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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (June 4, 2004)
Mie 12004' rrra io u t illamette Financial Group, LLC ^ h a t ^° y014 think about the new parade route for J k Portland Pride 2004.7 Is it a necessary change to improve traffic flow, or will you feel ghettoized because we won't be marching through the middle of the city? here has been much discussion among the board of Pride Northwest and within the community about this year’s parade route. There are many variables that must he considered in order to determine a route that is approved by both Pride Northwest and city officials, includ ing the number of police officers the city will lend us, disruption to traffic flow, public safety and constmction projects. A major reason for changes to this year’s route stems from feedback from the G L B T community about previous years’ parades. We received many comm ents that the parade was too long and lagged badly in places, leav ing little time to enjoy the festival. These interruptions in parade flow occurred because the parade crossed M A X tracks. (The trains will not stop running for any parade.) T his year, the parade will not cross M A X tracks. I understand that some people are unhappy that we are not parading past Pioneer Court house Square, but please try to understand the challenges the board has faced. We will march through the Pearl District and Old Town, cross Burnside twice and gó down Stark Street, Broadway and Naito Parkway— all very visible locations. 1 encourage all community members to become part o f the process to produce Pride. The more minds and bodies lent to it, the better the chance of a fun, inclusive event for all. Pride does not belong just to me or Pride Northwest; it belongs to all o f us, so let’s own it. T T obin B ritton Pride Northwest President and Parade Chairwoman • • • • • • Floreid Walker 3529 NE Broadway*5™ Portland, OR 97232 503 445 9390 ext.101 floreidCfi0wfgadvLsors.com M y first parade to walk in was last year, and it was fun to go through town. Half the time we were so busy waving and posing for pictures I couldn’t tell where we were! I am looking forward to driving in this year’s parade and don’t see a problem with the new route. If the traffic issues are taken care of, then it will be a better event for all concerned and draw some business to a different part of town. You just don’t know if it will be good or bad until we do it! Greg Look Call one of us today for more information! 3550 Liberty RdSJJJ Salem, OR 97302 503.566.7266 ext. 114 www.wfga dvi sors, com grcg(a) vvfgadvisors.com A lice L ynn Portland • • • W hat is Pride about when we are squished into the already “queer" area of town? Isn’t it about showing how proud we are not just to ourselves but also to the rest of the city? I for one am disappointed with the choice to move the parade route. Hopefully more will turn out for the Dyke March to show the support of this political rally— through town. ortico B ren T rask Portland 3630 SE Division St. • • • Portland, Oregon Custom Sofas Choice oflO O s o f fabrics! (5 0 3 ) 2 3 0 -2 5 2 2 I think it’s lousy to give up the Broadway por tion of the route, but I would never allow myself to be or feel ghettoized— it just seems to me that marching through the city center and by Pioneer Square sends a positive, inclusive message. r B rian W ilson Portland S ♦ Retirement ♦ Life Insurance ♦ College Planning ♦ Long - Term Care ♦ Sustainable Investing ueer we go again, whoring our community to corporate entities so we can show our as a marketing demographic— and now taking away the only thing Pride had left to offer us: visibility. It’s the 35th anniversary of Stonewall, and to celebrate Portland Pride has decided to closet the parade by rerouting us away from downtown (as well as reducing stage presence, increasing admission and, as far as 1 know, continuing to function on exclusive cor porate contracts, rendering local businesses invisible). This year is a critical time for us to step up and make some noise. It is time to resurrect the marches, demand our civil rights, go beyond the compromise of false tolerance and reclaim our pride. As a trans/gender warrior I especially encour age trans folk, once again, to take our place in the front lines of struggle. Who threw the first brick at Stonewall? Honey, you know who...now what about you? We’re here. We’re queerer. Let not get too used to it. aving volunteered for Pride Northwest through its various incarnations for nearly 10 years (1987 to 1996, minus 1994), I can’t begin to express how disappointed I am that the parade route has changed. This isn’t the first year that the city (or Tri-Met) has complained about the traffic flow, nor will it be the last. We probably would never get the concessions given to Grand Floral or Starlight, but as the third-latgest parade in the City of Roses we certainly shouldn’t be giving up visibility in the heart of the city. Will the city hood the meters (making the streets no-parking) in the Pearl, where the streets are much narrower than those on the old routes? Will the board advertise this change enough that out-of-towners (or even people who just show up) will know that Pioneer Square is no longer the community gathering place for watching the parade? There will be a number of disappointed peo ple at Pioneer Square this year. L lewyn M aire D eb C ounts Transsexual Menace International Portland • • • H .... c fa&ssft its anti-gay constitutional amendment for the November ballot? How can we convince rural Oregonians to decline to sign? (Please see related item on Page 8 .) Respond at www.justout.com. (Don't forget to include your name, city and daytime telephone number.) < % t© s l> |a r k ty “sw s" C° r £ ? 0 la d e e p e r When you buy or sell a home with me. you’ll know your dollars are helping support a greater cause. I contribute at least 10% of my earnings to community and environmental organizations. M illy n n Ja m e s n u l you concerned that the Defense of Marriage next I PETTO Are Coalition might collect enough signatures to qualify . ^ m .j( T jfp - ' ' R &'MÆ X equity group R&M S< equity group Broker. Graduate Realtor Institute ABR: Acc 503.330.HOME (4 6 6 3 ) 1.8 0 0 .8 2 5 .9 9 4 8 w w w .m illy n n .c o m b m a il: m illy n n ( t i) a o l.c o r n
