Email #1:

   Subject:   OREGON, PORTLAND AMONG NATIONS'S HIGHEST
     CONCENTRATIONS OF SAME-SEX COUPLES 
   Date: Thu, 15 Nov 2007 13:23:38 -0500 
   From: "Syd Peterson" <syd@rennacommunications.com> 

Dear Larry:

It's been a tumultuous few years for Oregon's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) citizens.  In 2004, Multnomah County briefly offered marriage licenses for same-sex couples, which were later nullified by Measure 36.  In 2007, the Oregon Legislature passed the Oregon Family Fairness Act, which created Domestic Partnerships for same-sex couples and their families, and the Oregon Equality Act, which remedied the discrimination that LGBT Oregonians experience at work, in housing and public accommodations. Both laws are slated to go into effect on January 1, 2008. 

In light of these political developments, I want to draw your attention to a recent study about the demographics of lesbian, gay and bisexual people. UCLA's Williams Institute recently released a new analysis of the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey. 

The demographics of Oregon were particularly interesting. The number of same-sex couples in Oregon has risen by more than 500% over the past 16 years, from 2263 couples in 1990 to 13,608 couples in 2006. Oregon had the fifth highest concentration of same-sex couples of all US states, higher than California and Colorado.  Oregon's concentration of same-sex couples in 2004-2006 was 8.83 couples per thousand households.

As a city, Portland stands out. The number of same-sex couples in Portland has risen by more than 300% over the past 16 years, from 1049 couples in 1990 to 4368 couples in 2006.  Portland had the fourth highest concentration of same-sex couples of any city in the US, outranking Oakland, CA, Boston, MA, Washington, DC, Atlanta, GA and Long Beach, CA.  Portland had 16.94 same-sex couples per thousand households in 2004-2006.

I hope you'll take a look at the Williams report.  I'd be happy to email you a copy, or you can download it from the Williams website: www.law.ucla.edu/williamsinstitute

Author Gary Gates is available to speak with you generally about the report, and specifically about the Oregon demographics.  Please give me a call if you'd like to set up an interview.

Sincerely,

Syd Peterson
Communications Executive
Renna Communications
syd@rennacommunications.com
cell #917.621.6411
http://www.rennacommunications.com

Oregon Magazine Co-Publisher’s response:

Subject: Oregon Magazine
   Date: Thu, 15 Nov 2007 14:39:04 -0800
   From: hobbit <hobbit@pcez.com>
   To: Syd Peterson <syd@rennacommunications.com>

Mr. Peterson,

Why did you send me that email?  That is, the numbers are interesting, but 
irrelevant without analysis and interpretation.  A.C. Clarke's monolith in his  space film (2001: A Space Odyssey) was one by four by nine, the squares of 1,2,3 -- which from a story sense meant what?*  At present there are  somewhere between ten and twenty million illegal aliens in the United States.
So what?

I assume you are promoting something more than statistics, here -- that you have a purpose for promulgating those statistics.

I believe the U.S. Constitution allows you to hold the opinions of your choice, and except for yelling "fire" in a crowed theater, releasing to the public top secret information damaging to national defense during war time or speaking politically incorrect words which irritate various 
supra-constitutionally-protected liberal, cultural or racial groups, that constitution also allows you to express those opinions.

My second oldest pal, going back to gradeschool is a homosexual guy named Bob (Ed: last name omitted for privacy).  He had a tough time in  highschool in the Fifties, until he beat the hell out of a football player who was ridiculing him.  Bob and I shared a love for dancing, flathead Fords with twin glasspak mufflers and the new Rock and Roll music.  We went to see Elvis  and Buddy Holly and the Crickets when they came to Portland. I am 
heterosexual, but have no fear of publicly admitting my affection for this fine 
guy.

Because I like him doesn't mean I accept all the things that people like him in
that respect say and do.  Bob has all the same constitutional rights that I do. I would pick up a rifle and go into combat against any group who tried to take
them from him.

But, in my opinion, that isn't what "gay" rights are about, these days. I don't 
like government-ordained special rights, protections, financing or other similar treatment for culturally-protected groups in America.  Special treatment for  groups because of what they do -- soldiers, for example -- is fine.  Special  treatment for groups because of what they are?  Go much beyond access for the handicapped, and you'll have trouble with me on that subject.

I am dead set, completely against, unalterably opposed to sanctioning homosexual marriage, homosexual couples adopting children and homosexual public festivals which ridicule traditional American values, including religion, 
with displays of sexual activity in the streets of our cities.  I do not want homosexuality promoted in our tax-supported public schools.  I do not want American law to force religious bookstores to hire homosexuals if they do not want to.  Am I making myself clear?

Both my parents were dead by the time I got out of highschool.  I had no financial support other than that which I made by working for it.  When I applied for an educational grant to go to college, I was refused because I am male and white.  The money was being redirected to people who didn't meet that description.  That was the beginning of my education.

Once more, why did you send me that email?

Larry Leonard
Co-publisher and Editorial Director
Oregon Magazine
http://oregonmag.com

*This astrisk was not in the reply email:  Clarke's monolith, whether he was conscious of it or not, meant that humans were created by way of "intelligent design." 

© 2007 Oregon Magazine