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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 15, 2004)
rrmiout I October 15. 2QQ4 l u s t P P T ^ r n n m Televangelist Jimmy Swaggart said during a worship service that he'd kill any gay man * k who looked at him uand tell Qod he died." He apologized after getting complaints from several queer groups, saying the remark wasn't meant to harm anyone. Did the mainstream media do a thorough job covering these events, or were they downplayed? waggart s remarks were so violent, and his audience’s reaction was so scary. Obviously, something fishy is up with the media’s lack of uproar. Several years ago, when the corporate media were already conservative but were pretty pro-tolerance, this would have gotten more neg ative press. Now, we have had years of Fox News’ conservat i ves- are-the-only - vie tints schtick and its effect on pulling the rest of the media rightward. The right-wing talking heads who dominate the media condemn anyone who criticizes homophobic statements, acting as if it is us, not them, who act as modern-day Joe McCarthy* again«: those poor conservative Christians. They would have acted like conservative free speech was under attack if any mainstream media source made a big deal about Swaggart’s comments. Fox and the conservative media constantly get away with lies and distortions, bu t the “liberal” media never hold them accountable. These same media tried to bring down C B S even after C B S apologized about those forged documents (which were probably planted by Karl Rove). This is how unbalanced things are in the media, as media outlets know they can’t even get away with criticizing con servatives about things those conservatives have actually done, such as Bush’s AWOL or Swaggart’s hatemongering. W ? : ■ ■■ v S T om S oppe Portland » • » m ’ m H ere is the perspective of one bisexual athe ist. We can wish that the Rev. Swaggart affected. They have children who will, not who might, suffer from the measure. That contrasts with those people who want to save society from itself. M ike H olden Portland Measure 35 bad for seniors To E ditor : hen you live long enough to be a senior citizen, you learn that insurance compa nies, health management organizations and pharm aceutical companies are more co n cerned about their own bottom line than the health and safety of Oregon patients. In Ballot Measure 35, HMOs want to amend the Oregon Constitution to limit the power of juries. In cases where health care providers are negligent and reckless, juries would not be able to award more than $500,000 in non-economic damages. Unfortu nately, seniors are often the casualties of neg ligent and reckless health care. And for retired people who are no longer wage earners, non economic damages are very important. Each case should he decided on its own merits, not with a one-size-fits-all limit. Let me tell you about Alice Thomas. She was a piano teacher in Portland. Her HMO denied her surgery ordered by her doctor. Sev eral months later, she lost the use o f her right hand. She turned to the courts. A jury looked at the facts of her situation and determined the HMO was negligent by ignoring the pro- the W did not advocate the murder o f homosexuals with the approval of Jesus Christ. But that is what he said; wishing otherwise doesn’t change that. We can wish that the Bible did not advo cate the murder o f homosexuals (Leviticus 2 0:13) with the approval o f Jesus Christ (Matthew 5:17-18). But that is what the Bible says; wishing otherwise doesn’t change that. Christianity has inescapable murderous intent toward homosexuals, and therefore Swaggart was only following his faith. T he problem Isn’t a mis representation of Christianity that requires a sin cere apology. The problejp is Christianity itself; wishing otherwise doesn’t change that. T revor B lake Portland • • • I hadn’t heard about this but have found that when people are threatened or wrong about an issue, they fall back on that favorite child hood coping tool— anger. Many children when they get really angry or frightened will think of the worst thing they can say, and that is to kill something. I have had the experience of hearing many heterosexual grown men respond the same way to gays. Ginsidering that the mainstream media are also mostly heterosexual, this was probably downplayed. How about the fact that in any given day, Jimmy probably is waited on by a homosexual? How many times a day does he have contact with an unknown number of peo ple besides homosexuals who don’t agree with him? There are even Christians who don’t agree with him. These evangelists and Christians need to rethink their work here cm earth and that the gavs are working right alongside them and even talking to the same God! Think of the power Jimmy is bestowing on these gay men he is so afraid of; to scare such a man of God they must be really something. A lice L ynn Portland • • • I think the mainstream media do not cover any hate or hate crime enough! It should be Just as important a news story as any. In my thinking of “all people are good,” if enough o f the world heard of all the hate crimes, maybe more would he done. Enough people outraged could make a difference! Hare is hate, whether it is against an African American or a gay mart It doesn’t matter J2 va H offman M ikuaulde As Coro- Jll ation 2004 approaches, the Im perial Sovereign Rose Court has one can didate for Emperor and no candi dates /or Em press. What's going on here? Does this signal the end o f an era? (Please see related item on Page 4 5 .) Respond at www.justout.com. (Don't forget to include your nam e, city and day time telephone number.) fessional advice of her doctors. She could no lic good. I’m not fooled, and I hope you’re not, longer use her right hand, which meant she 1 either. could no longer teach piano. ■ * For her loss, a jury awarded her a modest G enie U ebelacker m sum. This was a clear case where the HMO put Oregon Alliance for Retired Americans profits ahead o f health care. Were it not for a strong jury system, it would have been more difficult to hold the H M O accountable. If Amendment 35 had been in effect, it T o the E ditor : could have been a very different story. feel compelled to write after reading Timo Right now, the Oregon civil justice system thy Krause’s review of Kiss It! in the O ct. 1 is the ultimate decision-maker. Fair-minded issue o f Ju st O ut. I saw the play on opening Oregonians sit on those juries— neighbors and night and immediately went home and friends, rich and poor, seniors and nonseniors. e-mailed all my Portland friends urging them U nlike insurance companies, HM Os and to go see it. pharmaceutical companies, jurors have no OK, the ending was a hit long on opening vested interest in the outcome of a case. This night, hut this is a world premiere, and the play is how the people of Oregon can hold people is still in development. This new show by Amy accountable when they are negligent or reck W heeler is delightful. 1 found it mesmerizing. less. No doubt they will continue tinkering with it, Supporters of the amendment say it would tightening it even further, but I couldn’t take my eyes off it. I laughed, I thought deeply, I hold down insurance costs. But when I read misted up a couple of times. There is not a the amendment, I can’t find any language that weak link in the ensemble. describes how rates would go down. W hat’s And as usual with Stark Raving Theatre, more, in states that have passed limits, like the sets, the lights, the music, everything works Texas and Florida, malpractice rates didn’t go together so well that you can totally forget down. They went up at a faster rate than states about it and focus on the play at hand. Brilliant. without limits. We can work on real reform and call for As a playwright, it is in my best interest to public hearings on how insurance companies support the only theater in town that ONLY conduct business. Insurance companies should does new plays. I realize that. But believe me, open their books. Let’s have hearings on rate this play is worth your dough, your time and increases the way the Public Utility Commis- whatever effort is involved in putting yourself in that seat. sion reviews rate hikes for utilities. Seniors have learned about sleight of hand. S andra de H elen And that’s what this amendment is all about: Portland a clever way to save money, disguised as a pub Kiss and make up I Pea r I of t h e Orient Arts and Antiques of Asia 221 YW 11th Avenue • Portland, OR 97209 Td: 503-241-9914 • Fax:503-241-9915 www LaZhu.com
