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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (June 6, 2003)
(une 6.2003 • J u s t M it, 5 flo y J that it was important for our local LG B T organizations take a stand on this issue. We do this for several reasons. First, LG B T folks are as diverse as the rest of the communi ty. We are not all rich, or all white, or all men, as the stereotype goes. Second, some of the same concerns about police attitudes toward people o f color are con cerns that we have about police attitudes toward sexual and gender minorities. S o in part, we speak out because L G B T people also experience bias-related violence at the hands of the police. And the system in place, in which no officer has ever been indicted by a grand jury, is urgently in need of an overhaul. We are also deeply concerned about sys temic threats to the safety and civil liberties of people living in this country. Racial profiling and police violence are not new means of expressing racism, and now these wrongs exist in a context in which it is seen as unpatriotic to question what any governmental branch, including the police, does in the name of “public safety.” We urge people to resist this trend and to speak out about this incident, which so strongly appears to be a civil rights violation of the harshest kind— the taking of a person’s life. We disagree with many of the sentiments that Marty Davis expressed in her column. We agree with Kathleen Saadat, who wrote: “The societal red herrings that surround the case of Kendra James are just that, red herrings. In this situation as described by either side, Kendra James should not have been shot by anyone sworn ‘to protect and serve.’ ” Far from seeing James as a person whose life • • • D ean has the best shot at making Bush a never-elected president in 2004. He is the only one brave enough to point out how differ ent he is from Bush. The other prominent candidates are pan dering to the tired, failed (especially in 2002!) strategy that says Democrats should keep getting more conservative in order to beat the Republicans, despite the polls show ing Am ericans support many liberal policies. They just haven’t been offered those policies by the rhetoric of the many Democrats who try to be weak, unprincipled Republican copies. The Democratic Leadership Council (that organization of more-Republican-than-thou Democrats) is already launching a propaganda campaign against Dean supporters, who might prevent the DLC from nominating yet another Southern conservative. 1 suggest people go to the DLC’s Web site, ndol.org, and tell them this is unacceptable. By constantly trying to conform their rhetoric to the right-wing propaganda that em anates endlessly from the m ainstream media, Democrats are underestimating the Am erican people’s willingness to support humane, egalitarian, logical policies when such ideas are actually presented to them in a relevant, straightforward way. Dean is prov ing every day he is the person who can do this. T om S oppe Portland is less worthy of our attention than others, we see her life as not unlike our own. Who among us has nor made mistakes? James’ family has lost a daughter, a mother, a sister and a dearly loved young woman. LG B T people should, if nothing else, understand what it is like to have our basic humanity ignored— and to lose the lives of our loved ones— because of fear and ignorance. T h ^ bottom line is that injustice is wrong. We all deserve to be safe in our city, and we urge you to join us in working toward a city in which are all equally safe and justice prevails. A rwen B ird Survivors Advocating for an Effective System L ori B uckwalter It’s Time, Oregon! S herrian H agar Parents Union C hrista O rth Pride at Work Oregon somehow not “like you.” How many in the LG BTQ community suffer from drug addiction? How many LG BTQ people of color are at risk from traffic stops as a result of “driving while black or brown” ? Please seek an editorial writer for the next issue of Just Out who can raise the voices of those of us who seek to build alliances across race and end police brutality. ■YV*" is y W Experienced Hair Care Services v » M oira B owman Portland W h e n y o u a ssu m e ... T o the E ditor : appreciate many of the points you made in your editorial on Kendra James. I do not agree with the assumption that none of your readers knew her or are affected by the type of racism and classism that affected her. It is all of our responsibility to help build alliances within our G LB T Q community as well as with others. I lOIST (at Escapade in Hollywood) by Appointment V'V 'V '.cW ocK -étoyJ.or^ OUR PLANTS ARE 6 ON THE KINSEY SCALE T he R ev . C ecil P rescod Ainsworth United Church of Christ J eannie L a F rance A ndre P ruitt Portland Brother to Brother R oey T horpe K ill n o w , lie la te r Basic Rights Oregon B onnie T inker Love Makes a Family E n d p o lic e b r u ta lity To the E ditor : i t makes me sad and angry that the editorial voice of Portland’s LG BTQ paper could write about the murder of Kendra James as if she were ister and/or vote. If we can communicate Dean’s message to those people— and get them to the polls— Dr. Dean will be the next president of the United States! T o the E ditor .- hat I would like to know is what exactly is a “routine traffic stop” ? What I would like to know is why 1, as a white female, have never been stopped for “failing to come to a complete stop” at a stop sign. Why, when I have been in middle-class and upper-class areas W Continued on Page 7 and right-wing Republicans are more evident than ever. Unfortunately, it has a very “don’t ask, don’t tell” feel about it. T eresa S alazar Salem M im Z ellnik Portland • • • • • • H oward Dean is the only candidate who has a chance at heating Bush in 2004. We need to have a candidate who will provide a clear choice between Bush and progressive policies, and Dean is the only one who is pro viding that choice. As Dean says, “You can’t beat Bush with Bush-lite”! T yson M orrow Portland • • • es, I think Howard Dean “For America” has a shot of defeating Bush in 2004- Bush is standing strong in regard to security against ter ror; however, he hasn’t a clue of what the people want. A progressive president would be some one who is for all the people, not just the rich, as Bush’s tax plan suggests. Dean supports all men and women in the United States. He believes in the slogan “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” for all. When he signed the civil unions bill in Ver mont he said at that time it was a risk; however, if he had voted no he wouldn’t have been able to live with himself. That is someone I want as my president. Y • • • C aroline P ower absolutely feel he has a chance! I think th is. Portland country is full of people who agree with his • • • positions on many issues. At the same time, I think a substantial num ber of those Americans don’t feel represented by efinitely not! Living here in Salem, the any politician and therefore don’t bother to reg political city of Oregon, the homophobia I I D O ur hearts say “yes,” but our heads say “no." Although we all know the emperor (King George II) has no clothes, Bush has the money— and, now, the corporate press monop oly— to keep anyone from publicly pointing this out. N either Howard Dean nor any other Democratic hopeful on the horizon has the charisma or the access to money to break through the Big Brother shell now in place over “the land o f the free.” With ironic head lines like “ Bush Pursues Peace in the Mideast” ( The Oregonian, June 3), we’ll over look the obvious lack o f clothing; after all, if everyone else can see this beautifril fabric he’s wearing of “War is peace,” “N o child left behind” and “Save the environm ent by destroying it,” who are we to question his right to another four years? B ob B erger D ave R essler Portland ClSTUS NURSERY 22711 NW GILLIHAN ROAD SAUVIE ISLAND wed - sun io-5 YOUR RIGHTS? YOU SHOULD BE. Richard B. Schneider A ttorney A t L aw is well versed in the special estate planning needs of the G LB T com m unity and can help you with care and professionalism. 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