(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
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next IWd!U [fJ Z
create the ultimate Portland
queer community center what
would be its top priorities? Where
would it be located? (Please see
related item on Page 15.)
Respond at www.justout.com.
(Don’t forget to include your
name, city and daytime telephone
number.)
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Portland, OK 97210
,
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