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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (July 3, 2008)
letters HRC Shirks on Senate Race crowds, gay men in drag and alcohol (May 30]. To the E ditor : I was absolutely sickened to learn at Pride that the Human Rights Campaign is remaining loyal And while 1 can appreciate the writer’s advice to not view one’s surroundings in “rose-colored glasses,” I can’t help but wonder if the writer’s to Gordon Smith and refusing to endorse Jeff own glasses have been recently cleaned. Just a few pages from this editorial, one reads about Pride Parade violence in Moldova and the murder of a gay soccer player in South Africa. most candidates aren’t exactly running to get the nod from pro-LGBT groups in Utah. 1 doubt the writer compared the “promised land” that we live in to other countries like Saudi Ara bia and Iran. There is a big difference: We are le gally allowed to live in ours. was murdered less than 30 years ago? 1 challenge the writer and others who share this viewpoint to consider that many LGBT Merkley as Oregon’s U.S. senator. Smith voted for a discussion in the Senate on changing the Constitution to prohibit same-sex marriage. Next time HRC hounds you for money, re member that they are remaining loyal to those working against you! By rhe way, as speaker of the Oregon House, Merkley was instrumental in passing our nondis crimination and domestic partnership laws. This is our chance to elect a candidate who will actu ally work for us. I’ll be supporting Merkley and Basic Rights Oregon and keeping my hard-earned money away from HRC and Smith. Shame on you, HRC! 1 do not hear “daily homophobic comments” from Portlanders, writer—and I actually work outside the city in a blue-collar industry. And while 1 am not blind to homophobic comments and actions, there is something to be said for a city that elects an openly gay man to be its mayor—es pecially by an overwhelming majority. Writer, do you remember a murder in Portland similar to what Matthew Shepard faced? And do you recall the name of the second county in the United States to give LGBT couples the right to D ennis C amilleri Portland Editor’s Note: According to HRC spokesman Trevor Thomas, the organization will not make an endorse' ment in this race. Clean Your Glasses marry? Hint: We live there. But this isn’t an ultra-liberal haven for gays? Well, 1 guess that we should move, then. Con sider Mississippi, where 86 percent of the voters Did you take a look at the recent voters pam phlet, writer? Did you notice just how many high- profile candidates actively sought the endorse ment of Basic Rights Oregon? Something tells me Is San Francisco your ideal model of an “ultra liberal haven for gays” when a gay city supervisor Portlanders moved here from much more bigoted and gay-unfriendly places. We moved from places where Stark Streets were non-existent, where protections for LGBT people were far and few be tween and where the very idea of a center for the LGBT community was almost laughable. While I do not know where the writer is from, I will submit that it is easy for natives of a city to take it for granted. So take a trip to Fred Phelps’ Topeka, Kan., and walk hand in hand with your partner. Do what I did and drive through southern Georgia and get followed by large pickups when they notice the rainbow decal on your car. Move to Idaho and watch your domestic partnership sta tus magically disappear across state lines. By then, I’m sure that you’ll agree with me that your perception of Portland has been slightly altered. To the E ditor : 1 found the letter titled “Sharks in Red Dresses” banned gay marriage. Sadly, Oregon passed the same ban—but with only 57 percent of the vote. That may not say anything to you, but it speaks to have valid points regarding rowdy straight men, volumes to me. Portland Nothing but a Meat Market To the E ditor : 1 am writing you so you can commend Ste phen Marc Beaudoin for a job well done in regards to his column “Buyer Beware” [May 30]. 1 have a strong loyalty to Just Out, and I look forward to Stephen’s column each issue. I want to thank Stephen and Just Out for employing him. It is about time someone stands up for our actual “pride.” To a young, successful business professional who has lived the major ity of his life in Portland, 1 am embarrassed and ashamed of our gay community when it comes to Pride Week. I have gone to one Pride event, and it was drunken, half-naked men dancing around and only there to pick up other men. It’s nothing but a meat market. 1 can’t leave out our local big box companies to try to support our gay community. All of it is for marketing and for selling more prod ucts! Where are they when we actually need their support? Where are all the Pridegoers during the rallies or walks or volunteering their time? R yan J. W ayman Portland Submit your letters to the editor, commitment announcements, transitions or list your events online at www.justout.com M att S pencer CLICK ON THE READER SUBMISSIONS BUTTON BUILDING COMMUNITY • EMPOWERING DIVERSITY D300 BODY ONLY * $159999 - I senior housing and retirement enterprises she returned to Portland. e as a community She became involved have come a long with the MCC Church way over the years and it in the '70s and started is because of activists like performing at Darcelle's Sister Paula. Courageous in the '80s. She became and true to herself, Sister the first trans-evangelist Paula has been living her in 1987 and started her life full time in a female own public access cable identity since 1963. Born program. At that point Larry Nielson in 1938, she she really started opening started sneaking out in doors for many in the 1956 dressed as a woman. "trans" community. Sneaking around wasn't go Sister Paula has been ing to cut it, Paula was off given a spiritual gift and to San Francisco where she in return she shares it assumed the identity full with our community. As time living and working in a result she has educated the straight community. Sister Raula many through her ministry Whether it was working and personal testimony, or worshipping, Paula ran opening doors that in the risk of physical harm the past have been shut to the LGBT if discovered. She even carried a letter community. She has always been true to from her doctor to avoid arrest. It was herself. Now, we as a community need to not easy life living in a community who open doors for her and others that have would not accept her for who she was. made it possible for us to be true Once, she found herself attending the to ourselves. MCC Church in Los Angeles. Sister Paula had a profound spiritual experience with Reverend Troy Perry. It influenced her path To learn more about SHARE and she found herself back in Portland, and how we can open doors the place of her birth. for our seniors please visit our It was in Portland where Sister Paula website at www.SHAREpdx.org started finding her voice. F^ula connected with the LGBT Community in 1977 when W Developing Housing Options for Our LGBT Seniors 1300 MEGA PIXELS Spectacular Pe Agility, speed, low noise and spectacular imaging performance converge in the NEW Nikon D300 to create an amazingly versatile D-SLR that is ready to go to work. The DX-format image sensor with exclusive Nikon EXPEED digital image processing technology captures your vision at up to 6 frames SeCOnd• .. qjqq body only: $1 ' h . voI, h . r •*.- SIOO Hrl.< f • . t ■ ••‘D60 with IB SS VR L»ns regular once I cm SSO imtent wvrgs Nikon kit ©60' MEGA PIXELS Breathtaking Picture Quality! 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