I set one piece of cardboard to the side of the cardboard crusher. I don’t really know why. I guess because there was some other dude crushing his cardboard.
He just about finished up and as he saw me put the cardboard there said, “is there a reason you’re putting that there?”
I mumbled something.
He then said, “wait do you work here?” We have never seen each other. But why is it always some overweight white dude that feels like they can talk to you in a condescending manner. No one else there would said this crap. I could even see other coworkers just putting it in the crusher and never saying a stupid word about it.
So then I said, “I left it to the homeless people.” Complete wisecrack because I already know this guy. He said, “better not.” I said, “it’s a reality man.” He said, “not around here.” This is in Clackamas. I work in downtown so I know.
It’s true, people have this stereotypical thinking towards homeless, towards downtown, and towards these protests. This was only Clackamas, but you get out into Damascus, Estacada, Sandy, Canby, Newberg, McMinneville, and even more rural areas and I will guarantee you, not one of them support the movements happening, or have ever even walked with a protest.
There you have it, Portland is a small population of Oregon, and the rest is on a different page.

10 replies on “There is a Whole Other World Out There”

  1. Wow that dude is full of generalizations and stereotypes.

    Yeehaw, cowpoke.

    To think you’re being serious is difficult to understand your mentality.

    I’d say you’re just as bad as what OP was addressing just in a different way you let yourself believe as open minded and liberal.

  2. Yeah being proud of Oregon’s racist exceptionalism is definitely worth promoting, Arlo111.

    Like it or not, things are changing everywhere even in the KKK haven of Oregon.

    Welcome to the world. It’s changing and no matter how viciously white supremacists use terrorism to prevent it from happening (or at the very least slow it down), change will come.

    Must really chafe your ass that Oregon goes blue every damn time.

  4. Arlo is right. Lifelong Oregonian here. The state is not the liberal bastion that it is made out to be. For a 30 year period, mid sixties to mid nineties, both our Senators were Republican. Recently retiring rep Greg Walden, Republican. Get out of the Willamette Valley and see how progressive our state is.

  5. I in NO WAY believe Oregon is a liberal bastion! Please. Seattle and Portland are exactly the same with regard to their affects on WA and OR. There is still change happening. I live outside of Portland, in rural Oregon, so i am under no illusions, nor am I living in any bubble.

    I still see change happening. It may happen more slowly here in Oregon, but it is happening and will continue to happen. The registered voter numbers are simply one (limited) example of how things are changing.

  6. Ah yes, your totally irrelevant opinion of me (a total and complete stranger, about whom you know nothing). Somehow confirming your know everything and your comments = fact? LOL.

  7. “ It is happening and will continue to happen”

    “It I s happening and might continue to happen in my opinion”

    I fixed that for you CR

  8. I don’t need an editor. You do realize this is a comment section of a local paper nearly no onre reads. I’m not presenting a dissertation or writing a book.

    And, it’s not just my opinion. Facts support my opinion.

    Oregon leans Democratic as a state, with both U.S. Senators from the Democratic party, as well as four out of Oregon’s five U.S. Representatives. The state has voted Democrat since 1988 in presidential elections. Oregon has had a Democrat as governor since 1987.

    https://www.oregon.gov/das/OEA/Pages/forecastdemographic.aspx

    (this from the link below – weird spacing with cut/paste from document).

    In the MSA, which racial/ethnic group (in total) is expected to growthe fastestduring the next 50 years (2010 to 2060)?The Hispanic (or Latino) population segment is expected to add another 665,000 people by 2060, the largest increase in a race or ethnic population. Whites will grow by another 285,000 followed by another 250,000 Asians

    https://www.oregonmetro.gov/sites/default/files/2016/07/01/FAQ-%20Metro-2060-Population-Forecast.pdf

    https://www.oregonlive.com/mapes/2015/04/a_graphic_look_at_oregons_more.html

    Nonwhites will continue to grow as a share of both parties’ coalitions, especially Hispanics. We find that, by 2032, Hispanic voters will surpass black voters as the largest overall nonwhite voting group. And, by 2036, black voters will make up a larger share of the Democratic coalition than white noncollege voters.

    https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/democracy/reports/2019/06/27/471487/states-of-change-3/

    https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/07/how-the-political-map-is-likely-to-shift-post-2020-census.html

    https://www.usnews.com/news/elections/articles/2020-01-03/how-population-growth-and-loss-will-shape-future-elections

    https://www.opb.org/news/article/oregon-republicans-political-hole-elections-donald-trump/

    There’s more data available, of course, to anyone interested in facts. All you have to do is look for it.

  9. Arlo you clearly are choosing to see my comments through your very biased lens. Your opinion of me has nothing to do with the reality of me. I see things quite clearly. I know Oregon is the Mississippi of the PNW. I know of its extensive white supremacist history – keeping black people out until 1927 and not removing racist language from the state constitution until 2002. Oregon only has a black population of, what, 2%, compared to the country’s – 13%.

    It’s changing though. I believe that. Facts back it up. Keep on banging that bullshit drum of yours. Won’t change anything. I am not the one living in a bubble. And FYI I’m not from here – I am from NY (30 years there before I moved to Seattle – 8 more before I moved to the Oregon coast). I see Oregon quite clearly. I see you quite clearly. I get it. You’re invested. Throwing around accusations of privilege mean nothing when, again, you do not know me.

    Reality will be much harsher for you to accept when it comes down to it than it will be for me.

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