Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.news From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Oregon to vote on gay-rights curbs Date: Mon, 2 Nov 92 15:45:13 EST Message-ID: \SE A;NATION \HD Oregon to vote on gay-rights curbs \BY Valerie Richardson \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES \DT SAN FRANCISCO SAN FRANCISCO - Every political leader in Oregon opposes it. Hollywood celebrities have campaigned against it. Editorial pages have lobbed attacks since it qualified for Tuesday's ballot. Yet Measure 9, the Oregon anti-homosexual rights constitutional amendment, is an even bet to be approved when Oregon voters go to the polls this week, according to the latest surveys. And Lon Mabon, whose Oregon Citizens Alliance put it on the ballot, isn't surprised. "They [homosexuals] have been targeting Oregon because it's a fairly liberal state," said Mr. Mabon, whose Christian-based group recently linked up with Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition. "But a lot of rural people here have a very strong traditional streak. And people are just getting sick of homosexual special rights." Whatever happens this week, both sides expect the campaign to spread to other states. Colorado has a similar but less restrictive measure on the ballot tomorrow. "We're already gearing ourselves up against a national wave of anti-gay bigotry and hatred," said Martin Hiraga, civil rights coordinator of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. "It's like Mabon said himself. . . . If this measure passes in Oregon, within two or three election cycles, we'll see this across the nation." Under Measure 9, Oregon would be the only state to ban homosexuality as a protected class under civil rights laws in the state constitution. It would also prevent governments from promoting or funding homosexuality through events such as Gay Pride Day parades. Those provisions mirror a Springfield, Ore., initiative that Mr. Mabon's group pushed through in June. But Measure 9 goes one step further by saying educators must set standards for students that homosexuality is "abnormal, unnatural and wrong." Caroline Young, a spokeswoman for No on 9, said that trying to defeat the measure is more difficult than it might look, despite a virtually united front of prominent opposition. Both Oregon senators, Republicans Mark Hatfield and Bob Packwood, have denounced the measure, as have Democratic Gov. Barbara Roberts and every one of Oregon's congressmen. Celebrities Whoopi Goldberg, Debra Winger and John McEnroe have contributed to No on 9's $1 million war chest, and the rock group Nirvana recently played a benefit concert. That hasn't been enough to kill the measure. "It's been really difficult," said Ms. Young. "What do you do to counter Lon Mabon when he says 'These people are coming into your schools, they want special rights and they're pedophiles.' It's such a lie, and yet to say, 'It's not true,' isn't just persuasive." She said the OCA's most hard-hitting message is contained in a videotape showing scenes from the San Francisco and Los Angeles gay-pride parades. The video, which has been shown mainly in local churches and home gatherings, focuses on the participation of the North American Man-Boy Love Association, although many homosexual leaders have denounced the group. "It focuses on NAMBLA, leather, chains, an obese topless woman, men gyrating, and says, 'This is what the homosexual lifestyle is all about,' " said Ms. Yung. "It's frankly very scary, if you think that's what it [homosexuality] is. It's like it would be scary to me if you showed me a copy of Playboy and said, 'This is what heterosexuality is all about.' " To counter the OCA, the No on 9 campaign is running commercials featuring a teacher who says, "Measure 9 says that we'd have to teach discrimination. We'd have to teach what the OCA says is perverse. And abnormal. "Imagine first- and second-graders learning words and ideas like that? Do we really want extremists telling us what we should teach, what we should read, how we should live our lives and raise our families?" OCA leaders say the education provision is intended to ward off programs like Project 10, a Los Angeles-based counseling program aimed at homosexual students that has recently come to Portland. And the OCA has some fairly devastating ads of its own. In its broadcasts, an Oregon social worker is explaining to a 7-year-old boy named Ryan that the state's constitution has no provisions restricting homosexuals from adopting children. She then leads him out of the office toward two presumably homosexual men. "Come on, Ryan, let's go meet your new parents," she says. Then Ryan's voice is heard asking: "But where's my mommy?" The fallout from the campaign has led to a surge in violence against homosexuals, according to No on 9 leaders. In the most serious incident, a lesbian and a homosexual man were killed in Salem when a gang of skinheads threw a Molotov cocktail into their home. No one has accused the OCA of aiding the attack, but the group has been blamed for making it more acceptable to harm homosexuals. In turn, Mr. Mabon says that No on 9 must bear some of the responsiblity for promoting "hysteria" in order to defeat the measure. "Everywhere I speak, I tell people, 'If you're here because you hate homosexuals, you'd better leave,' " he said. "Here I am, trying to calm things down, and they've got homosexuals trying to whip people into a frenzy." If they lose, the No on 9 forces plan to challenge the measure in court. But Mr. Mabon says the nationwide tide is too strong to be stopped. "Measure 9, win or lose, is going to be an example to the rest of the states," said Mr. Mabon. "Portland, Ore., is one of the top liberal areas in the United States. If we can come close here, imagine how well we could do in Kansas or Louisiana." This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM