I invite all members of the Multnomah County Democratic Party GLBT Caucus to join our ad hoc Strategic Planning Committee. Our first meeting is Tuesday, January 27 at 6:30 p.m. at the Donkey Stable (232 NE 9th AVE, Portland). We need your help in discussing our future plans as a caucus. Do you have opinions regarding how we should do outreach, what we should focus on in the coming year, or any other opinions about increasing our influence in the Democratic Party and beyond? Then, this is the perfect meeting for you to attend.
“Mayor Adams has faithfully served Portland city government and championed equal rights for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) people for decades.
Without Adams’ public service, Portland would not be one of the most envied cities in the country.
Without Adams’ GLBT leadership, GLBT people in Oregon and across the country would be years behind in the struggle for equal treatment under the law.
One controversy does not erase a lifetime of service, sacrifice and leadership for Portland. Mayor Adams has never quit fighting for Portland, and our city should not quit on him.
Therefore, the GLBT Caucus of the Democratic Party of Oregon encourages Sam Adams to stay in office until all the facts of this controversy are sorted out. Only then, can Mayor Adams and the city of Portland make an informed decision about his future.
All of Portland must weigh all the evidence and options as we move forward. It is too soon for hasty action by any party involved in this controversy.
Let’s let the facts of the investigation, not overheated rhetoric, lead us to a sensible resolution.”
Take a moment to read President Barack Obama’s full agenda, especially his Civil Rights agenda.
“While we have come a long way since the Stonewall riots in 1969, we still have a lot of work to do. Too often, the issue of LGBT rights is exploited by those seeking to divide us. But at its core, this issue is about who we are as Americans. It’s about whether this nation is going to live up to its founding promise of equality by treating all its citizens with dignity and respect.”
– Barack Obama, June 1, 2007
The Civil Rights Agenda is a comprehensive statement which prominently outlines President Obama’s agenda in regards to a number of fully inclusive LGBT Civil Rights issues:
Expand Hate Crimes, ENDA, Repeal of DADT, Adoption Rights, Repeal of DOMA, and HIV/AIDS policy are listed White House agenda items.
Also of note is the White House Office of Public Liaison, a link to the office allows direct input to the White House. The Deputy Director of the White House Office of Public Liaison is Brian Bond, whose appointement was featured in the The Advocate.
Two studies concerning Marriage Equality and Prop 8 in California have been released during this last week.
Freedom to Marry released a study which suggests that elected officials who openly support and vote for full marriage equality overwhelmingly get re-elected to office and those seeking higher office are elected.
During missions to member states of the Council of Europe, I have been reminded of the on-going discrimination many face on account of their gender identity1. Transgender persons encounter severe problems in their daily lives as their identity is met with insensitivity, prejudice or outright rejection.
There have been some extremely brutal hate crimes against transgender persons. One case which received media attention was the murder in Portugal of a homeless, HIV-positive, Brazilian transgender woman, called Gisberta Salce Junior. She was tortured and raped by a group of young men, thrown into a well and left to die.
My discussions with non-governmental organizations defending the rights of transgender persons indicate that a number of such hate crimes go unreported – even in serious cases. One of the reasons appears to be a lack of trust in the police.
Some people seem to have a problem with the mere existence of human beings whose outer expression of their inner gender identity is not the same as their gender determined at birth. Aggression against transgender persons cannot however be excused as resulting from ignorance or lack of education. These attitudes cause serious harm to innocent and vulnerable people and must therefore be countered.
The First Congregational United Church of Christ in Ashland Oregon will be conducting same gender weddings underscoring their belief for the need of separation of church and state.
“We, as UCC ministers, believe the separation of church and
state is good for the church and for the state”
While the minsiters of the UCC Church will continue to celebrate the sacrament of marriage for all couples who wish to have thier spiritual union belssed by the church, the ministers will not be signing marriage licenses for any couple being married in thier church until they are legally able to sign marriage licenses for everyone.
“At First Congregational United Church of
Christ in Ashland we will no longer sign marriage licenses for any
one until we are able to sign marriage licenses for everyone.”
bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) people for decades.
