Date: Fri, 7 Jan 1994 13:42:06 -0800 (PST) From: Deborah Caplow Subject: ANTI-GAY LEADER RESIGNS In response to a request to post this on Gaynet, here is the entire article from the Seattle Gay News of 12/31/93, by Tom Flint: "TRADITIONAL VALUES" SPOKESMAN MARRIED THREE TIMES, CHARGED WITH DOMESTIC ASSAULT; First anti-Gay initiative to be filed Jan. 10 The Spokane Spokesman-Review reported this past week on a number of inconsistencies in the personal life of Robert Larimer, head of the anti-Gay Citizens Alliance of Washington, that cast doubt on the appropriateness of his delivering high-minded messages on morality. The Citizens Alliance of Washington (CAW) is the Washington State affiliate of Lon Mabon's Oregon Citizens Alliance responsible for statewide and local-level anti-Gay measures in that state over the past towo years. The CAW plans to file their anti-Gay initiative in this state January 10 [at 10:00 AM PST--RI]. Larimer has been married three times, The Spokesman-Review reported December 27. He was arrested in 1991 and charged with assault against his second wife. Larimer pleaded not guilty to the assault charges and the case was eventually dismissed in 1992. That the self-described proponent of "Traditional Family Values" has been married three times and arrested for domestic violence is raising some eyebrows. Laura Liswood, board member spokesperson of Hands Off Washington, siad the revelation about Larimer's domestic life is yet another example of religious extremists' inability to live up to the "Traditional Values" standards they expect others to meet. "I don't mean it in a malicious way," Liswood said. "These people are obiously working through family life issues just like the rest of us--develop what it means to be a family in today's world." Lon Mabon, Larimer's mentor, is unconcerned about his protege's past lapses in practicing the blissful family life he preaches. "No one is perfect," Mabon told the Spokesman-Review. "I don't have a problem with it." "We all fall short of the standards we set ourselves. It should not disqualify someone to strive for standards even if their own domestic situation didn't always meet them. You dust youself off and keep trying." Larimer is a 41-year old machine operator at the Frito Lay factory in Vancouver, WA, and manages an aprtment complex in the Begley Downs neighborhood. Of his multiple marriages, Larimer told the Vancouver (WA) Columbian this past fall, "I've been in car wrecks, but I didn't quit driving cars. And I haven't stopped believing in the family." Larmier told the Columbian that he believes the "Gay agenda" is a tthe cutting edge of the "liberal establishment"--which is the reason he intend to attack the Gay/Lesbian community. "You see, if they can win on this, they can win on other things. It's a domino effect," Larimer said. "On the other hand if we can pull the down on this we're going to pull down a lot of the other, a lot of the rest of the liberal agenda. You know, NOW (National Organization for Women) will come crashing down, too." In a separate intervie with the Columbian, larimer describes his CAW organization as "a military command structure. We feel that we're the Marines. We're the ones who go in and establish a beachhead and take on the strongest concentration of the opposition." According to the two newspapers, Larimer and Mabon are apparently being snubbed by the more sophisticated anti-Gay group, the Washington Public Affairs Council (WPAC) which is proposing a "soft core" initiative based on Colorado's Amendment 2, also to be introduced in January. Mabon told the Spokesman-Review that he wished the two organiztions could cooperate on the anti-Gay campaign, but that "it doesn't look likely," because the CAW is too bombastic for Washington state citizens, or as Mabon put it, "We prefer a more direct approach." Larimer told the Columbian that the CAW and WPAC will work toward the same goal--banning Gay/Lesbian civil rights in Washington state--but will approach the goal fro different angles. "We're not competitors," Larimer told the newspaper. "We are fellow soldiers in this civil war of cultural values. We are in communication with them. We believe in what they are doing, and to the fullest extent possible we'll help. And they expect that of us too. I expect we will be all out at the same time collecting signatures." ***end quote***reprinted w/o permission***all typos mine As I mentioned, since this was published, Larimer resigned, and has been replaced by a someone named Stoddard. The CAW initiative will be filed this Mon., 1/10 at 10 AM in Olympia. Richard Isaac Seattle