BRO Strokes Westlund

Weirdly, Basic Rights Oregon decided to stroke Ben Westlund's ego in a quote by Rebekah Kassell found in Thursday's Seattle Times following his decision to withdraw from the governor's race. As a senator, Westlund went out of his way to rally support for the anti-gay marriage initiative Measure 36 going so far as to write a pro Measure 36 piece for Oregon's voter guides.

Now we discover from Basic Rights Oregon that he's actually a man who cares about the state, not the anti-equality politician we apparently took him to be with his stand against the rights of LGBT Oregonians:

"I don't think that Ben was in the race to get one candidate or the other elected," said Rebekah Kassell, the communications director for Basic Rights Oregon, the state's largest gay rights group, which has endorsed Kulongoski.

"I suspect that they knew that it would be a very difficult race, and that if there was no opportunity to come out on top, as someone who cares about the state, I am sure he would want to make sure that the candidate who best serves the state could get elected," she said. (Source: The Seattle Times, 8/10/2006)

Who knows what political advantage stroking Westlund's ego gets Basic Rights Oregon but it sure doesn't bode well for the civil rights movement in Oregon. It's just another facet of BRO's evolution to political insiderism and another step towards being seriously out of step with Oregon's LGBT community.

Does Ben Westlund care for Oregon? We're sure he cares for some Oregonians, his continued opposition to same-sex marriage in Oregon tells us that.

Does Basic Rights Oregon care for Oregon's LGBT community? We're really starting to wonder.

Alisa Simmons Joins Ben Westlund Staff

Last week, Willamette Week reported:

Independent gubernatorial candidate Ben Westlund must be hoping his new staff hire, Alisa Simmons, is overdue for some election success. Simmons has recently been both a political organizer and co-head of the political action committee for Basic Rights Oregon, which failed to stave off a statewide gay marriage ban in 2004. In the spring, Simmons was campaign manager for Multnomah County Chairwoman Diane Linn, who was trounced in her re-election bid.

We raised the issue of a seeming conflict of interest here - as others did elsewhere - over having Basic Rights Oregon's Equality PAC endorse Diane Linn for Multnomah County Chairwoman when Alisa Simmons was both her campaign manager and chair of the PAC.

Today Blue Oregon is holding an open discussion Saxton, Westlund, Kulongoski on Gay Rights in which the issue of Westlund's change of heart over LGBTQ civil rights has been raised several times, along with his record of supporting Measure 36 by his statement in the voter's guide.

Apparently it's just politics and nothing more, if you can go from campaign manager of Diane Linn's re-election bid to Ben Westlund's campaign so easily. Linn's campaign even issued a "Rope of Revelation" flier (poster sized!) in which Wonder Woman catches 'wrongdoer' Ted Wheeler in her "Rope of Revelation" and insinuated that Wheeler tacitly supported anti-gay groups.

Now that Alisa Simmons is on Measure 36 supporter Ben Westlund's campaign which superhero might show up to let us know how we should vote? Let's hope it's not Wonder Woman, her "Rope of Revelation" turned out to be not all that helpful to Diane Linn (who after her loss marched with Ted Wheeler in the Gay Pride parade, sans rope).

BRO Skips House Vote on Marriage Equality

The U.S. House of Representative vote on the Federal Marriage Amendment today went by without a word from Basic Rights Oregon, fortunately the bill was defeated 236 to 187.

We wonder what exactly BRO's role is in fighting for equality if it won't take the time to send an email or post a call for action on its blog. A simple note bringing up the issue with supporters with information on how to contact our U.S. representative would have taken little time but could have expressed to every congressperson how much equality means to the LGBTQ community here in Oregon.

Keeping us in touch with the issues and what we can do in the fight for our rights should be a basic function of Basic Rights Oregon.

Letters to the Editor: Portland Mercury's Queer Issue

"...we were left with the feeling that they didn't trust anyone to deliver the message who was outside of whatever inner circle they deemed to be competent."

Read Letters to the Editor: Portland Mercury's Queer Issue.

Mercury's Queer Issue: On BRO's Effectiveness and Other Things

In case you missed "Where are we?" Mercury's Queer Issue:

1. Where Are We? - 'The Mercury's Queer Issue' / By Amy Jenniges
   

   The past few years have been a nausea-inducing roller-coaster ride for us homos. From legal same-sex weddings in Multnomah County, to the backlash of Measure 36 and the lack of basic anti-discrimination protections in Oregon, it seems everyone's had a hand in playing tug of war over our rights.

