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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (March 5, 2004)
What's Next? F orum D iscusses M odern M arriage C ity Club of Portland will present “Marriage: State of the Union” from 5:30 to 7 p.m. March 17. The special forum will discuss recent changes to the age-old institution: Should the federal government be trying to pro mote good marriages? Should judges be dictating that same-sex couples be allowed to marry? Who is marriage for? What has it become? And who gets to decide? The panelists will be Rabbi Emanuel Rose of Congregation Beth Israel, journalist Mary Pitman Kitch of The Oregonian and professors Leslie J. Harris of University of Oregon School of Law, Rebecca L. Warner of Oregon State University and Stephen Kanter of Lewis &. Clark Law School. William Lunch, an O S U professor and Oregon Public Broadcasting political analyst, will moderate the discussion, which will be followed by a question-and-answer session with the audience. The program is free for City Club members, $5 for nonmembers. It also will be broadcast live on Multnomah Community Television Channel 29. life gender couples who are licensed and ready to get hitched. The Revs. Berdell and Casey Moffett-Chaney say donations will be accepted but are not expected. For more information call 501-777*0727 or visit www.portlandcenter.org/weddings.html. C ommissioner O pposes S ame -S ex M arriage M ultnomah County Commissioner Lonnie Roberts will hold a meeting on same-sex marriage 6:30 p.m. March 9 in Room 315 of the Multnomah Building, 501 S.E. Hawthorne Blvd. He is outraged that he was not invited to participate in the decision to issue licenses to gay and lesbian couples. “Lonnie Is appalled at the lack o f consideration given him as a fellow commissioner and with cavalier abandonment of any open forum,” his office said in a statement. “The ‘exclu sive’ nature of this action has disenfranchised the citizens of District 4 who Lonnie represents and all the citizens in Mult nomah County who deserve to have their opinions heard.” For location call 503-228-7231 err visit www.pdxcityclub.org. For rebroadcast details visit unviv.mctv.arg. T raining W orkshop , P otluck P lanned A Bible banger (right) shouts at couples waiting in line to receive their marriage licenses, while a counterprotester (above) cites a fishy rebuttal (“ all that have not fins and scales in the seas...ye shall not eat of their flesh, but ye shall have their carcasses in abomination” ) L ove Makes a Family will sponsor a speakers training workshop on talking about same-sex marriage from 6 to 9 p.m. March 18 at the Multnomah Meeting House, 4312 S.E. Stark St. Partici pants will learn and practice ways to effectively listen and respond to the concerns of people about the contentious issue. Love Makes a Family also will co-sponsor a Family Diversity Potluck 1 p.m. March 7 at Ainsworth United Church of Christ, 2941 N.E. Ainsworth St. Families of all backgrounds will come together to talk about the support their families need and to cel ebrate the Multnomah County commissioners’ decision to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Organizers include the Community of Welcoming Congregations, Basic Rights Oregon and Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. For more information e-mail Bonnie Tmker at bonnie@hnfamily.org or Cedi Prescod at cedlprescod@hotmail.com. M c C ollum H osts W edding P arty map. Portland Mayor Vera Katz, while emphasizing that she plays no official role in issuing Oregon marriage licenses, believes their action will put a human face on the issue of same- sex marriage. “In a world where we worry that promiscuity is rampant, why would we not embrace those who are pledging fidelity ?” she said. “ In a world racked with instability, why would we not embrace those who seek permanence? In a world where we worry about a lack of commitment, why would we not embrace those building a lifetime of devotion?" Meanwhile, the Christian Coalition of Oregon believes the commission “ imagined a loophole in the law to approve the issuance of marriage licenses to homosexuals.” The anti-gay organization alerted its minions to “express your dismay about this illegal action” to Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski, state legis lators and even U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft. Oregon Attorney General Hardy Myers said he will conduct a full review of state marriage statutes to determine whether same-sex marriage is permissible or whether Multnomah Coun ty public officials are committing crimes by issuing the licenses. He promised to announce his decision by March 12. "Answering these questions requires careful analysis of Ore gon law and the Oregon Constitution,” Myers said. “We will endeavor to address these issues as quickly as we can.” J H M ultnom ah C ounty issues marriage licenses from 8a.m . to 4:45 p.m. weekdays m the Multnomah Building, 501 S.E . Hawthorne Blvd. The application fee is $60 cash. Applicants do not have to be Oregon residents. 0 ueer Portland actor Wade McCollum, the award-winning star of Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Bat Boy: The Musical, serve as host of “The Wedding Party!” 6 p.m. March 7 at Holocene, 1001 S.E. Morrison St. Partygoers will have a chance to dance to music by DJs Chaos Engine and Dantronix, drink, eat cake, have their wedding picture taken, sign petitions urging local officials to support all citizens’ rights, register to vote and meet other socially progressive activists. They also can get married by William Steven Humphrey, editor of The Portland Mercury, which is sponsoring the event. The suggested donation is $10. Proceeds will go to the Human Rights Campaign and Lambda Legal. G et M arried at D arcelle ’ s T he Rev. Glenda McKinney will perform a group wedding ceremony 10 a.m. March 6 at Darcelle XV, 208 N.W. Third Ave. Gay and lesbian couples with marriage licenses are invited to join in this legal ceremony. They do not need to call ahead, but they must be 21 or older. Festivities include a performance by Darcelle and much tossing of environmentally friendly rice. L esbian P astors W aive W edding F ee T he Portland Center for Spiritual Growth will waive its fee for all weddings performed through March 13 for same- Love Makes a Family executive director Bonnie Tinker (right) married her partner of 26 years, Sara Graham. Her organization will hold a diversity potluck March 7 and a speakers training workshop March 18. T ake A ction N ow is the time for queers and allies to mobilize against the antic ipated anti-gay backlash. Here’s how people can get involved: 1. C o n tact O regon G ov. Ted Kulongoski (representative.citizen@ state.or.us) and A ttorney G eneral Hardy Myers (doj.info@ state.or.us) and urge them to support the efforts o f M ultnom ah County. A sk them not to stop offi cials from issuing licenses, and thank them for any support they will give. 2. Contact Multnomah County commissioners to show sup port for the issuance of marriage licenses to same-sex couples. • D ian e L in n : w w w .co.m uItnom ah.or.us/cc/chair/ contactus.shtm l. • M aria R ojo de Steffey: districtl@co.multnomah.or.us. • Serena Cruz: www.co.multnomah.or.us/cc/ds2/contacLshtml. • Lisa N aito: www.co.multnomah.or.us/cc/ds3/contactus. • Lonnie R oberts: lonnie.j.roberts® co.multnomah.or.us. 3. Donate to Basic Rights Oregon, which paid thousands of dollars to secure safe, accessible places around the state for same- sex couples to get married. It also U working with the American Civil Liberties U nion to ensure that Multnomah County’s same- sex marriages hold up in court if challenged. To make a contri bution, visit www.basicrights.oig/2300-donateiKm or write to P.O. Box 40625, Portland, O R 97240. 4. Join the grassroots organization Oregon Marriage Equality (oregonmarriageequality.org), which was formed to provide a forum to ask questions, look for answers and make announce ments about m eeting: and events. JF1 Compiled by JlM R ad OSTA and MfiO D aly
