4 , JUStpUt
FEBRUARY 17.2006
iustout
J
NEWSMAGAZINE
Founded 1983 • Jay Brown and Renée LaChance
PUBLISHER & MANAGING EDITOR
Marty Davis
NEWS EDITOR
Sarah Dougher
ARTS AND CULTURE EDITOR
Jim Radosta
STAFF WRITER
Jaymee R. Cuti
DESIGN DIRECTOR
Anabel Ramirez
AD DESIGNER
Cat Cheng
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
Larry Lewis
ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES
Joseph Clark, Michael McDuffey, Melissa
Morales, Kari Tate, Cshea Walker
CONTRIBUTORS
Yvonne P. Behrens, Stephen Blair, Maria
Callahan, Meryl Cohn, Dave Kohl, Timothy
Krause, Andy Mangels, Christopher McQuain,
Jenny Nguyen, Rebecca Ragain, Aaron Scott,
Floyd Sklaver, Glenn Scofield Williams, Rex
Wockner
DISTRIBUTION
Allison Benn, Lisa Benson, Youme Inhofe, Pat
Kilmer-Cramer, Chance Schwartz
Just Out is published on the first and third
Friday of each month. Copyright © 2006 by
Just Out. No part of Just Out may be
reproduced without written permission from
the publisher.
Editorial guidelines: Letters to the editor
should be limited to 500 words.
Announcements regarding life transitions
(births, deaths, unions, etc.) should be
limited to 200 words; photos are welcome.
Deadline for submissions to the editorial
department and for the Calendar is the
Thursday 15 days before the next publication
date. Just Out reserves the right to edit for
grammar, punctuation, style, liability
concerns and length. Views expressed in
letters to the editor, columns and features
are not necessarily those of the publisher.
Advertising policy: The display advertising
deadline is the Monday 12 days before the
next publication date. Classified ads must be
received at the Just Out office by 5 p.m. on
the Sunday five days before the next
publication date, along with payment.
Classifieds may be placed via
www.justout.com, by mail or in person at
our office. Just Out reserves the right to
reject or edit any advertisement.
Compensation for errors in, or cancellation
of, advertising wiH be made with credit
toward future advertising. Advertising rates
available upon request.
Distribution policy: Just Out is available
free of charge. Just Out is delivered only to
authorized distributors. No person may,
without prior written permission, take more
than one copy. Any person who takes more
than one copy may be held liable for theft,
including but not limited to civil damages
and/or criminal prosecution. Subscriptions
are $22.50 for 12 issues. First Class (in an
envelope) is $40 for 12 issues.
Contact: Just Out at
P.O. Box 14400,
Portland, OR 97293-0400;
503-236-1252,
advertising 503-236-1253,
fax 503-236-1257;
e-mail justout@justout.com.
Visit us on the web at www.justout.com.
letters
Once Again, Oversensitive
Homosexuals Overreact
To the E ditor :
Frankly, the management of Pirate’s Cove
should he made to walk the plank for submitting
to a complaint that any rational person who is
familiar with the age-old joke about the un
welcome holiday fruitcake would dismiss as simply
that: a holiday joke! [“Fruitcakes OK with Pirates,”
Jan. 20]
It is plainly obvious that this was not an anti-
gay slogan. Yet another sign that political correct
ness has gotten out of hand.
It simply astounds me that “fruitcake” can be
more offensive than the terms “queer” and “fag”
that are used in this very newspaper. And before
the letters come gushing in about “taking back”
those words, consider this: “Queer” and “fag” were
never words that the gay community owned. They
were thrust upon us by a closed-minded society.
You cannot “take back" what was never yours. You
cannot take derogatory words that are commonly
regarded as negative and make the positives in the
international lexicon.
We blow a gasket whenever anyone uses them
to describe us; why would we tolerate it when our
own do? There were men and women in this coun
try who I’m sure died with “queer” and “faggot"
being the last words they ever heard. This is indeed
no way to memorialize them. Use them if you wish,
but don’t direct them at me; otherwise, you will be
receiving a very cold shoulder.
J on S auer
Portland
I'm Typing This with One Hand
To the E ditor :
Roller skating is fun. Gay Skate at Oaks Park is
even better.
But I’m typing this with one hand because I fell
and broke my arm/shoulder at January’s Gay Skate.
My arm is in a sling and unusable for three to six
weeks. I’ll need physical therapy. The long-term
damage to tendons and such is unclear. It really
sucks.
I, too, laughed derisively at the sign warning us
to skate carefully and at our own risk. So keep on
skating and supporting Just Out, but just go easy on
the disco moves.
P eter O vington
Portland
Where to Take Clothing Donations
To the E ditor :
Marcelino Perez, in his letter to the editor in
the Feb. 3 edition, describes the difficulty of donat
ing clothing to Tod’s Comer (“Donation Hell”].