2. We Aren't There Yet - 'But We Can and Will Change the Face of Oregon' / By Amy Koski
   

   We are in the middle of the largest and most controversial civil-rights battle of our generation. In each of these historic movements, the wins are hard earned, by individuals coming together to give of their time, money and energy.

3. We're Done - 'Oregon Needs a Broader Coalition to Lead Us' / By Keith Daly
   

   BRO shouldn't be brushing off the gay community's questions and concerns. Rather, encouraging a cross section of opinions and ideas is necessary for any civil-rights organization to be viable and successful. Insular organizations don't achieve as much as ones that build a coalition among a broad range of groups and individuals, and hold regular meetings where supporters—the grassroots community they represent—can stay involved and give input and feedback.

4. We Got it Good - 'Up Here in Washington State, That Is' / Dan Savage
   

   ...it's not all roses up here. Like you guys, we've also got a painfully inept gay-rights group. ...But if Oregon were competing with Washington for the "Best State for Queers in the Pacific Northwest" competition, I think we would have to be declared the winners—what with our legal protections, right-on state reps, and our shot at marriage equality.

5. We Could Be Somewhere Worse - 'My Old Kentucky Homo... Errr, Home' / By Russ Gardner

   "One cannot discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in the city of Lexington," she tells me. Callahan explains that Kentucky's version of Basic Rights Oregon - the Kentucky Fairness Alliance - has been pretty effective against the state's legislature, having blocked legislation that would prohibit discrimination bans.

6. The State of Queers in Portland - 'According to Sissyboy's Splendora, Precious, and Zebra' / By Kelly Ripa

   Zebra: In some ways, all these subgroups have created cracks in the unity of gay culture. Everyone is so busy defining themselves we have forgotten that we are all under the big umbrella that is gay culture. It's important that we stay unified in these oppressive times.

7. Where Are They Now? - 'One of Multnomah County's Formally Married Gay Couples—One Year Later' / By Catherine Cole

   The double standards of discrimination returned, regardless of their continued love and commitment. Even after going to an attorney, paying all the fees, and filing paperwork to say that Lara is Kristy's next of kin, marriage or not, Lara's decisions regarding Kristy's health in time of an emergency can still be contested.

8. Where's Our Queer Identity? - 'Don't Shy Away from Being Your Queer Self' / By Sean Brown

   Conservative heteros are threatened by us not because of our sexuality—that simply grosses them out. They're threatened because we don't fit into what they've decided is the way things should be.

9. Who the Hell Cares Where We Are? - 'The Empire's New Clothes' / By Evan James

   Political causes need their champions, their ranks of activists and advocates. While in a lot of ways I find gay-rights activism silly, I also think it's important that there are people pushing that frontier. I don't know why I'm not one of them. It might be that I'm a lazy snob, or a precocious snob, or just a run-of-the-mill arrogant snob (or a snobby ingrate!).

Comment Moderation

While some blogs do well without much in the way of comment moderation, this one - sadly - does not. All blogs have some form of moderation. Either after the fact, removing inappropriate comments, or requiring registration or approval prior to publishing. It's unfortunate that this blog cannot expect a reasonable discussion on the issues as BlueOregon is able.

But it's a red herring to suggest that because we moderate comments this blog is illegitimate or stifling free speech. Some pretty amazing blogs here in Portland require registration and/or pre-approval for comments: BikePortland & PortlandArt, just to name two.

The following is the kind of comment we don't let through and we think you'll agree this comment has nothing to do with the issues raised on this blog and everything to do with an individual's anger over criticism of Basic Rights Oregon:

"You are a sad, sad excuse for a person. You lie and mislead people to promote an agenda that is anything but the truth. You twist and omit truth. It is incredibly sad and again, you are a poor excuse for 'pro-active activist'. You say no person attacks, yet that is all you do. You speak transparency, yet there is absolutely no transparency on this blog. You stifle free speech in which you complain and bitch about everyday. You absolutely disgust me..."

"...You are sad. I truly feel bad for you. I would love for you to publish this comment, though you will not. you don't want people to know that this blog is a joke, anything but what you say it is."

"This is not a place for open discussion. You are no better than ... BRO"

We're not here to be better than Basic Rights Oregon or anybody else, we're here to discuss the issues and concerns and ideas which we have about the future of our civil rights movement here in Oregon.

We'll publish engaging comments about the subject at hand, but we won't provide a forum for the uncivil or personal attacks.

It shouldn't have to be explained, but there you have it.

Redolence: A Monster is Out to Get Me

Redolence: A Monster is Out to Get Me

Oh shit I almost forgot to mention Roey Thorpe of BRO is gone! Yay, she resigned & I'm so happy I could hump a tree!