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85 °F Forecast | Road Cams Tuesday, July 20, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Prime Times Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend March 4, 2004 Central Point farmers Stephen, left, and George Miller-Zauner, partners for 14 years, celebrate their marriage application Wednesday at the Jackson County Courthouse. Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell Board of the rings State leaves decision over gay marriage to county, as couple applies and severalvoice their opinions By JOHN DARLING for the Mail Tribune In the wake of legal same-sex marriages in Multnomah County, a vigorous rally was held Wednesday in Medford’s Vogel Plaza and a Central Point gay couple headed to the Jackson County Courthouse to obtain a marriage license application. County Clerk Kathy Beckett, reached in Salem where she is attending a conference, said she would determine whether gay marriages would be allowed in Jackson County within three days. Some 50 gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people waved placards during the rally that said "Queer and Here," "Oppress Not," "Honor Love" and "Kiss Me, I’m Queer," while passing drivers honked and gave the thumbs-up. From the rally, a procession of 20 people followed Central Point farmers George and Stephen Miller-Zauner, domestic partners of 14 years who use the same last name, to the county courthouse. A clerk explained the marriage license application and told them the county clerk would soon have a decision on the legality of their hoped-for marriage. "We’ve always determined that marriage was between a man and a woman," Beckett said, "but things are changing. It’s wide open with Multnomah County issuing marriage licenses. It’s brought the whole issue to the surface and I need to get with the county counsel and review statute and case law." Advertisement County Counsel Michael Jewett said he expects a decision within two or three days after Beckett returns this afternoon. The state statute on marriage (ORS 106.010) says, "Marriage is a civil contract entered into in person by males at least 17 years of age and females at least 17 years of age." "That’s unclear — not very precise," said Jewett, noting that it doesn’t say the marriage is "between" the male and female. He added that the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution is being used to trump state law. Since same-sex marriage appears not to be specifically prohibited in state law nor regulated by any state agency, the decision is solely in the hands of each county clerk, said Anne Martin, media relations spokesperson for the Secretary of State’s office, in a phone interview. "It’s county by county and no pronouncement will be coming from us," she said. Local Republicans, supporters of the proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, decried the recent developments. Bryan Platt, Jackson County Republican Party chairman, said marriage was a covenant between a man and a woman and has been such through all history. "Opening that to same-sex marriages will destabilize our society," he said. "The family was designed by the Creator with each sex being given special proclivities and when that comes apart, it damages our children." "It's stupid — I don't know what the gays are trying to prove," said Tiny Robertson of Medford, former party chairman. "Marriage is between men and women. I've always been taught that and thought that. ... What they do in the privacy of their bedroom is their business, but they will have to answer to God for it. Gay marriage tells our children that whatever they want to do is OK." Gay activists locally plan to ask each town’s mayor to petition the county to legitimize same-sex marriage, said Rosemary Dunn Dalton, who created the Gay-Lesbian-Bisexual-Transgender Political Caucus and attended the rally. "This is not a right-to-marry issue," she said. "This is a civil rights issue and because of it, same-sex couples are being denied the right to adopt and have foster children and are losing all kinds of other rights all over the nation." Noting that he and his partner raised four children, Stephen Miller-Zauner said today’s marriage application means, "We are no longer second-class citizens. We’re the same as everyone else. We love, we pay taxes, we have a sense of community — and this isn’t hurting anyone." "It shows connection with community and the sense of power that everyone else has," said George Miller-Zauner. "It’s being told yes, instead of no." If same-sex marriage wins approval here, the couple will switch wedding rings from the right hand, a gay tradition, to the left and ask Beckett to marry them "on the spot," he said. "It was very moving and brought tears to my eyes, seeing them treated with respect at the counter," said Kerul Dyer, 25, an Ashland bisexual. "Most people are clearly fine with it. The cat’s out of the bag and she’s not going back in." Kris York, 52, of Medford, didn’t mind being unmarried to her six-year partner, she said, until she saw the San Francisco same-sex marriages. "I didn’t realize how much it meant to me. I cried all during the TV news coverage, so I guess I do care." York, a former board member of the caucus and the Abdill-Ellis Center, said she experiences continual disenfranchisement, such as Social Security notices that detail, "if you die, your spouse is eligible to receive ..." "We know they are saying that if you die, the person you think of as your spouse is entitled to receive not one blessed thing," York said. Several straight people supported the rally. Shelley Eikovich, 38, of Ashland, said the ban on same-sex marriage is no different than the ban against interracial marriage of 50 years ago. "We need support and love in all kinds of families and that’s what I’m teaching my kids," she said. Heterosexual Mori Garloff of Ashland, a married mother, said she joined the rally to "stand up for the love of mankind and to end all discrimination." Colleen Callan and Cassie Trujillo of Medford would like to solemnize their six-year relationship. "Religious beliefs," said Trujillo, "should not influence civil rights. It’s important for society to value all couples and it’s slowly coming around. The oppression of people is no longer recognized by the community as positive." John Darling is a free-lance writer living in Ashland. E-mail him at [email protected]. Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? 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