Although he doesn’t say so in his letter, he
might be under the impression that Tod’s Comer is
run by Cascade AIDS Project. That is not true.
Although CAP is kind enough to refer clients and
donors (like Mr. Perez) to Tod’s Comer, Tod’s has
been a service of the Friends of People with AIDS
Foundation since its inception in 1990.
Friends of PWAs is a small, independent, vol
unteer-run organization, so’the hours are limited.
We receive donated space from Providence Health
Systems, so our location is in Milwaukie.
However, if Mr. Perez, or any other donor,
would call Friends of PWAs directly, we’re usual
ly glad to make arrangements for a volunteer to
meet you at a more convenient place and time to
accept your donation. 1 can be reached by
telephone at 971-244-3525 or by e-mail at
chair@friendspwa.org.
Our Web site contains more information about
us and our programs. We can be found at
www.friendspwa.org.
Mr. Perez: if you still have those clothes to give,
we’d be happy to receive them. Give us a call.
important in my entire life. Diane deserves our sup
port. She has earned it. Let’s send the message that
this is a community where real leaders are wanted
and supported.
Diane will be on the primary ballot in May, so
the time to lend your support is now. For more
information please check out www.dianelinn.com.
A lisa A. S immons
Re-elect Diane, Our County Chair
TRANSITION
K evin F riends
Friends of People with AIDS Foundafiona
Why I Am Working for Diane Linn
To the E ditor :
I met Diane Linn because of her extraordinary
leadership in the struggle for marriage equality.
Diane’s role as one of rhe leading civil rights lead
ers of our time is enough for me to support her. But
1 am working for Diane’s re-election because she
has rolled up her sleeves, made tough decisions and
provided the real leadership that produces real
results for Multnomah County.
1 served on the County’s Citizen Involvement
Committee and worked for a county-supported
nonprofit that helps homeless and lower-income
families. 1 know how our county works, and I know
that our county works because of Diane’s ability to
balance the budget and make the tough decisions
needed to provide critical services to people in
need and people in trouble.
Diane has proven leadership on a range of
issues, including schools and kids, public safety and
basic rights. Her leadership on GLBT rights has
been extraordinary. Diane has always made it clear
that she believes Multnomah County is a place for
all citizens and has embraced the GLBT communi
ty in all of her work. During Diane’s first term as
chair, the county added a nondiscrimination ordi
nance that includes sexual orientation and gender
identity. In addition, Diane’s administration has
also taken the lead when it comes to HIV/AIDS
prevention and treatment, offering cutting-edge
delivery of primary care medical services to people
with HIV and AIDS. Diane has rolled up her
sleeves, made tough decisions and defended our
rights.
As a community, we (GLBT people) deserve to
have the leadership Diane provides. We are too
often disappointed by our elected officials. Diane
has been with us all the way and has the experience
and results to prove it. We are well-served by
Diane, our county chair.
As a longtime advocate for civil rights, 1 can
honestly say I have never done anything more
Maston Simmons, 1966-2006
Maston Simmons
died of heart failure
Jan. 14 at Providence
Memorial Hospital in
Portland. He was 39.
A popular, indeed
infamous, fixture at the
Acropolis, Space Room
and Slow Bar, Simmons
was well-known in the
Southeast Portland bar
community both as an
owner and as a patron. He was the proprietor of
Vic’s Tavern in Milwaukie until its demolition in
2005 and more recently owned and operated Big
Bertha’s, the gyro shop at Sabala’s Mount Tabor.
Simmons will always be most closely associated
with Vic’s, his ultimate labor of love. With his part
ner, Eric, he transformed the former workingman’s
tap room into a punkedelic parlor of kitschy esoter-
ica, filled to the rafters with Cupie dolls, religious
icons, Hamm’s bears and Elvis memorabilia.
Together, they produced many memorable shows,
and Vic’s quickly became a favorite showcase for
local bands, such as Floater and the Dry County
Crooks.
Simmons was most often seen accompanied by
his aging shepherd, Victor, to whom he remained
devoted despite the dog’s failing health. He was a
true iconoclast—a unique, charismatic individual.
He was always true to his own imperative and
always sought to make his own rules. He relished
the fact that his belligerent, howling wit and take-
no-prisoners, gonzo lifestyle made him beloved by
most, reviled by some and remembered by all.
And just how would Simmons like to be
remembered? He told his good friend and
employee Tommy Ilk, “When 1 die, tell people I
was 2 inches taller than David Lee Roth.” So be it.
Simmons is survived by his mother and nephew.
A memorial of sorts has been spontaneously creat
ed in the doorway of the gyro shop at 4801 S.E.
Hawthorne Blvd.
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