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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (April 2, 2004)
13 nrrnTTTWnTJnews briefs Continued from Page 11 W here I s S he N ow ? D onna Red Wing, who served as executive director of the Lesbian Community Project from 1989 to 1993, announced March 18 that she is running for the Colorado General Assem bly. The Democrat most recently served as queer outreach director for former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean’s presidential campaign. • “Howard Dean taught us that it was time that we take back America, and we are beginning with Colorado House District 25,” Red Wing said. “Coloradoans are tired of the status quo.” For rrurre information e-mail VoteFinRedWmgSaol.arm or visit wuw. dimnaredwing. com. L esbian M inister F ound N ot G uilty P roject W ill B oost V oter R egistratio n A he Basic Rights Education Fund has joined more than 30 nonprofit organizations in kicking off a project that seeks to register new vot ers in traditionally underrepresented communities. The Voter Expansion Project involves tribes, low-income service groups and organizations representing different people of color con stituencies. It is committed to registering 30,000 new or lapsed voters by October. “There was a time when people got on buses, marched and rallied for the right to vote,” Ore gon Secretary of State Bill Bradbury said in a statement. “We must ensure that every genera tion and every community values and exercises this most precious right.” T Other participating community groups include the Rural Organizing Project, Urban League and Oregon Food Bank. Oregon Action— which has worked for more than 25 years to address issues of economic and social jus tice, living wages, health care and affordable housing— is providing coordination and support. “Pm really excited about the opportunity to build long-term relations with community- based organizations that are doing incredible work,” said Rose Spears, president of Oregon A ctions Portland chapter. “This is a historic moment with all these groups coming together. There has always been a push for voter registra tion, but 1 have never seen this type of early cooperation.” fter deliberating for a day and a half, a United Methodist jury found a lesbian minister not guilty March 20 of charges that she violated church law by coming out of the closet in 2001. The trial took place in the Seattle sub urb of Bothell. “While sustaining the specification that Rev. Karen Dammann is a self-avowed practicing homosexual, we, the trial court, do not find the evidence presented.. .to be clear and convincing that [she] has engaged in any ‘practices declared by the United Methodist Church to be in compatible with Christian teachings,’ ” said the jury chairwoman, the Rev. Judy Schultz. “We cannot sustain the charge.” As the verdict was read, Dammann quietly bowed her head. The woman she married last month in Portland, Meredith Savage, placed an BA C K Y ARD SPAS THE P L E A S U R E IS ALL YOURS I have found I can no longer live the life of a closeted lesbian clergy person." According to Larry Fox of the Reconciling Min istries Network, church doctrine is in conflict with itself. With the exception of two sentences that ban the appoint ment of gay men and lesbians as clergy, the Book of Discipline calls for inclusivity and equal rights for sexual minorities. Dammann is The Rev. Karen Dammann awaits the jury’s verdict March 2 0 in Bothell, Wash. only the second arm around her shoulders. An audible sigh rip United Methodist clergyperson ever to face a pled around the courtroom, but no verbal re church trial on the charge of being a “self- actions were heard. avowed practicing homosexual.” The Rev. Rose O f the 13-member jury, 11 voted not guilty Mary Denmam of New Hampshire lost her 1988 and two were undecided. A majority of nine was case and subsequently transferred to another necessary to render a verdict. denomination. Dammann, pastor of Ellensburg United Although the church cannot appeal the ver Methodist Church, was charged with violating a dict, the trial will not settle the larger issue of rule prohibiting the ordination or appointment homosexuality for the denomination. That will of pastors who acknowledge homosexual prac continue to be debated at its worldwide law and tice. Her saga began Feb. 14, 2001, when she policymaking body, the 1,000-member General informed her bishop, “ I am living in a partnered, Conference, which will meet from April 27 to covenanted, homosexual relationship.” May 7 in Pittsburgh. J H Dammann then acknowledged in a letter I to her clergy colleagues: “I have ‘come out__ ’ Compiled by J im R a d o sta w illamette Financial Group, LLC ♦ Retirement ♦ Life Insurance ♦ College Planning ♦ Long - Term Care ♦ Sustainable Investing Floreid W alker 3529 N E Broadwayf™ Portland, OR 97232 503 445 9390 ext.101 f It ) reid @ wfgad vLsors.com G reg Look 3550 Liberty Rd.S*™ Salem, OR 97302 503.566.7266 ext.114 greg@wfgadvisors.com Call one of us today for more information! www.wfgadusors.com A. OPEN! 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