This Week in the Mercury
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
News Obama Effigy Hung From Tree In Newberg
Posted by Matt Davis on Wed, Sep 24, 2008 at 1:06 PM
Steve mentioned this story in his Good Morning roundup, but I've been thinking about what it means over the course of the day, and it's still troubling me. I don't think most Oregonians are racist, and yet, to see the effigy of our presidential candidate hung, presumably by a student, from a tree at a Christian university in Newberg says something about our state that needs discussion.
Noelle Crombie at the Oregonian has interviewed people on the campus today, where the mother of one of the minority scholarship students at the university told the O: "We are not in Georgia, Mississippi or Louisiana," she said. "We are in Oregon...To have this happen is really disappointing."
I've had several people tell me Oregon is more racially conflicted than those Southern states mentioned. This isn't a state where the issue has been of race has been aired, and yet we Portlanders often feel like in a city with such a liberal reputation, race shouldn't be a sticking point. Is Portland different from the rest of Oregon? Were these just stupid kids? I'm curious as to your thoughts.
1
all it takes is a drive just 30 miles or so from portland to someplace like molalla or estacada to realize that racism is alive an well in oregon. examples from bars in these cities from just this year:
the day before MLK day in january a group of 4 mom's having lunch when they started loudly ranting about how they had to watch their kids the next day because school was closed for n****r day.
a guy sitting next to me at a bar out of the blue says to me that "no way in hell will he let a woman or a n****r become president".
and while watching one of the laker/celtics finals games the two guys sitting next to me had this exchange:
Guy 1: Basketball is the most boring sport in the world.
Guy 2: Yup.
Guy 1: It is even more boring than soccer.
Guy 2: Yup.
Guy 1: But at least in soccer there are no blacks on the field.
Guy 2: Yup.
the day before MLK day in january a group of 4 mom's having lunch when they started loudly ranting about how they had to watch their kids the next day because school was closed for n****r day.
a guy sitting next to me at a bar out of the blue says to me that "no way in hell will he let a woman or a n****r become president".
and while watching one of the laker/celtics finals games the two guys sitting next to me had this exchange:
Guy 1: Basketball is the most boring sport in the world.
Guy 2: Yup.
Guy 1: It is even more boring than soccer.
Guy 2: Yup.
Guy 1: But at least in soccer there are no blacks on the field.
Guy 2: Yup.
2
I'm surprised you failed to mention the whole "Act 6" debacle. I think that's what it's called...
Act 6 is a scholarship program for minority students. God I fucking hate the word minority.
Anyways, on the cardboard cutout someone left a sign that read "Act 6 reject" I don't know about you but I'd never heard of Act 6 until today.
Otis, you don't have to leave Portland to find out of the racist closet dipshits. Racism doesn't belong to any specific demographic. There are liberal life long Democrat racists, I've met douchebag hippie racists, hipster girl racists, even white hip hop kids that are racist.
One thing I notice with Oregon's racists that is much different than the racists of my home state of Wyoming, is that Oregon racists, more specifically Portland's racists are in the closet still. In Wyoming, at least they have the sack to come out and declare their ignorance to the world. That might not be commendable, but, at least you know where they stand and can easily avoid them.
I'm going to chalk this one up to a reaction of a racist redneck living in a knee jerk liberal neo hippie's world, and he's screaming for his racist redneck voice to be heard.
Act 6 is a scholarship program for minority students. God I fucking hate the word minority.
Anyways, on the cardboard cutout someone left a sign that read "Act 6 reject" I don't know about you but I'd never heard of Act 6 until today.
Otis, you don't have to leave Portland to find out of the racist closet dipshits. Racism doesn't belong to any specific demographic. There are liberal life long Democrat racists, I've met douchebag hippie racists, hipster girl racists, even white hip hop kids that are racist.
One thing I notice with Oregon's racists that is much different than the racists of my home state of Wyoming, is that Oregon racists, more specifically Portland's racists are in the closet still. In Wyoming, at least they have the sack to come out and declare their ignorance to the world. That might not be commendable, but, at least you know where they stand and can easily avoid them.
I'm going to chalk this one up to a reaction of a racist redneck living in a knee jerk liberal neo hippie's world, and he's screaming for his racist redneck voice to be heard.
3
"We are not in Georgia, Mississippi or Louisiana,"
Well at least they aren't stereotyping or anything
Well at least they aren't stereotyping or anything
4
Yeah it's not just the south, the whole country is chock-full of redneck dumb-fucks. How the do you think Bush got as many votes as he did (not enough to win of course, but cheaters don't need to "win" now do they )?
As far as this "prank" goes, it was probably just stupid kids. Redneck dumb-fuck stupid kids.
As far as this "prank" goes, it was probably just stupid kids. Redneck dumb-fuck stupid kids.
5
sorry to bring truth to the table. but, liberals are, and have always been, the group of racists and seperatists.....i understand why they have hung that tag on conservatives, as conservatives dont readily stand up and combat lies. and the lib's know it!.....good luck up there in the northwest from a supposed racist dumb hick in louisiana
6
"We are not in Georgia, Mississippi or Louisiana,"
The Gulf coast actually has a few things going for it, like the French Quarter of New Orleans. Rural Oregon is more like a depressed North Carolina; more hopeless poor or near poor with a few small town big wheels, very church going, and very easy to hate anyone they see as different from themselves.
The Gulf coast actually has a few things going for it, like the French Quarter of New Orleans. Rural Oregon is more like a depressed North Carolina; more hopeless poor or near poor with a few small town big wheels, very church going, and very easy to hate anyone they see as different from themselves.
7
portland isn't different, Newberg is just disgusting, thank god that urban oregonians outnumber rural oregonians.
8
Being an urban Oregonian isn't some kind of default for being non racist or even a decent human being. It just makes you more prone to owning fleece, a Columbia jacket, driving a subaru, and enjoying the smell of your own farts.
9
I've noticed more racism in my 11 years in Oregon (and Portland specifically) than my 28 in Virginia, North and South Carolina.
12
"We are not in Georgia, Mississippi or Louisiana,"
Congratulations. You've just managed to lose any positive raport Barack Obama may have been able to build up in the Southern States.
Congratulations. You've just managed to lose any positive raport Barack Obama may have been able to build up in the Southern States.
13
Being from Louisiana and well traveled in the North--I have found what I think is a difference in how the North and South seem to see racism".In the South we often like Blacks as individuals but fault them as a Race--in the North they say they like the Blacks as a Race--but seldom do they like them as Individuals.
My opinion--I am just a "High Tech Redneck" myself
My opinion--I am just a "High Tech Redneck" myself
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