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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (May 6, 2005)
may 6.2005 ’ jUSt OUt 21 F7TÍV7TT7ÍT1 news add sexual orientation as a protected category. Today all hut a handful of schixils do so. Noting that the Pentagon’s policy known as “don’t ask, don’t tell” discriminates against gays and lesbians in employment, rhe law schools said they would bar military recruiters from campus. The backlash began in 1994 when U.S. Rep. Gerald Solomon, R-N.Y., offered the first in a series of amendments and then a law to force the schcxils to help military recruiters or lose access to all government-funded programs, including student loans. A coalition of law schools organized as FAIR and sued to bkxrk the law. A 3rd Circuit appeals court sitting in Philadelphia agreed with their arguments. Writing for rhe 2-1 majority, Judge Thomas L. Ambro drew heavily upon two Supreme Court decisions that at the time were seen as defeats for gay rights advocates. One case is Boy Scouts of America vs. Dale, where rhe court said the organization did not have to admit an openly gay scoutmaster because it would “significantly burden the Boy Scouts’ desire to not promote homosexual con duct as a legitimate form of behavior.” Soulforce protesters march around the Focus on headquarters and deliver 1,000 letters. S oi lforce P rotests Fix es on the F amily About 1,000 gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans gender individuals, couples and families, their allies and clergy tixik on Focus on the Family, a conservative Christian church and media source, by picnicking and praying in front of its headquarters May 1 in Colorado Springs, Colo. Portland was represented at the protest by Bon nie Tinker of Love Makes a Family. Three people, Philip Reitan, 57, Randi Rei- tan, 54, and their son, Jacob Reitan, 23, all of Eden Prairie, Minn., were arrested as they attempted to deliver a letter to James Dobson, rhe head of Fix: us on the Family. They were arrested on trespassing charges and released, according to The Rocky Mountain News. The Reitans are part of Soulforce, a national gay advocacy group that came to Colorado Springs to protest what it calls “hurtful rhetoric” on homosexuality from Dobson and Focus on the Family. The ministry was closed to visitors May 2. In the letter that the Reitans attempted to deliver to Dobson, they wrote: “Phil and I have a gay son, Jake. When Jake first came out to us, we knew nothing about homosexuality. We had to educate ourselves. We read many books, hut more importantly, we talked to psy chologists and psychiatrists about understanding homosexuality. We were told to love and accept Jake as a gay man. We were told that reparative therapy is harm ful. We listened to their advice, and we began a new journey of understanding as parents. “There was never a moment we did not love or accept our dearvson. But we struggled with how best to see the day Jake is loved, accepted and understood the Family by society. As parents and Chris tians, we felt called to work for justice for all in the gay commu nity.... We know that God loves Jake just as he is...a gay man. We know that Jesus is with Jake each day as Jake works to see the day all in the gay community are respected and given the same rights and privileges we all enjoy. We pray that day comes sixin. And as we read in Micah 6:8: ‘What does the Lord require of thee, but to do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk Ambro applied that same logic to this case, writing, “The law schools believe that employ ment discrimination is inconsistent with their commitment to justice and fairness” and should not be compelled to accept military recruiters. He called rhe Solomon Amendment an unjusti fiably blunt weapon to assist the recruitment effort; “it could barely be tailored more broadly.” The Pentagon has other less intrusive and burden some methixls by which to recruit lawyers. Furthermore, “The government has failed to proffer a shred of evi dence that the Solomon Amendment materially enhances its stated goal.” It may plausibly be argued that it has generated such ill will that it “actually impedes recruitment.” The U.S. House of Representatives reacted by passing a “Sense of Congress” resolution Colorado Springs police officers arrest Jake Reitan and his mother, when it returned in Feb Randi, along with his father, Phillip, as they attempt to deliver a letter ruary. If reaffirmed the to James Dobson. Solomon Amendment and urged an appeal to the Supreme Court, humbly with thy God?’ ” though it had no binding legal power. The vote In response, Focus on rhe Family held a press was 327-84, with strong Dem<x:ratic support. conference to reaffirm its stance that homosex While not a party to the FAIR lawsuit, uality is incompatible with Christian Scripture. Servicemembers Legal Defense Network filed a Additionally, Extxlus International, an organiza brief in support of that position during rhe tion that “saves” homosexuals through “conver Philadelphia appeal. It is likely to do so again sion” back to heterosexuality, reminded the now that the matter is before rhe Supreme press that, in its view, homosexuals chixise their Court. lifestyles. —BR . —SD JM Portland s ONLY Gay Owned & Operated Carpet Cleaners Serving Metro Portland & Vancouver s Gay Community for 8 Years Honesty, Integrity & Reliability ¥ Ask for your Family Discount! 503-590-4746 www.deepcleancarpet.com Quick Turnaround on Newsletters, Postcards, Pricelists, and all other printing needs Have You Lost That Lovin' Feeling? 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