BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

DEAR MERCURY: Keith Daly's simplistic, self-absorbed take on the Oregon gay-rights movement ["We're Done," Queer Issue, June 15] thankfully gives the reader enough information to see why most of his criticisms of the movement are naïve if not entirely without merit. He accuses BRO [Basic Rights Oregon] of foolishness, insularity, and unnecessary secrecy. The idea that there is even such a thing as "behind the scenes" efforts in politics seems to go completely over Daly's head. [BRO] privately lobbied a majority of Multnomah County commissioners to request a decision from the county attorney about what Oregon law required of them should a gay couple request a marriage license, knowing the attorney was a progressive and would be persuaded by the equality guaranteed in Oregon's constitution, and that she would advise the council to allow the marriages. This delicate scheme could have been stopped if it was revealed prematurely. But Mr. Daly criticizes BRO for trying to protect the secret. Some may feel BRO's scheming was a mistake, but everyone who wasn't born yesterday understands that in politics there is a time for being a little discreet and not letting your enemy know your plans.

Michael Burdick

SHUT OUT

TO THE EDITOR: Regarding Keith Daly's assessment of BRO and their lack of responsiveness to the GLBT community ["We're Done," Queer Issue, June 15]: My partner and I tried on numerous occasions to get on the list to do house parties and speaking engagements on behalf of BRO and their campaign against Measure 36. We got no response from BRO. Whether it is true or not, we were left with the feeling that they didn't trust anyone to deliver the message who was outside of whatever inner circle they deemed to be competent. Daly's description of BRO as "insular" is consistent with my experience.   

Carol French

DEATH: NOT FUNNY

DEAR EDITOR: I usually treat your "One Day at a Time" column with humor, but was really unimpressed with the Friday, June 16 entry ["One Day at a Time," June 22] about the kid killed at Bonnaroo. If anyone from your staff had attended the festival, I would hope they would realize that making light of Joshua Overall being killed by a tour bus is in really poor taste. I would suggest your columnist stick to covering celebrity gossip rather than simultaneously trashing a really great music festival and having a laugh at some kid dying on a freeway.

Rob Banagale

FOXWORTH JUICE

TO THE MERCURY: In response to Mayor Potter's suggestion that the press engaged in a media frenzy over the Foxworth affair, the Portland Mercury claims "The media broadcast [Foxworth's sexually explicit] emails because they were legitimate news: A high-profile public official had documented a steamy affair with a colleague, and those emails were now the basis of a formal complaint" ["FoXXXworth Falls," News, June 22]. Bullshit. The emails were not the basis of any complaint. They were simply too juicy for the press to ignore—sanctioned pornography, as it were. No, don't try to paint the press as acting responsibly in this matter. This truly was a media frenzy.

Francis P. Ferguson

CONGRATULATIONS TO FRANCIS for reminding us how juicy the Foxworth emails really were—Foxy was on fire when he penned those gems! It certainly was news to us that Portland's police chief was such an animal! Francis, you win tickets to see the Legendary Pink Dots on July 10 at Berbati's Pan, plus $30 to No Fish! Go Fish! for a frenzy of your own.

PREVIOUSLY IN BLOG TOWN, PDX...

If you didn't visit Blog Town, PDX last week, here's what you missed: Hot pix of Portland's sexiest model, an up-to-the-minute report on Mayor Tom Potter's pick for police chief, a completely mesmerizing video of weird Chinese girls singing "Ha-Ha-Ha," David Beckham throwing up at the World Cup, a drag queen Britney Spears... and so much more! Don't miss any more excitement! Go to portlandmercury.com/blogtown where "fun" is being published—every stinking day.