In "Strange Bedfellow" [WW, April 7, 2004], Kelly Clark claims he works against gay marriage to stick up for "the little guy." What about the little queers who aren't allowed equality by big homophobic government? Considering the current political-corporate hegemony, couldn't Clark have found a more worthy "little guy" than Multnomah County's poor oppressed homophobes? Some may see him as an unusual Republican, but his logic is as Orwellian as President Bush's.

While people are rightfully concerned with upholding public process, the question (that local corporate media ignores) is should civil-rights issues be beholden to the same public input as other issues? Should Rosa Parks have held public meetings to see whether whites approved of her sitting in the front of the bus? Should we have only granted civil rights to African Americans if the white majority approved? Are these really issues of public process or of the tyranny of the majority?

Clark wasn't willing to get in bed with OCA-type perverts as a legislator. Why does he now? Because his political career needs a jump-start?

Clark says, "We as a nation were given a special gift, and it pisses me off when we don't use it the right way." Yes, we were given the gift of a country founded by people who believed that all were created equal and that everyone deserved life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. What pisses true Americans off is how the homophobes Clark stumps for are willing to thwart those principles, denying equality to some Americans.

Tom Soppe
Southeast Harold Street

LOVING THE K-MAN

Thank you for publishing Lisa Loving's entertaining and informative cover story ["On the Road with Dennis Kucinich," March 31, 2004]. It's nice to see Congressman Kucinich finally getting some much-deserved media attention for his progressive platform and for his positive vision of a peaceful and prosperous America.

Kucinich (www.kucinich.us) is the only presidential candidate who voted against the Patriot Act and against the Iraq War Resolution. Moreover, Kucinich has a detailed 10-point plan to bring our troops home in 90 days, transfer authority to the U.N. with provisions for a rapid transition to Iraqi sovereignty and save billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars. Those dollars could be redirected to: providing universal health care; creating jobs and building a sustainable economy; rebuilding/ repairing our infrastructure; pursuing energy independence and mitigating global warming via renewable energy and conservation; and other things that benefit the Average Joe/Jane and small businesses more than megacorporations and the superrich.

Right now, it is still possible to influence the Democratic platform, but only if progressives send a loud and clear message by voting for Kucinich in the remaining primaries/caucuses.

Mary Forthofer
Longmont, Colo.