Just out., April 04, 2008, Page 27, Image 27

^APRIL^ 2008
/// NAME: DAN GARDNER
III OCCUPATION OUTGOING COMMISSIONER OF THE OREGON BUREAU OF LABOR AND
INDUSTRIES, INCOMING LOBBYIST FOR THE WASHINGTON, D.C.-BASED INTERNATIONAL
BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS
III CAUSES STRONG ADVOCATE OF WORKING MEN AND WOMEN: WORK FORCE TRAINING AND
APPRENTICESHIP
What turned you on to the cause?
My parents’ inspiration in the gay rights
cause is my brother, [who] is gay. He came out
when I was a very young man. I had a really
difficult time with it. 1 was petrified it was
some latent gene that would kick in in me.
When you’re a young kid, you’re stupid. We
had a lengthy conversation, and he said: “Bot­
tom line is, you see a cute blond girl and you
know the feeling you get. I see a blond guy and
feel the same way. It’s that simple.” It struck
me as a young man that this isn’t a choice; it’s
how people are. Once we started understand­
ing each other for the way we were, we got to
be great friends.
How do you show your support?
Certainly joining in rallies, and [last] year,
for the first time, I was in the parade with [Or­
egon Secretary of State] Bill Bradbury. I hate
parades, and as a statewide elected official
I could be in a couple a year. 1 would abso­
lutely do it again. I show my support every
day in talking to people. When I first came
in as labor commissioner, my predecessor only
enforced state law. I sat down with the Mult­
nomah County Commission and attorneys
and said I will enforce to the full extent of
the ordinance. Whenever a new [gay rights]
ordinance came up, 1 would testify in faVor
of those ordinances. When I was in the Leg­
islature, my freshman year in 1997, I had no
problem testifying. When Ballot Measure 36
came up, I had a press conference and talked
in opposition to it. We need to accept people
as they are in any form or fashion.
What’s your cause within the cause?
The largest focus is anti-discrimination.
As the head of the bureau of labor, we’re the
ones enforcing that. It’s absolutely unconscio­
nable that we didn’t pass this law years ago.
The basic needs of human life are threatened
when you can’t earn a living.
Have there been any negative consequences
from your involvement?
I’ve gotten letters from narrow-minded
folks. I come from the construction trades.
As much as I absolutely love the construction
trades, not all of them are the most open-
minded people. I get comments, but I have
absolutely no problem defending my stance.
I’ve even told a couple of them, “I stand in
favor of you not losing your job for being nar­
row-minded, too.”
Have there been any fringe benefits from
your involvement?
I’ve made a lot of good friends. Whenever
you’re involved in a cause that your really care •
about, you meet a lot of people that passion­
ately believe in that cause, and that’s just a
great feeling.
How will you know when your work is done?
I used to believe when the Roe v. Wade
decision came through, that the work was
done on that. If that’s any indication in po­
litical history...the work is never done. You
win a battle or two, but you always have to
be vigilant to not erode away the wins you’ve
had. And you still have to constantly educate
more narrow-minded employers to let people
know that people have rights.
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