4 J u * t o u t « march 5. 2004
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Stop th e e v ild o e r
To the E ditor :
fter being doubled-crossed in a classic
Warner Bros, cartoon, Bugs Bunny’s campy
response was, “This means war!" I had the same
response when President Bush and Vice Presi
dent Dick Cheney supported a constitutional
amendment that would pre-emptively bar both
gay marriage and civil unions. (Note that the
president only called for “legal arrangements
other than marriage,” which is something gay
people already have and is not “civil unions,” as
the media misreported.)
I have publicly supported Republican candi
dates, such as U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith, who
have helped the gay community. While I still
believe gay people need to he involved in the
Republican Party, I do not see how any gay per
son could reasonably vote for any Republican
candidate until this premeditated gay-hashing is
stopped.
Bush’s assault on gay people is so radical that
1 expect to blindly vote for the Democratic
presidential candidate. I see removing this “had
man" Bush from office and stopping his “evil-
doing” as being essential to preventing the
“downfall of our society.”
A
’m jumping for joy, and with 3,200 marriages
in 10 days, that's a lot of joy!
Here’s another thought: If you’re really seri
ous about stimulating the economy and creating
jobs, then extend the right to marry to gay and
lesbian couples aenss the country and let them
start planning their weddings.
I
• • •
am probably the only gay-identified female on
the planet who does not believe in marriage—
gay, straight or otherwise. It is a useless, outdated
institution founded eons ago out of necessity. In
2004, the only tangible benefit of marriage that I
can think of is the convenience of having
someone there to drive you home when you are
too drunk to do so yourself.
Having said that, I do firmly believe that us
gay folk have every RIG H T to sashay down the
aisle should we so choose and be just as miserable
as the straight people. Therefore, I commend
Mayor Newsom for this brave and pioneering act
in the struggle for equality. Rock on, Gavin!
I
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need to say” time, and Newsom is saying gay ■
marriage is inevitable. It’s the truth.
D a n ie l B u r g
Portland
applaud the bravery of Mayor Newsom. He is
a hero willing to risk his political career for
the right thing.
Those who think we should wait for the “right"
time to demand equality naively assume there will
ever he a “right” time. From the women’s suffrage
movement to the civil rights movement of the ’50s
and ’60s, the disenfranchised have had to fight and
sacrifice to make change real.
It’s time we insist on being granted our equal
place at the table instead of timidly waiting for
the “masters" to drop as scraps or a hone. The
religious right understand well that legal recog
nition of our right to marry destroys all argu
ments made to justify discrimination against us.
It’s time we got smart and stood for full equality,
whether or not you would get married.
D avid D e yo
Beaverton
A n n ie R o c k a fe l l e r F o x x
• • •
think his decision to grant marriage licenses
to same-sex couples was a good one. It is
good to get this issue out in the open in order
for people to get used to the idea. Also, it
certainly was a quick way to raise much-needed
cash for the city.
I
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/ 'T ay men and lesbians ought to he fair to
\ J others if they expect to he treated with
fairness.
Therefore, my view is that the concept of
marriage is owned and operated by virtually all
religious communities worldwide. Fairness to
those communities obligates me to let them
have that concept for man/woman marriage
and turn to another concept, such as civil
unions, for same-sex couples. Their obligation
would then be to treat gays fairly within the
American constitutional context and grant
civil unions/domestic partnerships with rights
and privileges equivalent to those granted to
married people.
Civil unions ought to he achieved by politi
cal action in each state. But we should recognize
that courts do have authority to find that the
Constitution does require fair and equal treat
ment of gays and order legislatures to establish
suitable alternatives to marriage.
Either way, it is up to me and other responsi-.
hie citizens to teach the public that courts do
have this authority and that judges who order
such alternatives are not “activist judges” and
Corvallis
Ms. Gay Oregon XVII
A u to m o tive
M ain te n a n ce
& R e p a ir
To the E ditor :
T homas K raem er
I
Portland
& F r o c k you up!
D ivided th e y fa ll
B lM I S t F P r m T n ^ °W
a^°ut '-*m Francisco
Newsomfs sudden decision to grant
M
v
marriage licenses to same-sex couples? A brave act of civil disobedience, or a poorly timed
maneuver that only will complicate matters further?
A la n e C o lla r
We want to
1 did not vote when I was younger because
it didn’t seem to matter. Fortunately, the worst
thing that Presidents Lyndon Johnson,
Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter
and Ronald Reagan did was to completely
ignore gay issues.
But today, our freedom is seriously at risk if
we do not effect a "regime change” in the
White House. Our future depends on every gay
person twisting the arms of their friends and
family members to vote against Bush in the
next election.
Gay-hashers, such as George Bush, are
usually insecure about their own masculinity
and sexual orientation. For example, look at
the large codpiece that Bush carefully padded
in his aircraft carrier flight suit before prema
turely declaring “mission accomplished” in
Iraq.
Bush’s disgust of homosexuals is “unnatural"
homophobia, which is a very serious mental ill
ness when it harms other people. But we should
he “compassionate” and help Bush get the psy
chological help he so desperately needs by
removing him from office.
• • •
say kudos to Mayor Newsom. His actions
have allowed gay men and lesbians to express
their real desire to be legally married. These acts
have brought the issue to the center of the
national stage. Democrats nor Republicans can
duck the issue any longer. It’s “say what you
I
ivil disobedience? OK, but brave?
Complicate FURTHER? How far is further
when one can exit the human resources office,
where they C A N N O T ask if “roommate” means
“partner,” and enter the benefits office, where
they DEMAND PROOF of partnership before
granting benefits to the “roommate.” Huh?
Confronting politicians means they might have
to address the issue, maybe, hopefully, it also
scares folks and might backfire.
A lot of states are calling for a vote of support
for traditional marriage, and guess what? They
can have it! “They” have bruised and broken it
and now want to hang the tag “gay” out front
and blame us! I think same-sex unions are
inevitable, and all couples deserve the chance to
“make it legal.” It jast needs a better name than
gay marriage.
C
D E l a in e C r a n d a l l
Beaverton
efinitely a brave act of civil disobedience.
From what I’ve learned about Mayor
Gavin Newsom, he seems to he a very well-
educated, knowledgeable and connected person
who didn’t make this decision lightly.
This is an action that is based upon princi
ples that I just recently became aware of: that we
should not accept being placed in a different
class. All arguments against same-sex marriage
are completely unfounded or outdated, and as a
society we need to understand these fears for
what they are and move forward.
I’ve been with my partner for more than 12
years and was fortunate enough to be down
there in San Francisco to be a part of this. It was
an incredible, life-changing experience.
D
G ary R uss
Portland
• • •
ell, my sweets, it is a brave act of civil
disobedience, hut LaFruita and I have
been in a relationship for 35 years and have had
to spend a large amount of money on attorney
fees just so we can have some of the “taken for
granted” liberties that "married as defined by
Miss Bush” have now. Wc are tired of being
“second-class citizens” and, of course, dearly
hope there will be NO CH A N G E to the
Constitution.
We really admire Mayor Gavin Newsom and
wish he were running for the presidency. How
ever, I doubt very much in our lifetime we will
see open marriages for everyone. When this
fails— after most likely going all the way to the
Supreme Court— those awful right-wing Repub
licans won’t stop with that; their goal will be to
shove us all back into the closet.
Love your paper and try and support all who
advertise in your publication.
W
J ack “ S w e e t n e s s ” F a llin
H o w ard “L a F r u it a ” F ried m a n
Mdwaukie
• • •
cts of “civil disobedience” can never he
timed properly. They arise from a cry that
A