooted in our beliefs? From where do we derive our immediately and head straight to Lifetime Television for W I omen (including ultra-PC lesbians) for his next round of strengths and our unity? as religious as apologies. Yup, the G rinch finally has stolen Christ ow before you start stomping about the room in your average mas, and we all indignation, sat around and watched it happen. find an interesting parallel between the concept of righteous let it be known that I in no our Christmas traditions threatening the sensitivi way, shape or form disagree with or dishonor the con potted plant. But ties and strengths o f other cultures and those dedicat cept o f honoring the diversity of all peoples and all cul ed and righteous U .S . citizens who sponsor “defense of tures. Nor do 1 bring to this conversation a spiritual or I am also a person marriage” legislation. To my way o f thinking, gay mar religious background. Nor is this a defense nor a stance with memories riage is about as threatening to the beloved and cher for Christianity. ished heterosexual-sanctioned marriage rites as the I myself am about as religious as your average potted o f a childhood Christmas tree is threatening to those who celebrate plant. But I am also a person with memories of a child Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, winter solstice, Ramadan and and o f happy hood and of happy Christmases past. I am a person everything else. who was a child with grandparents who 1 loved, grand Christmases past. Perhaps the reality is that memories and traditions parents who made the season a happy, special and most threaten those who choose to celebrate nothing exciting time. at all. Perhaps in the colorlessness o f their own lives they resent 1 am now an adult who does not want to lose the feelings of these those who choose to honor what they have rejected. special memories that Christmas brings back each year. Memories of I also believe most gay couples who desire the legal and civil bene trees and presents and food we saw only once a year. And now I feel fits of marriage have no agenda or desire to deny or alter marriage for threatened by this far-too-radical concept that the maintenance of cul others. So why does having a Christmas tree at Pioneer Courthouse tural, racial and even economic diversity means setting aside our own Square deny others their ability and right to celebrate and enjoy their beliefs and traditions. own customs? Why does there have to be a tradeoff for those who, Christian or not, would still like to honor the memories and traditions of our own elebrate in your own fashion. Do what makes you happy. Share, country and our culture— all mere 200-plus years of it? And beyond grow, believe or disbelieve. Honor the diversity of all; cherish the that, what legacy are we leaving for those who come behind us? Plastic holiday trees and sterile phrases. How sad. memories of the past. JP1 In the past few weeks columnists across the United States and o, do you think Sen. Trent Lott will be wishing his con stituents and friends a “White Christmas” this year? NS I C pp 41-42 FILM • Just Out awards dubious distinction in film awards P 43 COLUMNS MS. REHAVIRR • Diesel dyke disagreement p 33 THE GUSPEL ACCORDING TU MAHC - No fruit basket and a form letter thank-you. Humph. Just out U published on the first and third M> day of each month. (^opyrinht © 2002 by Just Out. No part o f Just Out may he reproduced with»Hit written permission from the publisher. ala is welcomed. W ritten material should be typed and dou ble-spaced. 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P W U S IH A M M ANAGM 6 O f T N • Marty Davis N BM O IT N * Jim Radosta ARTS AM MUUHE « T N • Lisa Bradshaw EM TIM AL A fS O TW T • Marie Fleischmann G O T M U T M M • Marc Acito, Meryl Cohn, Michael Wayne Keck, Timothy Krause, Christopher McQuain, Bob Roebr, Floyd Sklaver, Tom Stevenson, Kat Wilson, Rex Wockner A M M T M M N K C T N • Larry Lewis A W O T O M G HHPM M NM • Markie Acevedo A M EH TIM B A ttH U M T • Erin Sexton B U N K BM ECTN • Kevin Moore PMMCTMIAUIUWT • Zanne dejanvier R E T « M A M C B • Marie Fleischmann U M 1R M T M I • Kristine Ashton, Jennifer Brinson, Ian Drake, Ron Geer, Mary Hauer, Anne Qchi, Melissa Weigand
