Rally for rights

Roger Hughes and Daniel Russel have been together for 13 years.

They own a home in Beaverton where they both work in the human resources field.

“We are those life-long, committed partners that you keep hearing about,” Hughes said.

Russel and Hughes are one of many couples affected by the temporary injunction placed on Oregon’s domestic partnership law, which was set to go into affect Jan. 1, but was blocked by a judge for a month so opponents can make a case as to why it should be voted on.

The “Hussels,” as Hughes jokingly referred to he and his partner, joined hundreds of Oregonians in the Terry Schrunk Plaza at Southwest Third and Madison for the Rally to Defend Equality, Wednesday night.

The plaza was filled all the way to the street and cries of support filled the air.

“The most hardcore of the hardcore,” was the way Becky Flynn, Basic Rights Oregon regional director, described the crowd, who endured the cold weather and intermittent rain to show their support and hear speeches ranging from community members to former Oregon Governor Barbara Roberts.

The crowd included people from all across Oregon.

Busloads arrived from Eugene and Madras. One carload from Southern Oregon had to chain up to make it over the mountain. Gay-Straight Alliance groups from high schools as far away as Bend bussed to the event, despite having school in the morning. Members of the Unitarian Church carried banners. Portland’s Gay Men’s Chorus sang songs. Over thirty PSU students met in the Smith Memorial Student Union to march downtown, wearing rainbow flags and shouting chants such as “Basic fairness, basic rights.”

“Committed couples need these rights and protections. We’ve earned them, and now it’s time to let the law work,” Russel said.

As Hughes put it, “We need to get on with our lives.”

Russel described his fears about what would happen if his partner were dying: not being allowed into the intensive care unit, not being able to have a say in crucial medical decisions and ultimately, the possibility of one of Hughes’ relatives dividing up his estate. “Our estate,” Russel said.

These are some of the issues facing same-sex couples in Oregon-problems that may persist, many say, if the domestic partnership law is not put in place.

A court hearing is scheduled for Feb. 1 to decide whether the law will move forward or not. Basic Rights Oregon has submitted information for the judge to examine.

Alisa Simmons, executive director of Brother to Brother, referred to the moment as “the pinnacle of the civil rights era of the twenty-first century,” in a speech culminating with a quote by Mahatma Gandhi: “‘First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.'”

Governor Roberts spoke on behalf of the Oregonians that passed the domestic partnership law last year.

“We believe in the legal and human rights of every Oregonian,” she said. “We will not be silent.”

Roberts attacked the claim being made by Arizona anti-gay group the Alliance Defense Fund, that the domestic partnership law would cause them irreparable damages. “Give me a break,” she said.

“This is not simply a gay issue, this is an Oregon issue,” Roberts said. “It is time for equality in Oregon and in America. The time is now.”

Joseph Santos-Lyons, a minister in the Unitarian church, said of the event, “We are doing God’s work.”

“As a religious leader, I cannot live in a world that condemns people to a second class life,” he said.

Santos-Lyons also spoke of the solidarity between all people who are fighting for their rights.

“Overcoming racism is linking with overcoming heterosexism and sexism,” he said.

Among the event speakers was Tash Shatz, ASPSU’s equal rights advocate, who helped plan PSU’s participation in the rally.

“I stand here as a trans person, I stand here as a young person, as a student,” Shatz said. “I can feel this movement in my bones.”