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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 6, 2004)
Page A4 íl!e ^Jortlanb (Observer O pinion Elect a President: r October 6, 2004 Opinion articles do not necessarily reflect or represent the views of The Portland Observer ote To vote in the Nov. 2 presidential election you must be 18 years old on Flection Day. 11 not registered, a voter registration card must be postmarked at least 21 days before the election, which is Oct. 12. For more information, call 1-866-673-8683. A frican A m erican A llia n c e fo r H om eo w nership (AAAH) Presents 5 th ANNUAL AFRICAN A M ERICAN HOME BUYING FAIR " It’s Within Your Reach" Saturday, October 16, 2004 11am - 3pm (FREE TO THE PUBLIC) Time to Get Serious Just one week to register to vote The follow ing is a Portland Observer editorial: Increasing voter turnout may be the key to putting John Kerry into the White House — a prospect we enthusiastically endorse. Across America and in Oregon, Democrats are beating Republicans by wide margins in the drive to increase voter turnout in the Nov. 2 presidential election. That’s the right direction for Kerry, a Democratic, but we can build on this momentum. First, make sure you and family and friends are properly registered to vote and second, make sure the ballots get mailed on time. One vote can put Oregon in the win column for Kerry and decide who will be the next president of the United States. Because of the Electoral College, a victory in a single battle ground state like Oregon can make the differ ence in a very close race, just like four years ago. There’s no time to waste. Voter registration forms must be postmarked by Tuesday, Oct. 12. Any citizen who is 18-years-old is eligible. Your name and address must be current. Ballots will Emanuel Hospital A trium • 501 North Graham, P ortland • Visit With Over 40 Home Buying Professionals • Attend Free Homebuyer Education Workshops • Affordable T' Time Homebuyer Programs • Activities for Youth Enter to win great p rizes...gift certificates, free home inspections, appraisals and more! (To be eligible for drawings you must attend 1 workshop, and visit 30 vendor tables) For more information call 503-285-5555 ext. 558 www.aaah.org Sponsors Include: Bureau of Housing & Community Development; Fannie Mae; Legacy Emanuel Hospital 4 Health Center Multnomah County; Oregon Housing 4 Community Services; Safeway Food 4 Drug, Chase Manhattan; Vicki Bell Real Estate Services; Wells Fargo Home Mortgage; State Farm Insurance; Portland Development Commission; Albina Community Bank; M Bank: Countrywide Home Loans — Community Partners. Housing 4 Urban Development (HUD), The Skanner News Group not be delivered addresses that are not current. Voter registration forms are available from the Oregon Secretary of State online at www.oregonvotes.org. You can also find the forms at the Oregon Dept. of Motor Vehicles, post offices, libraries and other state agen cies. To cheek if your voter registration is current, call the Multnomah County Elections division at 503-988-3720. Remember, even if you’ve been convicted of a crime, you can vote as long as you’re not currently in the custody of the Oregon Department of Corrections. Republicans have historically tried to suppress the black vote. Don’t let this happen here. Four years ago. President Bush and his high- priced lawyers effectively stole the election by going to the Supreme Court to stop the counting of votes in Florida. Thousands of African Ameri cans and other minorities were turned away from the polls and disenfranchised from their voting rights. The first step to making sure this won’t hap pen again is increasing the pool of registered voters. It’s time to get serious about voting. Honest Dialogue Missing Your article about “Faith Lead songs in church but will ignore a ers Take Sides,” on Constitutional significant piece of their personali Amendment 36 was both hopeful ties so unmistakable, that the church and tragic in the same sense in how will lie to itself to keep from con far we have to go for an honest fronting realities. dialogue about same-gender lov We same-gender loving folks ing issues in the African-American are the caretakers o f our nieces and community. nephews when our brothers or sis With all due respect. Pastor T. ters are on crack-cocaine. We have A llen B e th e l’s rem a rk s from taken care of momma and daddy M aranatha Church o f God that “If we would say it’s okay for same-sex marriage, w e’re opening the door for marriage between a female or male with any other type of being, a dog or what have you.” is grossly misinformed and immensely insult ! Unless we grapple ing. There are many same-gender loving couples that have been to gether for more than 25 to 40 years or more whom haven't sought the solace or desire o f a dog for com