PAGE A8, KEIZERTIMES, AUGUST 23, 2019
The hidden impacts of the
anti-LGBTQ city charter
By ERIC A. HOWALD
Of the Keizertimes
In 1993, residents of Keiz-
er approved an addition to
the city charter that some
members of the Keizer City
Council are now seeking
to eliminate. It’s known as
Section 44, and it specifi -
cally targets members of the
LGBTQ+ community for
exclusion when it comes to
city practices.
It states that city offi cers
“shall not make, pass, adopt,
or enforce any ordinance,
rule, regulation, policy or res-
olution that extends minori-
ty status, affi rmative action,
quotas, special class status, or
any similar concepts, based on
homosexuality.”
In addition, it bars the city
from using funds to promote
homosexuality or express
approval of homosexual be-
havior. The language of the
section grants only two mi-
nor mercies. It does not allow
the city to deny a permit or
license based on sexual ori-
entation or preferences and it
does not limit libraries from
providing materials involving
LGBTQ+ issues
The 1993 effort to pass
the measure in Keizer was a
last-ditch attempt by mem-
bers of the No Special Rights
Committee and Oregon Cit-
izens Alliance to put in place
such language wherever they
could. After several attempts
to have similar measures
passed statewide failed, the
groups targeted a more lim-
ited number of individual cit-
ies and counties where they
thought the ideas might gain
traction.Keizer was on the
short list and didn't disappoint
the idea's supporters when it
hit the ballot box. Keizerites
approved the measure with a
55 percent majority.
In some ways, the issue was
already moot when Keizer
approved the addition to the
city’s founding document.
The Oregon Legislature had
already passed a measure
making all such local provi-
sions unenforceable. The Leg-
islature returned to the issue
in 2017 with a statute putting
any local government that
tried to enforce on the hook
for court challenges. Despite
the neutering, the language
has remained in the city's
founding document for more
than 25 years.
Even though state law ren-
dered the charter amendment
toothless, seven states – Tex-
as, Arizona, South Carolina,
Oklahoma, Louisiana, Ala-
bama and Mississippi – have
enacted similar legislation and
a research brief by GLSEN,
pronounced “glisten,” lays out
some of the ways the pres-
ence of such language are
detrimental to the LGBTQ+
community.
“In cases where the law
prevents any representation
of homosexuality, LGBQ stu-
dents may feel invisible as they
are prevented from learning
about themselves and their
communities,” wrote the au-
thors of the 2018 brief. Those
impacts extend to transgen-
der individuals and other
non-conforming identities.
The brief looks spe-
cifi cally at the impacts on
youth and how “no promo
homo” laws affect their lives.
GLSEN studies revealed that
LGBTQ+ students were less
accepted by their peers, 39.4
percent compared to 51.1
percent in states without such
laws. The same youth were
more likely to be subjected to
verbal or physical harassment.
When it came to class-
work, there were fewer
positive representations of
LGBTQ+ individuals and
students were more likely to
be taught about LGBTQ+
people and events in a nega-
tive framework. Students also
reported less access to books
or information on LGBTQ+
topics and an inability to ac-
cess such information on
school computers.
When it came to teachers,
the studies found that they
Colored pencil workshop
coming to Keizer Art in Sept.
The cost of attendance is
$199 which includes tuition
for the two-day class, plus a
workbook that includes step
by step instruction for the class
project and drawing paper
with the line drawing printed
on it.
Students are responsible for
bringing the materials on the
supplies list.
Accommodations can be
made for those who may
need them, when registering
be sure to email erin.
fl ood@annkullberg.com
if
accommodations are needed.
SOAR plans on bringing
three to four events a year to
KAA.
Visit annkullberg.com to
register or for more details.
Submit an obituary through our website at keizertimes.com
or send an email to: editor@keizertimes.com
James A. Willhite
November 23, 1932 – August 13, 2019
James Willhite was born in
Portland, Ore. and graduated
from Benson High School.
Through studies at various
locations including Oregon
State University, he became a
registered professional engineer.
He worked for the Bureau of
Public Roads and the Federal
Highway Administration for
36 years in Vancouver, Wash.,
Boise Id., and headquarters in
Washington D.C. His focus
areas were bridge construction
and highway safety including
work in Honduras on the Pan-
American Highway.
After retirement, Jim focused
on genealogy research and
volunteered for book repair
for the Willamette Valley
Genealogical Society at the
Oregon State Library. He also
hosted a Willhite DNA website.
He was a member and offi cer in
the National Active and Retired
Federal Employees and Thor
Lodge Sons of Norway. Jim was
also an avid Volcanoes and San
Francisco Giants baseball fan
and exerciser at the Courthouse
Club Fitness in Keizer. He was a
member of the Keizer Elks.
Jim is survived by sons
James Jr. (Linda) of Malvern, Pa
and Douglas (Julia) of Warner
Springs, Calif.; brother Paul
(Rosemary) of Keizer, and wife
Pat Ehrlich. Also survived by
fi ve grandchildren, six great-
grandchildren and one great-
great-grandchild. Jim was
predeceased by his parents James
and Olaug Willhite, daughter
Brenda Cheaqui, brother David
and his fi rst wife Marilyn Dube.
