Message from the Democratic Party of Oregon, LGBTQ caucus:
November 4th election night has come and passed. As Democrats, as Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Oregonians and Americans we have much to celebrate.
We elected the first African-American President of the United States. We elected Jeff Merkley to the U.S. Senate. Democrats are in the majority of both the House and Senate of the Oregon Legislature. Kate Brown was elected to be our Secretary of State. Ben Westlund was elected to be our State Treasurer and Brad Avakian is our Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor and Industries.
Our Democratic Party Platform is the most pro-equality platform in history. A record number of GLBT Delegates to the Democratic National Convention were elected from across the country.
We also cannot forget that democrats in our state legislature and our own democratic Governor stood up to fierce opposition to pass the Oregon Family Fairness Act and the Oregon Equality Act, which withstood referendum and legal challenges.
While we have made great strides in just four years, election night was bittersweet for many with the news that the voters in California voted to strip away the hard fought rights of thousands of couples whose relationships were legally recognized. Adding to the disappointing news was the passage of marriage bans in Florida and Arizona. Arkansas banned the adoption or foster parenting of children by any unwed persons, a measure clearly meant to bar GLBT people from adopting or foster parenting children.
If there is one particular lesson we can point to in the wake of this election cycle amid all the progress and victories it is that we still have a lot of work in front of us.
Rallies to “Fight the H8” are being held nationwide on Saturday November 15th beginning at 10:30am in a show of solidarity and support for thousands of our community who have been so deeply effected by these measures.
Fight the H8 rallies are being held in Portland, Eugene, Corvallis, and Medford. Click on each of these Oregon cities for the location of the scheduled gatherings. Just Out has also been publishing ongoing information.
Please read an open letter to all GLBT Oregonians from Basic Rights Oregon Executive Director Jeana Frazzini.
PORTLAND:
10:30 am with Speakers scheduled at noon.
South Park Blocks near PSU
Contact: Debra Porta debraporta(at)netzero.net
Info at: http://pdxjointheimpact.wordpress.com/
EUGENE:
10:30am
Eugene City Hall
777 Pearl St
Info at: www.queereugene.com
CORVALLIS:
10:30am
Corvallis City Hall
120 NW 4th St
Contact: Faith Reidenbach reidenbach.9(at)osu.edu
Info at: http://jointheimpact.wetpaint.com/page/Corvallis?t=anon
MEDFORD:
10:30am
Corner of East Main St. and South Central Ave.
Contact: Leslie Stone (541) 488-9168 lesliestone(at)ashlandhome.net
Janelle Wilson (541) 552-8328 wilsonjan(at)sou.edu
Info at: http://politigay.posterous.com/press-release-nov-15pdf-adobe