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Couragous Commissioners
Decision to afford marriage equality shows leadership
A Portland Observer editoral:
M ultnom ah C ounty C om m is
sioners are to be com m ended for
theircouragous stand to give same-
sex couples equal protection under
the law.
Like civil rights leaders o f many
generations ago, Diane Linn, Lisa
Naito, Serena Cruz and M aria Rojo
de Steffey are standing up for a mi
nority population and making people
think about their own prejudices in ance rights and security protections the m arriages until the O regon Su
laws that treat people differently.
for theirchildren.
prem e C ourt o decides the issue,
The right o f gay couples to many'
Whi le O regon Attorney G eneral still su p p o rts e q u a lity fo r gay
is vitally important to many because Hardy M yers said current O regon co u p les. T he g o v ern o r said he
only marriage provides the same full law m akes sam e-sex m arriage ille would not support putting discrim i
legal protections to same-sex couples gal, he agrees that banning the prac nation in the state constitution or
and their families as are afforded to tice probably violates the Oregon federal constitution.
opposite-sex couples. Marriage of constitution which requires eq u al
M ultnom ah C ounty C om m is
fers more than 1,0 0 0 federal and 500 ity for all classes o f people.
sioners are on the right side o f the
state legal protection and rights, such
E v en O re g o n G o v . T e d issue, show ing leadership for ad
as hospital visitation rights, inherit Kulongoski, w hile wanting to stop vancing equality for all people.
IMAGINE
ASPIRE
Kidney Failure Impacts
DISCOVER
PCC Spring Term.
3,000 Adventures Start March 29
For more information
www.pcc.edu
or call 503 977.4519
March 17,2004
P o rtla n d
C o m m u n ity
C o lle g e
Ad Offends Arab
It’s im portant to be aw are that kidney Americans
failure is on the rise and the disease goes |
A Bush/Cheney reelection
hand-in-hand with obesity-related dia- : campaign ad that outlines posi
betes and high blood pressure. Peole o f tions on taxes and challenges
color are particularly at risk.
Sen. John Kerry ’ s position on the
The M ulticultural K idney E ducation ¡ Patriot A ct makes a reference to
Program unites adults and youth in pre terror and terrorists while flash
venting kidney disease. G uided by vol ing a picture o f a Middle-Eastern
unteers and health care professionals, appearing male.
youth groups in schools and after-school
This ad undercuts the mes
program s develop a teaching tool for sage the President issued to the
kidney health. The program also pre Nation after Sept. 11 and nega
pares youth, ranging from 14 to 21, to tively stereotypes Arabs. By
share this inform ation with their fam ilies using an unidentifiable, but Arab
and com m unities.
looking young male while the
T h ere are p le n ty o f w ays w e can all word terrorist is heard, the mes
w ork together to prom ote kidney health sage is unmistakable and regret
an d fight back ag a in st this ep id em ic table. It can only create fear and
d ise ase .
su sp icio n and sh o u ld be
F or m ore in fo rm atio n and how to get changed immediately.
involved go to w w w .m ik ep ro g ram .o rg .
James '¿ogby, Arab Ameri
Dr. Cheryl Neal, North Plains
can Institute president
Vital Housing
Vouchers Face
Budget Axe
Administration's
‘Section 8’ cuts
would sting
T he budget proposal by the
Bush A dm inistration would slash
funding for the m ost significant
source of affordable housing sub
sidy, “Section 8" housing vouch
ers, by more than a $1 billion and
create even deepercuts in the years
ahead.
The Section 8 Housing Voucher
program is the nation’s principal
low -incom e housing assistance
program and currently assists two
m illion low -incom e households,
primarily low-income working fami
lies, seniors and people with d is
abilities. The program currently
assists approxim ately 3 1,6 0 0 fami
lies in Oregon.
The voucher proposal in this
a d m in istra tio n ’s b u d g et rep re
sents a sham eful retreat from our
federal governm ent’s role in pro
viding for the basic w elfare and
security o f our com m unities.
The President’sproposes a new
“flexible voucher program ," but it
would allow housing authorities
HNH
I B\ I an
I
Sl.INGKRI.AND
to ch an g e ren t stru ctu res and
charge fam ilies much higher rents
than currently allow ed, and it
would allow local housing authori
ties to abandon the program tar
gets that guide assistance to the
most needy o f our neighbors.
Locally, there is grow ing rec
ognition that investm ent in af
fordable housing reaps many re
wards. At a tim e w hen w e need to
com m it m ore resources to a over
burdened affordable housing sys
tem, the Bush adm inistration is
m oving our country in opposite
direction.
Ian Slingerland represents
Affordable Housing NOW, a
movement o f affordable hous
ing advocates and tenants
whose goals are to secure new
resources fo r affordable hous
ing fo r low income people in
the Portland area and to build
a movement large enough to
make affordable housing fund
ing a political priority.
It’s Safeway for Great Values!
SAFEWAY
FO O D & DRUG
Attention
SENIORS
Safeway Senior
Shuttle Service!
< »A*
N
|
IntrodtKing a great new service for
(L i
our neighborhood senior citiiens
Pork Shoulder
Country Style
Ribs
Bone-in.
Any size package.
SAVE up to $2.99 lb. on 2
Golden Ripe
Bananas
Start your morning off right!
Excellent source of Potassium.
Card price: 33c lb.
SAVE up to $1.38 on 3 lbs.
BUY ONE GET ONE
FREE grocery shopping shuttle
service' to your nearby Ainsworth
8 M IK Blvd Safeway Food 8
_
I
°™ 9 TWICE a Month1
This Service is FREE to
J
[V / P 7 /
seniors age 60 and over
O w S n w GronfcMtai mu ntm
HUMKHIMrWvHSvtrtitm
OF EQUAL OR LESSER VALUE
LIKE ITEM ONLY
Safeway Club Price
iook rot out) tncuu
**z niaw reonM rroer m o o r , n a v i f ,
K -M ro u tr n n « at vsotr» auar niro
u m u r row c o m m it om nsi
Í& > 1S
A FE W A Y
/ F O O D I DRUG
I
EfNKMI MKRICRfl
ClRMWROf CNHMRCf Of ORffiM
Visit Safeways
Web site at
www.safeway.com
Available at
Safeway:
Lucerne
Ice Cream
Half gallon
Selected varieties.
Card price: $2.00 ea.
SAVE up to $3.00 on 3
PRICES EFFECTIVE M A R C H 2004
Kellogg's
Cereal
12 to 20-oz.
Selected varieties
Pneu Effertw*
We«rte$(U> 6 XÎ1 Mjrr* 11 thru Turxty Marci l ì 2004
Now the savings are in the Card!
ALL LIMITS AM] PER
HOUSEHOLD PER BAY!