>************************************************************************ ****** >* justin@sccs.swarthmore.edu * >* Justin Paulson -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= From Wednesday's Oregonian: "Voters in six Oregon cities and one county appeared to be passing local anti-gay-rights measures by wide margins Tuesday, giving the Oregon Citizens Alliance's latest strategy a ringing endorsement despite a new state law saying such measures cannot be enforced. " `This will build momentum - without question,' OCA chairman Lon Mabon said. `This shows that the middle voters have changed their opinion.' "...In Estacada, which passed Measure 9 by 458-456 last year, voters endorsed the local initiative by 349-292. But in Molalla, where Measure 9 passed by a 60 percent margin, only 55 percent of voters OK'd the new measure. "Sweet Home appeared to be giving the OCA its widest margin of victory - 77 percent. Measures also passed easily in Creswell and Lebanon, and were leading strongly in Medford and Jackson County." *SIGH* Of course, Mr. Mabon ignores the fact that this showing of "momentum" is based entirely on communities which had already demonstrated their opposition to gay rights ... Still, it was frustrating to hang out last night at the Linn County Courthouse and watch John Leon, the OCA's local honcho, gloating as the Lebanon and Sweet Home numbers came in. The struggle continues. Nobody said it would be easy. (BTW, Justin, count me as at least *one* person who has finally had it with the OCA ... As of Oct. 1, I'm ending a 20-year career as an "objective" journalist ... in no small part because I can no longer stand by as an "observer" while this group destroys the state I love. I've already asked Kathy McNannay to sign me on as a plaintiff when time comes to file suit against Albany, should the next round of measures pass here.) Cheers ... and hope your school year goes well... Pat Kight kightp@ccmail.orst.edu (through Sept. 30) patkigh@nyx.cs.du.edu (From Oct. 1 on)