Clock In for Equality
Kristin Flickinger
I just received an email from Basic Rights Oregon announcing that the Constitution Party of Oregon has filed to place HB2007 and SB2 on the 2008 ballot. Big shock.
Even though the Oregon Family Council announced that it would not be gathering signatures to put SB 2 on the 2008 ballot, in its press release making the announcement, the OFC sent a little message to its friends that "[s]hould some other organization or community leaders successfully gather enough signatures to put SB 2 before Oregon Voters we will not actively be part of a campaign but will strongly encourage our supporters to vote for the referendum and defeat this bill." As you might have guessed, there were a number of related groups that immediately adopted an "if they won’t, we will" attitude. As of yesterday, the Constitution Party took the lead.
But, that wasn't the most interesting part of the email. The best part came at the end, and I found it really exciting. It was an action item called "Clock In for Equality," asking readers to "have five conversations with friends, family or co-workers about why equality is important to you, and why you therefore support the Oregon Equality Act (banning workplace discrimination) and Oregon Family Fairness Act (creating Domestic Partnerships for same-sex couples)."
This is a fantastic idea organized by Lambda Legal with participating organizations like BRO, designed to raise awareness about issues that are important to the GLBT community. I was thrilled to see such a simple and powerful call to action. I truly believe that this is the way we will achieve equality - through one-on-one conversations with our friends, families, co-workers, neighbors and strangers on the street. The more we come out and speak up, the more our issues will be understood as basic, human issues, and the easier it will become for those same friends, family members, co-workers and neighbors to become champions of equality.
The Constitution Party will need to collect 55,179 signatures in the 90 days after session ends in order to put the bills on the ballot. It would take 11,040 of us having 5 "clock in" conversations to beat that number. I bet we could do it before the session ends. I'll let you know how my conversations go. I'd love to hear about yours.
May 15, '07
Mmm...don't think they'll git-r-done. May be wrong, but I don't think most Oregonians have a beef with civil unions. Redefining marriage laws for the sake of a small minority of "sexual deviants" wont happen, but most wont go out of their way to stick it to that small minority. There are plenty of us western-style Independents out here who believe strongly in individual liberties and have no problem with civil unions, same-sex partnerships, etc. Were the same folks who believe that government should stay the hell out of our lives and what consenting adults choose to do is their own damn business so long as it does not infringe upon someone else's rights. If the religious right were to back off a bit and the far left did the same, we'd all get along just fine. You do your thing, I'll do mine.
Unfortunately, both of you want to cram your particular values of the day down my throat, which tends to cause me to bristle against both of you. Love god? More power to you. In love with a member of the same sex? None of my concern. Feeling differently gendered? That's your deal. Just leave me the hell alone.
May 16, '07
-Joe,
You have made a very mixed bag of comments. While I applaud you for your "support", your statements are riddled with bigotry. Here are some examples"
1) "sexual deviants"
We are NOT sexual deviants. Even mentioning this is an anathema.
2) "Unfortunately, both of you want to cram your particular values of the day down my throat, which tends to cause me to bristle against both of you."
No one is trying to cram anything down your throat. If you are feeling threatened, then I suggest going to a shrink to discuss your situation.
3) "Just leave me the hell alone."
Unless you are part of a minority that has been attacked for decades, you really have no concept of what it is like to be abused, so you? You do not know what it is like having society dictate from the time you were a child that there is a hierarchy in society and you were at the bottom.
Live and let live is fine. I am a firm believer in that, but qualifying your "acceptance" with hatred is not really "acceptance". We need to move past tolerance and in to true acceptance.
7:47 a.m.
May 16, '07
The levy for public safety failed last night in Josephine County and Smith and Wesson won the shoot out. Josephine County is saving money with only one patrol car for the whole county. It'll cut down on the wear-and-tear of the the roads, and them pesky prosecutors won't be wasting time no time on any crime short of murder. 'Course there's three county residents, a Republican and two offspring of the Constitution tribe who know what's really important. They filed papers on 5/15, and they're fixin' to fill their saddle bags with 55,179 signatures needed to challenge Oregon Senate Bill 2, which bans discrimination based on sexual orientation in housing. They also intend to ban House Bill 2007, which creates legal domestic partnerships.
Who needs law and order in Josephine County with three saddle blisters like these men who've found a more important cause for Oregon?
May 16, '07
Joe is out of touch, but he's trying. Give him that much. His most telling comment is where is references "what consenting adults choose to do." He thinks, as do many, that this is a behavioral issue, for adults. There may be that part of it, but that's not the whole, nor the main issue. Being gay is what I am; not what I do. If Joe, and others of a similar world view, dislike my sexual behavior (what I do), then say that. But stop equating that with my being gay (what I am), because I don't want to change nor could I anyway. Frankly, I'm quite fabulous just as I am.
May 16, '07
All I can say is... fuckin' breeders.
<h2>Whose fault is it that there are too many people in the world?? Please answer that one for me...</h2>