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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (June 13, 2008)
____________ _____________________________ _______________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ JUNE 13, 2006 JUStOUt 7 letters Continued from Page 5 would encourage the gay community to not sup Rosy at Rainbow Vista Clear Insinuation port those who support us. This will he my eighth To the E ditor : To the E ditor : the early Pride festivals. I also wonder if he under or maybe ninth Pride, and it’s encouraging to me When 1 moved into Rainbow Vista in April, In 12 years of reading Just Out, I have never read stands that these early festivals laid the founda to see Pride events that are attended by more than I felt I had finally found a place where I, as a gay se such a biased, vindictive, charged article [“The Pride of tion for today’s celebration where we can march just Basic Rights Oregon and Parents, Families nior, could be myself in peace and harmony, free of Portland,” May 30]. in the streets instead of on the sidewalks and that and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. threats and accusations. I am angry to have to read This is not news. This is slash-and-hum editorializ In the short time since I first attended a Pride in a gay publication, Just Out, threats and accusa ing in its worst form. I am shocked that Just Out would event, the world has come to realize that there’s tions pointed at the only home 1 know and love print such a spiteful piece and embarrassed that this a great benefit that comes in supporting the [“A Gay Rest Home Grows in Gresham,” May 30]. kind of attack is aiming from within the gay communi D avid B urnett gay community. We now have companies like Your article suggests that residents of our retire ty. Where is the balance to the article? Where is there Portland Nike, Portland General Electric, Starbucks and ment community (not a “rest home,” as you call countless others who not only welcome gay em us) are overcharged. I have paid $745 a month for From the suggestive choice of words “hawking his Economics Lesson ployees and consumers hut support them. These a one-bedroom apartment, including all utilities aspirations to a towel-clad.. .Peter DeFazio in a YMCA To the E ditor : companies offer their employees a welcoming corporations that once turned us away now wel come us with pride. even the hint of a fair or even-handed perspective? except phone service, since I arrived. With that locker room” to how he “bedded down in the DeFazio Such an odd pairing: 28 pages of “Pride and the atmosphere with moral support and domestic I receive access to a breakfast bar with fresh fruit, campaign,” the author’s insinuation is clear. Does City” all things Pride section, and Mr. Beaudoin’s partner benefits, and some even go a step further hot and cold cereals, milk, coffee, tea, hot choco Beaudoin really think that Sam Adams slept his way “Buyer Beware” article. I almost missed his article and publicly come out in support of rights such late and even hot cider. We enjoy an excellent to the top? due to all of the cacophony of four-color ads by as gay marriage. dinner of several courses at 1 p.m. Before our cook What possible goal could there be to the au It’s so fashionable to tear into any company leaves, he fills a refrigerator with boxes of food thor’s choice to describe in minute details Adams’ (or apparently now nonprofit organizations) that can be microwaved, sandwiches and bever discomfort about the Bob Ball incident (“The Mr. Beaudoin is naive. The first Pride festivals that are able to turn a profit. As I asked before, ages. There is usually cake and/or cookies nearby. ever-articulate Adams clams up. He sighs, then of the ’60s and ’70s had business involvement. would Mr. Beaudoin prefer that we support Wal- He does not come on weekends, so if we do not digs his nails into the arm of his chair.”) except Who does he believe funded the building of floats, Mart or maybe even the “mom and pop” coffee wish to go out to eat, we can always heat up a box to try to make Adams look bad? What is the hurt the matching T-shirts and the printing of fliers? shop on the comer that would rather turn away or find a sandwich. There is no limit to the snack ful insinuation that Beaudoin wants the reader to Romanticizing that these events spontaneously a queer than make a dollar? I can’t go into a ing we can do if we wish. This is hardly the rip-off take away from this incident? happened without the involvement of business is Starbucks without seeing a gay man who seems your article suggests but a bargain that is not to With all the things to celebrate about Portland revisionist history. to be working in a place that actually accepts be found elsewhere in Portland—and I have done electing the first openly gay mayor to a major city, is him. It certainly makes me happy to support a the research to back up this statement. “that guy’s kind of a bleep” really the most newsworthy corporate sponsors. I finally found him above the half-page evil Nike ad helping Our House charity. I am glad to see businesses support their gay employees and clientele. In the ’60s and ’70s, cor porations would have fired any out employee, and they never did business with “fags”! company that supports us like that. I have not been offered or billed for haircuts, mas quote to accompany Adams’ pnmary night picture? And what about that $30,000 surplus that sages or hot stone therapy. Of these 1 only know of In a day and age where we have unfortunately Pride Northwest showed last year? Good for them. one haircut that was given by one resident to another become accustomed to negative attacks on per Per Mr. Beaudoin, “skip Pride” that will crimp They’ve turned things around. What would an with no charge. We do not have a barber, masseuse or sonal character as just business-as-usual in poli Wells Fargo’s business. Dear Stephen, that will IRS audit turn up? That money is a necessary part hot stone therapist on the premises. tics, this piece of personal agenda masquerading also hurt the 40-plus small and local businesses of putting on Pride events that can turn a huge I have been told that Mr. Roger Walcker that Just Out thanked for 25 years of support. profit one year and lose money the next in a com moved out before I moved in. I cannot testify to The real question is not, what is wrong with Sam Many of these businesses use Pride to meet and munity that is at least as fickle as any other. If the manner in which residents were treated before Adams, but why is Beaudoin so bittewmd malicious? thank the community, much like your employer. Pride Northwest has too much money, it doesn’t I arrived. Since then I have only received kindness, And why does Just Out allow this kind of unfettered Maybe, Mr. Beaudoin, the study of gay economics go to the corporations or to the organizers; it is consideration, friendship and generosity from man vicious editorializing to represent the cover and is in order. required to be donated to a charity.. agement and peers. face of its magazine? Sam Adams really is what Gay as journalism really hits as a new low. Besides, is it wrong that Pride Northwest is put Another resident and I sat down at a table to M ichael F oy ting on events that people actually want to attend talk with your reporter. We gave him our impres Portland and sponsors actually want to sponsor? Is it wrong sions of Rainbow Vista. It was hurtful that only that we go and have a good time at the parade and Mr. Walcker’s accusations were reported, while J an A bramovitz Better Because of It festival? We no longer have to say, “We’re here, our words—which could not be used for muckrak Portland To the E ditor : we’re queer, get used to it.” Now we can say, “We’re ing—were omitted. Pride is all about. Unfortunately, Stephen Beaudoin doesn’t have a clue as to that connection. CORRECTION Would Stephen Marc Beaudoin prefer that we here, we’re queer and not only are you used to it, I would suppose that a gay publication would be support the Wal-Marts and ExxonMobils of the but you actually realize that you’re better because interested in supporting a facility such as ours and Just Out mistakenly reported Roger Walcker’s age world? Would he prefer that Pride Northwest give of it.” Maybe it isn’t as catchy, but it’s better than it that it would base an article about us on more than in the May 30 article “A Gay Rest Home Grows away every dollar of extra money it makes every was 30, 10 or even five years ago. one testimony. Why would you want to harm us? in Gresham.” Walcker is 58. year only to not be able to put on another Pride because it has no reserves? I completely fail to see the reason anyone It'S ••• <• 4- A Dog's . 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