Anti-gay forces admit defeat (for 2008)
At least for now, the people trying to place measures on the ballot to repeal domestic partnerships and the employment non-discrimination law are conceding defeat.
Organizers conceded Monday that their initiatives to repeal two Oregon gay rights laws will not make the November ballot.The fact that the initiatives are stalled offers more evidence that opponents are losing support, say gay rights activists, who were also celebrating the legalization of same-sex marriages in California on Monday. ...
They are targeting two laws passed by the 2007 Legislature. One law banned discrimination against gays in work, housing and public places such as restaurants.
The other created domestic partnerships, civil union-like contracts that give government recognition and most of the state benefits and responsibilities of marriage to same-sex couples.
How were these anti-gay forces stopped?
Basic Rights Oregon, the state's largest gay rights group, challenged ballot titles for the initiatives in April and May with petitions to the Oregon Supreme Court.The court has yet to rule, and until it does, initiative supporters cannot collect signatures. With the July 3 deadline less than three weeks away, initiative supporters concede they will not have time to collect the 82,769 signatures they need for each initiative. ...
Critics tried to collect enough signatures last year to refer the domestic partnership law to voters but fell 96 signatures short. They challenged the count in federal court, lost and appealed. Three members of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals will hear that appeal July 8 in Portland. ...
Rep. Sal Esquivel, R-Medford, a chief petitioner for the initiative to repeal the domestic partnership law, said he was discouraged by the Oregon Supreme Court's lack of action.
"We are not authorized to pick up one signature yet," he said. "Something is not quite right with that."
Basic Rights challenged the title of the initiative to repeal domestic partnerships because it did not make it clear to voters that it would not only repeal the domestic partnership law but also nullify similar local laws, said Margaret Olney, a Portland attorney representing the group.
Basic Rights also complained the initiative challenging the anti-discrimination law was difficult to understand and did not make it clear to voters that it would apply retroactively, Olney said.
Visit BasicRights.org and GayRightsWatch.com for more info.
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June 17, 2008
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12:21 p.m.
Jun 17, '08
This reads as though Representative Esquivel wants some special right to skirt the law on ballot titles, rather than see the law applied equally.
Typical.
1:30 p.m.
Jun 17, '08
As long as they're arguing that appeal in the 9th next month they're not admitting anything. (I think their claim is pretty laughable, but there it is).
And while it's perfectly fair and legal, not being able to collect signatures may be a more salient reason for failure than the inability of the hate crowd to marshal enough scribbles. I would ALSO agree that opposition to same sex rights is declining, but hesitate to congratulatorily draw a straight line in this particular instance.
1:56 p.m.
Jun 17, '08
No kidding. So long as churches remain available as tax-free political organizing, fund-raising, and signature-gathering sites, the radical religious right will rant at the specks in queer people's eyes, and ignore the sticks in its own.
There's big money and political hay to be made bashing gays and immigrants. Channeling irrational hate and fear against scapegoats is a classic fund-raising tool. Right-wing pastors and executive directors have to buy gas too, y'know ...
2:02 p.m.
Jun 17, '08
Leo:
Yea, I'm not surprised that they'd want a special right, since that's the basis of all of this anyway. They want special rights to only be available to the people that are like them, and then want the special right to deny all of that to everyone else.
Jun 17, '08
I think TJ analyzed the situation well.
4:45 p.m.
Jun 17, '08
But if the general trend is away from them, staving off a vote in this cycle is not an insignificant matter, because even if they still were able to muster signatures the next time around, their likelihood of ballot success should be that much less. This matters as a particular battle in the struggle.
Interesting that they were so insistent on their own ballot title as to put themselves in this position.
TJ is right about the appeal, of course. But still, I'm glad that the chances are much reduced.
4:47 p.m.
Jun 17, '08
No, it's a great thing, Chris. It totally matters--I'm just saying it shouldn't be mistaken for a sign that we can all relax because the anti-gay movement in Oregon is dead, even just for this year.
5:11 p.m.
Jun 17, '08
Yes, exactly so TJ, well said.
Jun 17, '08
It's awesome to hear that the "right-wing" Archdiocese of Portland, funded and supported by the sweet, progressive, lefty Catholics at St. Andrews, All Saints, and Holy Family, couldn't get their act together in time to (AGAIN) deny basic rights to others (as they did successfully with Measure 36)...
True. Yet for some reason (stupidity? lack of conscience? confusion? fear of facing reality?), many sweet, progressive, lefty religious folks will keep giving these churches money, respect, legitimacy and further opportunities to attack gays and lesbians...
You go to St. Andrews You give money to St. Andrews You give legitimacy to St. Andrews St. Andrews funnels its money to the Archdiocese of Portland The Archdiocese throws its political support behind efforts to repeal DPs and anti-discrimination protections, and pays its lobbyist to work hard disenfranchising your gay and lesbian neighbors, family and friends
You shouldn't go to St. Andrews
11:29 p.m.
Jun 17, '08
This Progressive Democratic Oregon homo - with sixteen years of Catholic school under his belt - must politely disagree.
There is a difference between questions of personal faith, and the abuse of political process in the name of a God which a self-serving few pretend to fully know.
St. Andrew's Catholic Church is an island for many who feel the ancient roots of a deeply human faith beneath nearly two thousand years of Rome's misogynist political encrustation. And, there is much value in working for change from within, just as there is value in shifting the range of public dialogue by screaming from the ramparts.
Movements fall apart when the "from within" and "from the rampart" crowds are convinced to see one another as the enemy.
Jun 18, '08
Oh lordy Leo...
Your support for St. Andrews directly funds often successful Archdiocese efforts to disenfranchise gays and lesbians, deny health care options to women, and undermine public science education.
In fact, I think the Archdiocese lobbyist is even a parishioner at St. Andrews.
Can't you find your "ancient roots of a deeply human faith" in a crystal or something less damaging to my family's basic rights?
The best way to combat "two thousand years of Rome's misogynist political encrustation" is to quit propping it up.
9:12 p.m.
Jun 18, '08
Even I don't have the stones to step into THIS argument...!