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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (July 1, 2005)
L aw O ffice of J ames D. M c V ittie , PC Specializing in Estate Planning. Wills. Trusts. Business Planning, and Domestic Partnerships (^all for your free 30-minute consultation on Estate Planning 503.224.661 1 TEL P ortland , O regon 97205 Artorney-at-Law, Lie. in OR & WA WWW. MC VITTI E-l_AW.COM Esquire Motors, Inc. Complete Foreign Car Repair & Service • Quality Services Guaranteed • Serving Downtown Portland Since 1968 503.226.6269 'I LMAF in the past, but I stopped volunteering with BRO because it was becoming nasty to me To the E ditor : because it knew I was also volunteering with s a Christian and a gay man, I have a com LMAF It was during the marriages in Multno pliment, a criticism and a suggestion mah County last year when BRO staff became regarding the confrontation Sunday morning of v<x:ally belligerent with me and another LMAF Pride weekend between the two Bible thumpers volunteer down at the county building. We were and the performers and audience in front of trying to assist couples wanting to get a license, Embers. and the BRO staff ripped into us. We were not Considering the rudeness of the thumpers, fighting some turf war; we were doing our best to I thought the individuals who passively and make this whole experience as snuxith and peacefully surrounded these misguided men did enjoyable as possible for the happy couples. The an excellent job of taking the high road in not BRO staff, however, saw and treated the LMAF lowering ourselves to the kind of irrational volunteers worse than it did the homophobic shouting used by these guys. A tense situation protesters outside. I thought we were all sup was made less volatile with our chant of “We posed to be “family”? love you.” Shame on Just Out for its unprofessional It would have been even better if the M.C. attempt to smear Bonnie Tinker and LMAF, and had not launched into “We’re going to hell, and shame on BRO for alienating individuals and it’ll be better than this.” At least that’s what I other LGBT organizations. How dare BRO heard. I think we can diffuse the angry and mis believe it is the only correct voice of the LGBT informed critics with less inflammatory remarks, community? As far as Just Out goes, it is now such as “Thank you for sharing your beliefs... we nothing more than a rag of mostly advertising have ours, too.” with pathetic attempts at journalism sprinkled Compliments to the Pride Northwest organ in. izers who apparently had prepared some of their people to deal with the intniders. I know they K urt D. K oester started the shouting match. I hope we can show Portland them we can be more civilized, rational and committed. Pride 2005 Taking the high road 806 SW BROADWAY, STE.80O J ames D. M c V ittie ífWRIout www.esquiremotors.com 1853 SW Jefferson • Portland LINNTON FEED & SEED NOT THE MALL We carry multi-pure water systems 10920 NW St. Helens Rd Portland, OR 97231 Phone: 503.286.1291 A D ave K ohl West Linn a resounding success! To the E ditor : wanted to personally commend Pride North west for its extraordinary efforts, hard work Club kids should take and positive changes to Pride this year. I have accountability been attending Pride in Portland for more than To the E ditor : 12 years, and this is by far the best one yet, in my am writing in response to the recently pub opinion. lished articles in Just Out spotlighting the Not only did we get beautiful weather the club kids of the Escape nightclub (“Club Kids whole weekend, the entertainment was great, and Club Life” and “First Person,” June 17]. rhe selection of vendors and booths was diverse Hear ye martyrs of club land: Please spare me and interesting, the board members and volun your pain. teers were helpful and attentive, and the crowds The gay youth of Portland do have an oppor of people were amazing! I was thinking to myself tunity to make a change, but they must learn throughout the weekend, “What made it more that although “talk” is great, false accusations spectacular this year?” The fact that half the will do them no gixxl. The old cliche holds true: crowd wasn’t corralled into the beer garden the Actions do speak louder than words. The upper whole weekend and was able to walk around was court does not have help organizing its events, the best idea. I have never seen so many people so why should it be responsible for others? interacting and surrounding the stage area to I agree that all the courts and titles should be a actually cheer on the performers and speakers! collective force working together, hence Pride I was disappointed, of course, to see the pro weekend, but by no means should one be testers leading the parade and yelling their hate accountable for the other. I can only hope the ful remarks inside the festivities, but security upper court and “older people” know that not all handled everything so smoothly. I was of Portland’s gay youth blame them for their impressed. inadequacies. So, Tobin Britton, Nicole Browning, Stef- Anie Wells and Patrick Olson, the four of you M arsha A ndrews deserve a standing ovation from the community Portland for all of your hard work and dedication to pro vide a wonderful Pride weekend to us all! Thank you. For those of you who complained: Step up A pathetic rag and help next year! These four did it all on their To the E ditor : own! need to express my voice regarding the article (smear campaign) on Bonnie Tinker and D ebbie C aselton Love Makes a Family printed in Just Out [“Is Sponsorship Director, Portland Lesbian &. Gay Love Makes a Family Still Effective?” May 6|. Film Festival I have waited this long to write in because Vice President, Portland Area Business I’m still waiting to read about Just Out’s “un Association biased” expose on other local LGBT organiza Co-Chairwoman, Lesbian Community Project tions that it promised to examine, but no such exposés have been published. I don’t believe I can denounce Just Out and its transparent moti An open letter to OPB vations any better than previous concerned cit To the E ditor : izens or editors of other local publications (The agree that OPB has produced many great pro Mercury and The Alliance). I do believe I can grams and has aired many more. Therefore, give a bit of a comparison of my personal deal I was saddened when 1 read in Just Out that ings with both Roey Thorpe and Basic Rights there was yet another OPB member who decid Oregon and also Bonnie Tinker and Love ed not to continue his membership due to the Makes a Family. lack of coverage and recognition of Gay Pride in I have volunteered with kith BRO and the June issue of OPB Member Guide and very I I I I
