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Count
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changes or your nam e changes. T o check if
your registration is current, call M ultnom ah
County Elections at 503-988-3720.
Building our Economy
In-depth coverage for Minority
Enterprise Development Week.
See special section B, inside
‘City of Roses'
Established in 1970
Committed to Cultural Diversity
Volume XXXIV • Number 38
T,Week... in
The Review
CBS Fined Maximum for
Jackson Stunt
CB S got the bill for Janet
Ja ckson’s eye-catching flash
dance during the Super Bowl
hai ft i me show : a record $550,000.
The Federal Com munications
Commission voted unanimously
to fine each of the 20CBS-owned
television stations $27.500,
which is the maximum penalty
for indecency.
Blair Acknowledges U.K.
Divide on Iraq War
Prime Minister Tony Blair ac­
knowledged that the war in Iraq
has divided Britain but said he
had no apologies for helping
topple Saddam Hussein in a
speech to his Labour Party,
where he was met by angry del­
egates and hecklers.
White Supremacists
Petition for Fair Booth
A white-supremacist organiza­
tion is seeking permission to
have a booth at next m onth's
Mississippi State Fair featuring
a suspect in the 1964 slayings of
three civil rights workers. The
state Fair Commission rejected
the Nationalist M ovem ent’s ap­
plication to operate a booth at
the fair because of "typographi­
cal errors,” but gave the group
until Thursday to resubmit its
request.
Hurricane Season
Continues
The hurricane season in Florida
has already exceeded all expec­
tations. Four major hurricanes
have hit the state in six weeks, a
feat not seen in the United States
since 1886. And it’s not overyet.
Two months still remain for hur­
ricane season.
Lawyer Says Rosa Parks
Unable to Testify
C ivil rights
pioneer Rosa
Parks has de­
m entia and
should not be
forced to an­
sw er q u e s ­
tions in her
lawsuit over
a rap song named for her. her
lawyers said in acourt filing. See
www.portlandobserver.com
Wednesday • September 29. 2004
Faith Leaders Take Sides
NO
On Constitutional
Amendment 36
'Constitution
should protect
civil rights’
by J aymee R. C uti
T he P ortland O bserver
astor Matt Hennessee is in the
difficult position of opposing
a p ro p o sed C o n stitu tio n a l
Amendment on same sex marriage,
which he says flies in the face of the
"Bible,” the book of record in the
Christian faith.
But according to Hennessee, this
issue is in the “Constitutional arena.”
“W hen looking at the B ible,’
which is really the standard in the
faith community, one would have no
Pastor Matt Hennessee o f St. Paul Mission­
choice but to be against (same-sex
ary Baptist Church
marriage) because it speaks absolutely
against issuesof homosexuality,"said
Hennessee. "But this is an issue o f the Con­
Hennessee regards such documents as
stitutional arena.
protecting individual’s rights, not restrict­
“Constitutions of the state, the United
ing them, and that is why he has aligned
States and the Declaration o f Independence
himself with the N oon 36campaign, joining
are documents one should refer to when
various organizations, businesses and local
thinking about this item and when thinking
leaders, including Portland African-Ameri­
about them, I don’t see how one can vote for can activist JoAnn Bowman, the voter project
(M easure 36).”
director for Oregon Action and a former
P
YES
‘Marriage for
one man and
one woman’
p
asto r T. A llen B ethel o f
M aranatha Church and presi
dent of the Albina Ministerial
Alliance, says the debate over en­
acting a Constitutional amendment
to ban same-sex marriage is obvious.
“W e’re not seeking to change
any law. In Oregon, a marriage is
between one male and one female,”
he says. "We want it to be policy that
that’s the only union.”
He speaks in absolutes about
same-sex marriage not being a civil
rights issue.
Pastor T. Allen Bethel o f Maranatha Church of
“It is definitely not a civil rights
God.
issue. If the opponents o f 36 want to
say it’s equal to the violations and
state representative.
discrimination against African Americans,
Same-sex marriage has drummed upcon- there’s absolutely no way. Not even close,”
troversy among many African Americans said Bethel, who is African American.
over whether it even should be treated as
According to Bethel, people have never
a civil rights issue.
had the right to marry whomever they choose,
“I have no problem seeing it as a civil and that’s not wrong.
continued
on page A5
continued
on page A5
Two views on same-sex marriage ban
B
allot M easure 36, a constitutional
B asic R ig h ts O re g o n , a n o n p ro fit
amendment to ban same-sex marriage, agency prom oting gay rights, argues that
is one of the most explosive election only m arriage provides the same full legal
issues that voters will face in the November
protections to sam e-sex couples and their
General Election. A "no” vote would defeat fam ilies as are afforded to opposite-sex
the proposal and a "yes” vote would dictate couples.
that marriage is only between one man and
“ M arriage offers more than 1.000 fed ­
one woman.
eral and 500 state legal protections and
rights, such as hospital visitation rights,
inheritance rights and security protec­
tion for their ch ildren," according Io the
organization.
A central argum ent in favor o f the
m easure calls it “com m on sense” that
m arriage is betw een one man and one
w om an and follow s religious teachings
and the “laws o f nature.”
A fr ic a n - A m e r ic a n P a s to r s M a tt
H ennessee o f St. Paul M issionary Baptist
Church and T. A llen Bethel of M aranatha
Church o f God are on opposite sides o f the
issue. They shared their unique points of
view for the Portland O bserv er’s coverage
o f the Ballot M easure 36 debate.
story on page A5.
Senator Demands
Investigation
U.S. Sues Tobacco
Industry
Tobacco industry lawyers ac­
cused the government of relying
on the past too heavily in a rack­
eteering case that requires the
Justice Department to show ciga­
rette makers are likely tocommit
fraud in the future. The govern­
ment is suing for $280 billion in
earnings the industry allegedly
made by defrauding the public
about the hazards of smoking
and its efforts to addict children.
State hospital abuses draw fire
In response to recent documentation o f sexual abuse at the
adolescent ward at the Oregon State Hospital, a treatment center
forchildren with mental illness, African-American state Sen. Avel
Gordly is calling for an impartial, outside investigation of crimes
and abuses at the facility.
“An independent investigation is the
best way to get the com plete truth about
what has happened at the hospital," said
Gordly, a D emocrat who represents
northeast and southeast Portland.
Gordly wants the U. S. Justice Depart­
ment to look into violationsof ci vil rights
of current and former patients at the Sen. Avel Gordly
hospital.
“I am concerned that some state officials who have been
decision makers over the past several years would also be involved
in (a state) investigation, and it’s not enough for government to
investigate itself." Gordly said.
She said an outside investigation would be more aggressive and
the best approach to making the changes necessary to protect and
care for patients in the future.
Spotlight on Business Entrepreneurs
Exodus Spa owner Esmeralda Caldera does Angelia Warren s nails as Lene Johnson looks on from
the spa pedicure foot bath. The new business on North Interstate Avenue is one of the many
minority and women-owned business featured in this issue 's Minority Business Enterprises Week
special edition. See story on page B7, inside.
Gordly also wants the federal investigation to include a swift
timeline tor making changes at the hospital and even consider
closing the facility as an option.
The local lawmaker and Sen. Vicki Walker, a Eugene area
Democrat, are also considering proposing a law to increase penal­
ties for hospital staff who fail to report abuse.