august 20. 2004 '
nrmwwïnews
O ut N ow
DAVIS
etting married shouldn’t have to
be a political statement.
For some same-sex couples
who were married in Multnomah
County earlier this year, they
simply wanted to walk through a door that had
previously been barred to them.
Now that a constitutional amendment is on
the November ballot that would make their
marriages obsolete—and future gay and lesbian
marriages impossible—even the most apolitical
same-sex couples are being called upon to help
secure marriage rights for all Oregonians.
It may seem like a given that married same-sex
couples would be the first in line to defend their
own marriages at the ballot box. However,
according to Rebekah Kassell of the No on Con
stitutional Amendment 36 campaign, 40 percent
of the Oregon same-sex couples who were married
in Multnomah County are not registered to vote.
At the very least, their votes are needed to sup
port what Kassell calls “a very winnable campaign.”
No on 36 staffers are only now seeing the sense
of urgency sink in among their supporters. Deputy
campaign manager Beckie Lee suspects that some
marriage equality supporters initially may have
been “paralyzed by fear” when they learned that
the amendment had made it on the ballot. She
also notes that it takes time in the beginning of a
campaign to ramp up the needed momentum.
Kassell says this is no time for complacency.
“Some people think Oregon is a fair state and
would never do this kind of thing. It would be a
shame to be this close to winning and lose
because we didn’t do enough or take it seriously.”
13
No on 36 campaign organizers
say every effort is key
by Meg Daly
Organizers say the campaign hit a turning
point in recent days, with more and more vol
unteers buzzing around the office and canvassers
out in force.
One element still needed is more participa
tion from people like Kelly Burke, a lesbian mom
who married her partner, Dolores Doyle, last
March. The couple are front and center as “the
face” of the campaign to defeat the amendment.
They attend rallies and speak to the media about
the importance of marriage rights for their family.
Their story is the kind that will help influence
undecided voters, Kassell says.
Kelly Burke (left) And Dolores Doyle speak up for marriage equality during the No on 36
For Burke, telling her story goes beyond campaign kickoff rally Aug. 3
being a campaign tool. “My family’s life and
well-being is on the line,” she says. “It’s scary to
Kinoshita says that not everyone has to be so
about the impact this amendment would have
think people could be voting on my life.”
public in order to help the campaign. Help is
on their lives.
In the five months since she and Doyle have also needed in the form of donations of even
“Every day, I put on a No on 36 sticker and
been married, Burke was able to get health insur small amounts of time or money.
walk through this city,” Burke says, “and I’ll admit
ance through Doyle’s place of employment.
“If everyone gives just a little bit,” Kinoshita
sometimes I’m scared. I’m concerned if this is this
“Most people don’t know the benefits [that
says, “it is cumulative. There will be a
a good thing to be doing.. .with a small child.
come with a marriage license] and they haven’t groundswell, and we will win.”
“But people need to see who we are,” she
thought about how those rights affect someone’s
Bill Klein, No on 36 house party organizer says. “We have to find a way to be involved
family,” she says. “If we don’t stand up for our own
and a married gay man himself, adds that mar
because we are the campaign.” jT*l
lives, I’m afraid no one else will.”
ried same-sex couples can help the campaign
No on 36 fund-raising coordinator Brenda
simply by “talking to everyone they know”
To make a donation or to volunteer, contact the
No on C onstitutional A mendment 36
campaign at 971'244'1399 or www.noon36.com.
Tim Bias of the Rose City Softball Association,
David Martinez of the LGBTQ Community
Center Fund Board, Bob Mensel of the Portland
Gay Men’s Chorus and Multnomah County
Commissioner Maria Rojo de Steffey will present
the fund'raiser 3 M en & a L ady 5:30 p.m.
Aug. 25 at Hobo’s, 120 N.W. Third Ave.
Representatives from the No on Constitutional
Amendment 36 campaign and Basic Rights
Oregon will provide information on ways people
can help defeat the anti'gay ballot measure. To
RSVP e-mail aladyandthreemen@yahoo.com.
Haven coffee shop owner Dale Schiff will present
R ock for R ights ! 7:30 p.m. Sept. 18 at Lola’s
Room, 1332 W. Bumside St. Marie Fleischmann
will serve as the host of this nonsmoking, 21 -and-
older benefit featuring performers Tamara J.
Brown, Ashleigh Flynn, DK PDX, Sneakin’ Out,
Vivian’s Keeper and Tragedy Jane. Tickets are $10
from Ticketmaster and In Other Words. For more
information call 503'236'6890.
Features Editor M eg D aly can be reached at
megdaly@justout. com.
9
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