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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 7, 2003)
« novemùef 7.2003 news the Senate sent a strong message that anti-gay harassment under a commander’s watch will no longer he ignored.” -5- ast month the Senate Judiciary Committee considered an anti-gay nominee for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. In 1984 Claude Allen served as campaign aide to U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms, R-N.C., who was running against Gov. Jim Hunt. A local reporter quoted Allen as stating that Hunt was vulnera ble because his campaign could he “linked with the queers.” Allen then said, “We could expound on Jim Hunt’s connections with the homosexu als, the labor union connection, the radical fem inist connection, the socialist connection." At a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing last month, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., asked Allen, “Do you understand how some people in America might take your use of this word ‘queers’ as being negative, to denigrate them, and not respectful?" Allen asserted that he did not mean to denigrate homosexuals hut that he had been referring to the “strange, abnormal, out-of-the-ordinary individuals and groups” working on Hunt’s campaign. “Even if a truthful explanation, it means that Allen viewed homosexuals as among the ‘strange, abnormal’ groups to w'hich he referred,” said Eric J. Stem, Democratic National Com mittee G L B T outreach director. “President Bush’s nomination...shows that he is clearly more interested in obtaining more support from the religious right than in showing compassion towards G L BT Americans.” In his current role as deputy secretary of the Health and Human Services Department, Allen has been accused by AID S activists and others of pressing a conservative bias toward HIV/A1DS issues and of conducting a “witch hunt” against AIDS advocacy groups. 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J u s t O ff 1-5 b e tw e e n Canby & W ood- burn in Hubbard! • One of Only 5 Female Auto Dealers iu the State of Oregon 2937 G S tre e t, Hubbard Or, -97032 • One of Only 200 Female Auto Dealers In the Nation Want a F R E E Oil Change? Bring y o u r car in for a tree oil change w h ile you take a test drive HUBBARD CHEVROLET 1 888 470-2188 1 - - H o u rs : M - F 9 :0 0 -7:0 0 p m • Sat 9 :0 0 -6 :0 0 p m • Closed S u n da ys w w w .h u b b a rd c h e vro le t.c o m Uyto^.GOOCasti BackReb3tesart%0AC . .. !jm C H E V Y N A T IO N A L n a closed-door executive session Oct. 23, the Senate Armed Services Committee confinned President Bush’s nomination of Maj. Gen. Robert T. Clark for promotion to lieutenant general, the Army’s second-highest rank. If later confirmed by the full Senate, he will take command of the Fifth U.S. Army at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. The Senate declined to act on Clark’s nomi nation for more than a year because of serious concerns regarding his leadership. He was com mander of Fort Campbell, Ky., in 1999 when Pfc. Barry Winchell was bludgeoned to death by fellow soldiers who believed Winchell was gay. “There is not, nor has there ever been during my time here, a climate of homophobia on post,” Clark said at a news conference prior to leaving Fort Campbell in 2000. Under his watch, however, many reports of anti-gay harassment surfaced in addition to Winchell’s murder, including anti-gay graffiti and assault. Clark also implemented a policy that led to a record number of queer discharges at the post. A Department of Army Inspector General report found other troubling facts about his tenure, including commandwide low morale; inadequate delivery of health care to soldiers and their families; and widespread, leader-condoned underage drinking in the barracks. According to a report from 60 Minutes, Fort Campbell also saw an alarming spike in domestic abase cases. “We are disappointed in the confirmation,” said C . Dixon Osbum, Servicemembers Legal Defense Network executive director. “Clark did, however, undergo unparalleled senitiny by the Armed Services Committee. For the first time, I O n ly 30 min fro m P o rtla n d La n ce , Terri ft Erik Berkey TENNESSEE .S. Rep. Zach Wamp called homosexuality a “sickness," an “aberration” and a “sin” that needs to he “controlled,” The Associated Press reported Oct. 20. The Tennessee Republi can added that he believes his “view of what policy should he is based on the biblical values from the Old Testament forward.” Wamp also announced his support for the anti-^ay Federal Marriage Amendment. Accord ing to the AP, fellow Tennessee Republican U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander said in a statement that he finds a constitutional amendment “unnecessary." “We are pleased that Sen. Alexander has dis tanced himself from the views of Rep. Wamp, and we call on all members of Congress to denounce the congressman’s comments,” said Winnie Stachelberg, Human Rights Campaign political director. “It’s time for our nation’s lead ers to send a message that such hateful rhetoric has no place in our public dialogue.” W E ’L L Integrity, Quality and Service 1 - 888 - 470-2188 B E T H E R E j Claude Allen has been nominated for the U .S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit -o- ambda Legal filed a discrimination com plaint Oct. 29 on behalf of a second appli cant who was rejected for a foreign service job by the U.S. State Department because he has HIV. “The State Department is preventing quali fied, healthy people from serving their coun try— all while there’s a severe shortage of foreign service applicants who are badly needed right now,” attorney Jonathan Givner said. “This isn’t just had policy— it’s illegal.” Kyle Smith, a college student in Columbus, Ohio, applied to he a foreign service office man agement specialist. After successfully complet ing the interview process, he was approved for employment pending medical approval. When L