____________ _____________________________ _______________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 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
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