northwest
'Then You Win'
Rally comforts hundreds fighting
for domestic partnerships
by Jaymee R. Cuti and Julie Sabatier
peakers at a Jan. 30 rally in support of
domestic partnerships conveyed a direct
message to the estimated 2,000 drenched
and shivering attendees at Terry Schrunk
Plaza: We are right, we will win.
Jeana Frazzini, Basic Rights Oregon’s new exec­
utive director, told rallygoers that because they
were on the right side, their cause, implementing
Oregon’s domestic partnership law, would prevail
despite setbacks. The snag, a judgment to tem­
porarily suspend Oregon’s domestic partnership law,
is expected to be ruled upon in mid-February.
U.S. District Judge Michael Mosman ruled
Dec. 28 in favor of a temporary restraining order
and preliminary injunction of the domestic
partnership law, as argued by the Alliance Defense
Fund. The law was slated to take effect Jan. 1.
The Alliance Defense Fund is suing Secretary of
State Bill Bradbury and 12 county clerks on behalf
of a group claiming to be “disenfranchised signers”
of Petition 303, which would have resulted in
a November referendum of the domestic partnership
law had the ad hoc group collected 55,179 valid
signatures. Of the 60,531 signatures gathered, 5,448
signatures were invalidated, leaving the group 96
signatures short of its goal. The Alliance Defense
Fund seeks to have those signatures re-examined and
rehabilitated, thus validating the referendum.
Both BRO and Our Oregon, a group that exam­
ines the state’s initiative and referendum process,
have filed “friend of the court” briefs.
“We will speak for ourselves,” Frazzini said.
Several speakers at the rally, including Frazzini
and former Gov. Barbara Roberts, described the
opposition as “bigots” and “out-of-state fundamen­
Alisa Simmons preaches the need for solidarity between oppressed communities.
talists” with the agenda of imposing their anti-gay
beliefs on Oregonians.
of Oregon—Bend, Salem, Corvallis, Medford,
thing should happen to one of them,” said Sexton-
Lesbian state Rep. Tina Kotek, D-North/ Eugene, the coast—and from diverse backgrounds
Sayler. “The bottom line is that this delay hurts
Northeast Portland, inspired hope in listeners by
representing labor unions, faith communities,
families.”
stating that she believes Oregonians would vote in
students, people of color, elected officials and many
Emerging gay rights leader Alisa Simmons,
favor of domestic partnerships if Mosman deemed
others.
executive director of Brother to Brother, coura­
the failed referendum effort successful.
Approximately a dozen elected officials and
geously tied together the struggle for civil rights by
BRO attorney Margaret Olney foresees a major candidates attended the rally, including Portland
African Americans and gays. “As black, lesbian,
upheaval in Oregon’s initiative and referendum
Democratic state Sens. Jeff Merkley and Kate
gay, bisexual, transgender people and allies of
process if Mosman rules in the Alliance Defense
Brown, Portland City Commissioner Sam Adams
diverse backgrounds, these days seem all too famil­
Fund’s favor. While the organization is only asking
and Multnomah County Commissioners Maria
iar to the struggles fought by pioneers of equality
for the signatures of its “disenfranchised petition
Rojo de Steffey and Lisa Naito.
that came before us,” she said.
signers” to be reinstated, Olney predicts this would
One particular speaker had an imminent stake
Simmons reminded rally attendees of a process
mean a major procedural change. The Alliance
in the outcome. Erin Sexton-Sayler of Portland,
identified by peace activist Mahatma Gandhi:
Defense Fund is arguing that petition signers have
who joined BRO in its motion to intervene in the
“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then
the same constitutionally protected rights as voters.
lawsuit, spoke on behalf of her family. She and her
they fight you, then you win.”
If Mosman agrees, the Oregon secretary of state’s
partner, Melissa, are expecting their second child
“We are on our way to victory, have no doubt
office will have the burden of verifying every last
in May and planned to register as domestic partners
about that,” Simmons said. “We will win!”
signature on every petition, instead of verifying prior to the birth.
a statistical sample, as it does now.
“The last thing new parents should be worrying Check the JUST OUT blog at www.justout.com for
Rallygoers and speakers came from all comers
about is whether their newborn will be safe if some­ breaking news updates.
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