Continued from Page 25
KNOW YOUR FOES
eloquent but soft-spoken division manager for
Multnomah County’s office of School and Com
the documentary Queens of Heart, some type of
munity Partnerships. Her career up until 2004 was
strange and wonderful community therapist. Even
distinguished, to be sure—in leadership roles with
hat would Oregon be without
David Crowe (1988-2008): Crowe was an
in the tres gay 21st century, Cole believes his drag
Portland Women’s Crisis Line, Bradley-Angle
our beloved coterie of anti-gay
early Mabon protégé who went his own way by
shows help dispel backward-looking myths about
House and Oregon Minority AIDS Coalition,
activists? More humane, tolerant or
founding the ultra-conservative Restore America
queer folk. “So many of our gay friends come in,
among others—but it was hardly under the pub
progressive, perhaps, but the opposite
group. He briefly led the new Concerned Orego
and they bring their parents,” he says. What do
lic’s harsh glare.
could just as well be true: Most pro-equality lead
nians political action committee, which failed
the parents learn about queer folk from the shows?
Li says she and her family are still approached
ers from the '80s and ’90s praise the people below
with a series of anti-gay initiative petitions in
“That we don’t have two heads and aren’t mastur
by strangers on the street, offering handshakes and
as saviors for helping rally the queer and allied
2007 and 2008. Now he’s based in Tennessee.
bating onstage.”
hugs of congratulations for their bravery.
/
Karen
troops against their nasty efforts.
Minnis (1998-2006):
Karen “the
Since then? “My life has gone incredibly in
MARY LI
sular,” Li says, “to my kids.” In spite of the flurry
So here they are: nine of our favorite anti-
Menace” ruled the Oregon House rooster for
gay foes from the past 25 years, with their most
several years as a representative of Wood Vil
potent years of activism in parentheses.
lage, blocking pro-equality legislation at every
marriage in 2004, and the state’s revoking of those
turn. Her reign of terror ended in 2006 with the
same-sex marriage licenses only months later, she
Lon Mabon (1986-2002): Loony Lon found
ed the Oregon Citizens Alliance in 1986, and for
Democratic takeover of the state Senate.
of flashbulbs surrounding her family’s very public
. /tyfytàiÿ r/t/s (aste/
Claim to Fame: One-third of Oregon’s 2004
doesn’t regret her decision.
“The incredible power of putting a face on
nearly a decade, the group hijacked the state’s
Tim Nashif (1996-2006): Nashif is political
ballot measure system to advance an agenda
director for the powerhouse conservative Oregon
So They Say: “It would not be appropriate for me,
something that’s unfamiliar to people, and how
most politely described as severe. Mabon served
Family Council and a major machinator behind
as an Asian woman, to go to a group of Asian men
transformative that was,” she says, is one of the
jail time for contempt of court related to a civil
its successful multimillion-dollar 2004 Yes on 36
and talk about safer sex. I’ve done it, and 1 was morti
strongest ways gays can make their case for mar
case against a Just Out staffer (see below), then
campaign, which enshrined discrimination in
fied, and they were mortified.” (January 1989)
riage equality. “I see your family,” she remembers
re-emerged broke and in shame, his beloved
the Oregon Constitution. For now, anyway.
organization a sad shell of past glories. Now he
Gary George (1996-2008): Shut up! The state
hunkers down at home in Salem, half-heartedly
senator from McMinnville made national headlines
filing anti-gay initiative petitions with no hope
when he told Just Out this year that, in the face of
of passing, just to pass the time.
violence and discrimination, gays should keep their
Priscilla Martin (1987-92): Infamous Just Out
paper snatcher and convicted felon, caught with ink
traps shut about their orientation—“Just don’t talk
about it,” he told us. Oh no he di-in’t!
“same-sex marriage poster family.”
Who’s Next: Amy Santos-Lines of Western
States Center and Pam Phan of the city of Portland.
someone telling her in 2004. “I get it now.”
DAVID MARTINEZ
If Mary Li hadn’t answered the door, none of
this might have happened.
But a fateful visit from a family friend, begging to
“talk about something important,” ending up turning
Claim to Fame: Co-founder of Portland La
tino Gay Pride.
Craig Myers (2006-present): Inheritor of the
into one of the most axis-shifting decisions of her life:
So They Say: “Being Latino and gay gives
state’s anti-gay mantle as new executive director
She and her partner, Becky Kennedy, joined Ore
me such a rich history and a sense of pride.”
Marylin Shannon (1995-present): One of our
of Concerned Oregonians, Myers has promised re
gon’s marriage
paper’s true sweethearts, Shannon is a disgraced
newed attention on putting rights-stripping ballot
equality
former state senator from Brookings who counted
measures before voters in 2010. We’ll see just hovV
as
Mabon, Karen Minnis and David Crowe as some
far he gets.
couple.”
on her hands unloading boxes of our fine publica
tion into the trunk of, what else, a stolen vehicle.
a
fight
“model
(April 21, 2006)
Who’s Next: Melanie Davis and Enrique
Andrade.
they
David Martinez is about firsts: first in his ru
edly to get Oregon’s 2007 queer civil rights laws
said their wed
ral Oregon migrant farmworker family of seven
overturned, or at least sent to the ballot. Give
ding vows in
to finish high school and attend college; among
up the ghost already, Marylin.
March 2004 to
the first board
Scott Lively (1991-1998): Oregon Citizens Al
kick off Mult
members
liance’s teddy-bear-cuddly communications direc
nomah Coun
Portland’s
tor. After the group imploded and lost a civil law
ty’s
same-sex
Q Center; se
suit to Just Out photographer Catherine Stauffer for
marriages, photos and stories of the couple—with
nior staff mem
his physical assault on her at an OCA event, he hit
their newborn daughter—raced across interna
ber for one of
the road, touring Russia and the states to sprinkle
tional television and print media. Gay marriage
Multnomah
his vitriolic lunacy on eager followers. These days
was the law of the land in Multnomah County,
County’s first
he’s involved in a new anti-gay collective called
and the celebrations began. The family became
Latina
celebrities overnight.
missioners;
of her best buds, and tried (and failed) repeat
Watchmen on the Walls and has relocated, again,
from California to Springfield, Mass.
Edible’
ARRANGEMENTS
Halloween
Celebration
—Stephen Marc Beaudoin
Lon Mabon, captain of the anti-queer agenda,
in handcuffs.
making
business
work for you.
Halt Dipped m
Pumpkin Kerp«ike
As
Celebrity status is out of character for Li, an
\
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