SebastianBlue
President, International Julian Alvarez Fan Club
- Joined
- 25 Jul 2009
- Messages
- 57,736
It really is an interesting place, with enclaves and overlaps.
I have spent a fair amount of time there myself over the last few years after moving to the US, as my brother-in-law (and his wife) now live outside of La Grande and I manage (well, managed) two work teams based out of Portland and Seattle. Some of my interactions and observations from my visits prompted me to try to learn more about Oregon’s history and current make up.
As you said, the cities, like many others areas in the US, tend to be very liberal/progressive, whilst central/east Oregon tends to be conservative. It does have some decidely far-right leanings in certain areas from what I have read and heard, which I think is contributing to the current situation in Portland. And its ethnic composition (as you referenced) and racist history unfortunately manifests in some Oregonians seeing attempts to encourage diversity in the state — especially in Portland, Bend, Eugene, etc. — as a movement to diminish their influence and/or abridge their Oregonian-ness, as you put. That identity seems to be partially wrapped up in independence from government and the supremacy of individual freedoms. I have seen calls from a few groups/towns in eastern Oregon for the state to be devided roughly between the coastal are and inland stretch because of their grievances with the general governance of the state they see being forced upon everyone from the urban areas. It is one of the reasons why the eastern part of the sate has been identified as a “hot bed” of far right activity.
And, to be fair, on the surface that backlash is not all that different from many other urban/rural divides playing out in quite a few other states. But I think Oregon specifically has the potential to be more troublesome because it is still *so* white, with many *subtly* racist legal remnants from the days of initial white settlement still to be expunged, which has at least partially contributed to many of the more rural resident’s identities (even if they do not recognise or admit it) being contingent on that homogeny. It is definitely a fear shared by many more learned observers of these types of societal and cultural tensions that I have read. And I have personally heard those grievances about state governance from people around La Grande (including, interestingly enough, my brother-in-law, who is Swiss but who has made great attempts to become an Oregonian).
It also makes assertions that it doesn’t matter if people not local to communities are agitating for unrest and violence all the more ridiculous. It’s not inherently Democrats’ fault that many people from outside of urban areas see progressive policies as attacks on their identity and/or freedoms and chose to travel to those areas to counter protests they see as unlawful or “anti-American” (whatever that means in the moment).
On a mostly unrelatedly self-indulgent note, I think it is one of the most beautiful states in the US (even the flatter interior bits have a tranquil charm), and loved trying to take photos that captured it during my visits.
And I really enjoyed the Timbers matches I attended. I think my snap of the Tifo the Timbers Army put out during one of the games I watched is a fairly good example of that urban/rural divide that exists in Oregon and elsewhere, as well; it garnered some very unpleasant reactions from people in other parts of the state.