At his request there will be
no services. If desired, donations
in his memory may be made
to the Germanna Foundation,
P.O. Box 279, Locust Grove, VA
22508.
Arrangements by Crown
Memorial Center.
Celebrate with
Cherriots Sept. 7
Cherriots is hosting a Sat-
urday’s Alright (For Riding)
event on the north block of
the downtown Transit Center
n Saturday Sept. 7, from 10 a.m
to 4 pm.
The event will celebrate the
new Saturday service in addi-
tion to free rides on Saturdays
during the month of Septem-
ber.
The event will include food
trucks, music, prizes, Caesar the
No Drama Llama, kids activi-
ties, and a special presentation
at noon.
M emorial C enters ◆ C remation & B urial
Simplicity - Convenience - Low Cost
ASK MR. TRASH
Q. I heard about China’s ban on recycling.
What IS recyclable now?
A. Be very careful to only recycle the things on your hauler’s approved list.
PLASTIC BAGS, STYROFOAM, AND WAXY CARTONS WERE NEVER RECYCLABLE!
PLEASE KEEP THE FOLLOWING GOOD RECYCLABLES EMPTY, CLEAN AND DRY:
• Cardboard and uncoated greyboard boxes (Shipping & cereal type). No frozen food boxes!
• Print-quality paper - newspaper, junk & office paper, and magazines;
• Tin & Aluminum Cans Only - NO foil, trays, or scrap metal;
• Plastic Bottles and Jugs Only - NO bags, tubs, clamshells, bubble Pak, or other plastics.
©1986
BY LAUREN MURPHY
Of the Keizertimes
Keizer Art Association
(KAA) is partnering with
SOAR for a colored pencil
workshop at the Keizer Cul-
tural Center, 980 Chemawa
Rd NE, Keizer.
The Radiant Swan on White
Paper workshop will be held
from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on
Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 14
and 15, with an hour for lunch
both days.
SOAR is a network of 13
colored pencil art instructors
who have been trained and
certifi ed to present professional
art workshops all over the U.S.
and Canada.
The network was created
by Ann Kullberg, publisher of
COLOR magazine. For the
past 20 years Kullberg has been
teaching portrait workshops,
she created SOAR to give
more variety of styles and skills
to a greater number of cities.
SOAR certifi ed instructor
Andria Burchett will be teach-
ing the Radiant Swan on White
Paper workshop in Keizer.
were less likely to receive
professional development on
LGBTQ+ issues and were
less likely to display visual
signs of LGBTQ+ support
in their classrooms or offi ces.
School administrators were
also perceived as less support-
ive in states with no promo-
tion laws. However, it should
be noted that even in states
without such laws, only 10.5
percent of faculty received
LGBTQ+ trainings and only
13 percent of teachers dis-
played visual support for the
community.
In another telling statistic,
only slightly more than half
a percent of teachers in “no
promo” states were willing
to serves as advisors to gay-
straight alliance clubs, but
even in states without such
laws only fi ve percent of
teachers were willing to serve
in such a capacity.
Lastly, even when account-
ing for demographics, school
characteristics, region of the
country and state educa-
tion expenditures, schools in
states with “no promo” laws
still had more hostile envi-
ronments and less access to
LGBTQ+-supportive
re-
sources.
obituaries
Serving Keizer for Nearly 50 years!
LOREN'S
VA L L E Y
SANITATION & RECYCLING SERVICE, INC.
RECYCLING & DISPOSAL, INC.
503.393.2262
503.585.4300
WorshipDirectory
These Salem-Keizer houses of worship invite you to visit. Call to list your church in our Worship Directory: (503) 390-1051
KEIZER CLEAR LAKE
UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
a member of Open Door
Churches of Salem-Keizer
REV. ALYSSA BAKER, Lead Pastor
Services are Sunday at 10 am
(Nursery & Sunday School for Children)
7920 Wheatland Rd N • 503-393-2402 • www.kclumc.org
PEOPLESCHURCH
4500 LANCASTER DR NE | SALEM
503.304.4000 • www.peopleschurch.com
Father Gary L. Zerr, Pastor
Saturday Vigil Liturgy: 5:30 p.m.
Sundays: 8:15 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.
La Misa en Español: 12:30 p.m.
9:00 am
Children’s Programs, Student and Adult Ministries
1755 Lockhaven Dr. NE Keizer
503-390-3900
www.dayspringfellowship.com
and
10:45 am
Rev. Dr. John Neal, Pastor
Worship - 10:30 a.m.
Education Hour - 9:15 a.m.
Nursery Care Available
www.JohnKnoxPresKeizer.org
9:30 am
& 11:00 am
Sunday
Worship
Services
SUNDAY
SERVICES
4505 River Road N, Keizer • 503-393-4507
www.FLCkeizer.org
Sunday School - 9:00 am
Worship Service -10:00 am
452 Cummings Lane North • 393-0404
8:30 am • 10 am • 11:30 am • 6 pm
Faith Lutheran Church , ELCA
Pastor Linda Matz Easterling
John Knox Presbyterian Church
JOIN US FOR
SUNDAY WORSHIP
www.KeizerChristian.org