panionship, no more than a simple household pet for themselves or their children. A dog cannot tuck you away at night or hold your hand during troubled times. The hypocrisy around same- gender loving folks borders, per sonally, on insanity in the African- American community. We use ho mosexuals’ talents and sing their with the truth about same-gender lovers, we will consistently stifle or muffle honest dialogue... because the rest of our siblings are too busy and overwhelmed with caring for their own families and trying to make ends meet. We have been surrogate fathers, mothers, and grandparents depend ing on the needs of our immediate families, or when tragedy necessi tates our stepping up to the plate. We have supported our churches and been there when there was no one else, and you're going to de grade our significance to the likes o f a dog. We need to stop the madness! Unless we grapple with the truth about same-gender lovers, we will consistently stifle or muffle honest dialogue about the real issues that plague our communities. Like the alarming rateof HI V infection in the A frican -A m erican com m unity, which has begun to target, specifi cally, women because o f the “down low” brothers with their internal ized homophobia and our high rate o f teen pregnancies. W e’ve got to have an honest and frank discussion about same- gender loving issues within the A frican -A m erican com m unity. W e’ve got to have an honest dis cussion about sexuality in ourcom - munity because the secular world is laughing at our hypocrisy. Laws concerning human rights and equality should be made and had by all. It’s mind-boggling why African-Americans can ’t see the similarities from ourown civil rights struggles. Rev. John Garlington Hl Northwest Portland Bankrolled by Industry B allot M easure 35 is a change in d u stry can tell you th a t the to o u r C o n s titu tio n b e in g real ca u se o f h ig h p rem iu m s is bankrolled by the insurance com the slu m p in th e sto ck m a rk e t— panies, HM Os and pharm aceuti that we all ex p e rie n c e d — b eg in cal com panies as a cure for high n ing in 2000. T h e in su ran ce in m edicinal m alpractice prem ium s d u stry is co v e rin g its lo sses by for doctors. ja c k in g up th e rate s for d o c B ut an y o n e in the fin an c ial to rs. Astounding victory On the road with Family. It's your world and this is your road! Loving the whole experience between point A and point B. Peace o f mind has no boundaries when you're traveling with family. American Family Insurance. Over three generations o f drivers have placed their trust in the auto coverage that means more peace o f mind on the road. Give us a call or visit us at www.amfam.com and find out why nobody protects your auto like family. American Family Insurance. Check your local telephone directory for the agent nearest you. Am«nc«r » «mrfy Mutuai inaurane« Company and it« SutntOar ws W1 537R1 AMERICAN FAMILY S U R A N C E AD 000675 C 2004 All your protection under one root 1 The presidential debate was an astounding victory forour next presi dent, John Kerry! He show ed strength, conviction, and steady command of the facts in his opinions of the Bush Administration and the misdirection and lies w e've been fed. Kerry was clear in his message that left no doubt he can lead the fight to hunt and kill the terrorists. He offered hope for a fresh start in Iraq so we can finish the job. Kerry has specific plans as to how he would lead our country for the next four years while Bush had the same shallow promises and poorly orchestrated messages of deceit that he has continually at tempted to spew onto the Ameri can public. The dumbing of the American public and the expectations for us to follow this series o f lies and misdirections has got to end! Rurk Jackson Northeast Portland Bush’s graver error John K erry's consistent position on the war in Iraq has been poorly communicated to the people, a mistake he acknowledged in Thursday’s debate, but George Bush’s poor judgm ent in invading Iraq is the graver error by far. —Japhet Roteen, Northeast Portland t Now the insurance com panies w ant to lim it O reg o n ian s’ right to a fair day in court. M easure 35 w on’t help doctors and it will hurt O regonians. I urge O regonians to vote no on 35. Jason Quigley Southeast Portland Kerry strong, decisive This first debate w as one o f the best I ’ve seen, thanks to John Kerry. W hile Bush avoided answ ering m ost questions d i rectly, gave m isleading answers and rolled his eyes, K erry re m ained strong, decisive, and thoughtful, offering a clear, in telligent plan for the direction o f U.S. security. Bush m ade it clear he is sat isfied w ith the way things are going in Iraq despite the m oun tains o f evidence contradicting him. I'm not sure how it could be clearer. Mindy Pitch Northeast Portland
