O is For Odious
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4/21/2014
If it sounds too good to be true, chances are, it is. So it goes with "The People's Republic of Oregon", one of the most patently dishonest marketing labels ever applied to a state. Sure, there are areas in the city of Portland where minorities aren't harassed or beaten (with the exception of the southeast side, which is full of neo-fascist gangs). You can always find those in the more progressive sections of any major city in the U.S., but Oregon's reputation as a bastion of liberalism isn't grossly overrated - it's a total fraud.
The reality is, a large swath of Oregon is grotesquely backwards and suffused with something other than the spirit of progressive humanism. That "something" entails brutal Tea Party libertarianism, rampant alcoholism, meth labs, crime, child abuse and rogue fundamentalist Christian evangelism. It's that regressive conservatism which is largely responsible for the high unemployment rates, crime and health issues faced by Oregonians. The rest is an issue of personal responsibility, which finds its most ugly expression in the aggressive evangelism of self-anointed "prophets of the Lord", uncouthness, stalking, voyeurism, rudeness and the extremely poor personal hygiene of the populace. And they make no attempt to conceal their indiscretions or vulgarity either. They're proud of it. Essentially, many act like they're starring in an episode of a white trash reality TV show.
I've traveled quite a bit in my time and, with the noted exception of the Deep South, I have never encountered Americans with such consistently bad dental health in my life. It seems like every sixth person I encounter has missing or rotted teeth. This is due to the public's resistance to fluoridating the water source - which is either the result of their need to keep their precious bodily fluids clean of socialist tampering or a belief that their money is best kept in the pockets of capitalists like the local dentist. No matter which way you approach it, such issues demonstrate a poor critical thinking ability, a byproduct of bad public education in the state.
McMinnville, like most of Yamhill County, best exemplifies many of these problems found in the state of Oregon. You're only welcome if you're here temporarily to spend tourist dollars. Otherwise,(and especially if you're from California) you'll be given a very cold reception indeed. Imagine the snobbery of a high school student council meeting chaired by 70 year old mummies at one end of the economic spectrum, while at the other the streets are littered with homeless children, meth addicts, felons and the mentally ill, with very little in between these two extremes. What a sad contrast to the stunning natural beauty of the area. McMinnville's problems aren't any different from any other city. However, the scope of those problems are completely disproportionate to its small size.
In conclusion, the phrase which best summarizes the Oregon experience is "unfulfilled potential".
Ed | McMinnville, OR