91´«Ã½

On Gay and Lesbian Rights

Adopted at 1992 Annual Conference

WHEREAS the voters in Springfield, Oregon, on May 19, 1992 passed a city charter amendment prohibiting the use of public funds or property for promoting, encouraging, or facilitating homosexuality; and

WHEREAS this law and laws like it may be used to remove gay and lesbian materials from publicly-supported libraries and to prevent the acquisition of neutral or positive library materials about homosexuality; and

WHEREAS the Oregon Citizens Alliance has succeeded in placing on the Oregon statewide ballot in November 1992, an initiative which would amend the state constitution to prohibit the use of public funds or property to promote, encourage, or facilitate homosexuality, and which would institutionalize anti-gay discrimination in local and state government throughout Oregon; and

WHEREAS the 91´«Ã½ in its Library Bill of Rights and its Freedom to Read Statement strongly opposes all efforts at censorship in libraries, and promotes diversity in library collections, and the inclusion of materials representing the viewpoints of all segments of the community;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Social Responsibilities Round Table of the 91´«Ã½ condemns any attempt to censor or exclude any viewpoint on homosexuality from libraries; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Social Responsibilities Round Table of the 91´«Ã½ urges the Oregon Library Association and all librarians to publicly and energetically oppose the implementation of censorship in Springfield, Oregon, the passage of the anti-gay state initiative in Oregon, and any other similar initiatives in other local or state jurisdictions; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this resolution be sent to the Springfield, Oregon, City Council and Mayor, Public Library, and Chamber of Commerce; the Oregon Library Association; the Oregon State Library; OUTPAC (the statewide anti-initiative political action committee); the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation; the library press; and the major national gay and lesbian press.