Oregon Public Broadcasting

Portlanders will gather for dueling rallies Friday. One to support  Portland's embattled Mayor Sam Adams; the other calling for his resignation.

As April Baer reports,  in the wake of Adams' admission he lied about his relationship with an 18-year-old, Portland is doing what Portland does best: protesting. . . .

If the first 48 hours after Adams' announcement was full of shock, the last 24 could be said to be full of action --specifically, action in the form of demonstrations.

Hollie Teal: "It seems like we needed to have one sooner rather than later because things are happening so fast, so we're organizing a rally."

Portlander Hollie Teal voted for Sam Adams last fall. She says she was as disappointed as anyone to learn  Adams lied about having sex with an eighteen-year-old. But she says the more she thought about it, the more she thought the root of the scandal wasn't anyone's business. She noted criticisms of Adams, and found them lacking.

Hollie Teal: "They were pretty knee jerk, and they were based on a lot of things that weren't really necessarily related to his experience, or what he's done for Portland. They were related to 'This is a bad, immoral thing he's done! He should have known better!' "

She's set up a blog to focus attention on Adams' news. Based on emails and phone calls she's received, she's expecting several hundred people at 5:30 Friday in front of City Hall.

Seattle native and columnist Dan Savage has agreed to speak at the event. Savage is a well-known sex columnist who's spoken out frequently on gay rights issues.

City Hall will also be the site of the rally calling for Sam Adams  to resign. 

Rick Christman and others will gather at 10 a.m. this morning.

Rick Christman:  "I think people have to think deep down, you know, is this a mayor that you want to have or not have. And I think each person has to grasp [sic] with that on their own."

He says  he's not as troubled as some by how Adams conducts his personal life. But he says he can't stand idle knowing Adams lied and asked others to lie for him, to cover up his relationship with Beau Breedlove. Christman says  that matter forced him to do some soul-searching.

Rick Christman: "That's something that I did, because obviously this was Monday that we heard about it, and I was really grasping whether I was going to do this or not. When I started hearing that there were a lot of people out there who wanted him to resign, I guess that fueled the fire."

Christman says his protests will continue every day, until Adams steps down.

In another part of town, a group closely affiliated with Sam Adams and his advocacy is retooling a big event.

The Q Center is a community center that Sam Adams helped to found. It serves the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered community.

The Center had been making plans for a big fundraiser at the end of the month. Earlier this week, it appeared the "Mayor's Winter Gala" would be canceled. Now the Q Center has announced the event will go on, simply as "The Winter Gala." 

Adams contributed a blurb in support, but it's not clear yet if he'll attend the event.