Portland, Oregon is now largest US city with openly gay mayor

[ruggerson]

Meet newly sworn in Mayor Sam Adams.



Two months ago, Sam Adams, a Portland city commissioner and the mayor-elect, rallied a crowd of gay rights activists as part of a national series of protests against California's new ban on same-sex marriage.

Speaking into a bullhorn, he urged the protesters to continue pushing for legal same-sex marriage in all 50 states, but he urged them not to embark that day on an unauthorized march.

"This community is watching us, the nation is watching us," he said. "They are going to judge us for what we do today, and today we do not have a permit to march — not because the city won't let us but because this happened so quickly we couldn't get the paperwork in."

The crowd laughed at the not-so-frequent moment when Adams' political activism and his municipal role crossed paths. Adams smiled.

Adams, 45, was sworn into office at 12:01 a.m. Thursday at City Hall. It made Portland, population estimated at 575,000, the largest city in the nation to elect an openly gay mayor.

Seven months ago, he won the job with 58 percent of the vote in a primary race against a travel agency owner and other, less well known, candidates. That meant he didn't have to run in a November runoff election.

He didn't campaign on gay rights or social issues. "I'm running not to be a gay mayor, but a great mayor," he said.

http://www.oregonlive.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/base/news-28/1230856157157010.xml&storylist=orlocal

[Cha]

1. Portland, Oregon that is..I was in that

city visiting my daughter over Thanksgiving and do I ever love it there.

Best wishes to Sam Adams becoming a great mayor.

[ruggerson]

2. good catch

I'll edit. And I love Portland, ME, didn't mean to overlook them. :)

[xchrom]

3. ...

:woohoo:

[oldnslo]

4. He may do well--it's a very diverse town.

Too bad about the police brutality that raises its head all too often though. The big, tough Portland cops like to shoot naked druggies for fun and kick to death mental patients on the street, just thinking of a couple instances. Maybe Sam can fix that a little.

[Sultana]

5. He's hot

:blush:

Mabrook, Portland

[Fumesucker]

6. The next step would be an openly atheist mayor..

I'm not holding my breath on that one.

[Sebastian Doyle]

7. Has Lon Mabon reacted to the news yet?

Any videos of his empty hateful head exploding? :nuke:


(For those of you not from the Pacific Northwest, Mr. Mabon is our own regional "Fred Phelps" who has been behind a number of hate ballot measures in Oregon and Washington. I believe all the state level initiatives failed, but he had some county level success in parts of Oregon, unfortunately)

[Vanje]

8. I had thought Mabon left Oregon

I guess not.
He did go to jail for a while, but then he came back

[luv_mykatz]

9. Whoo-hoo!

Go, Mayor Adams! :party: :toast: :bounce: :fistbump: :woohoo:

[Starry Messenger]

10. That is so awesome.

If I were ever to move out of the Bay Area, Portland has always been my first choice. I love it there. I just hate winter!



There is a restaurant behind this preserved facade. Such a cool concept!

[Cha]

11. I saw lots of Obama signs

still in the yards at Thanksgiving time..made me feel good every time I spotted one. I live in a small Upstate New York town where mccain took the county.

[KamaAina]

12. A toast!

:beer: