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I wish I could stay for the discussion, but I'm off to teach U.S. History at Eastern Oregon University. I have lived in eastern Oregon for 4 years (came here from NJ!) and yes, people are frustrated. Jesse 43's comment helps explain that frustration. While tax dollars come here from the west side as Pat Caldwell pointed out, and we are a numberical minority as Jesse 43 noted, I would point out to Jesse 43 that minority populations are still entitled to reasonable access to education, medical care, and a political voice in the state. I believe the divide is very much a rural/urban one, and this is a historic process that many other areas in the US have gone through.

But I don't believe the divide can be discussed productively and bridged if we don't acknowledge the cultural bias involved. There is a sense that eastern Oregonians are 'hicks' and I'm not sure the separatist movement helps with that perception. Here is a personal anecdote. I served as a parent chaperone for my daughter's middle school band competition. The other chaperone was a father. He was dressed in a 'rural' fashion--cowboy hat, jeans, belt buckle. The band ajudicator at the end of the competition patiently explained to us (he thought we were a couple) what a scholarship was and how are children might compete for one. He remarked upon how great it was that our school was from a rural area. Then he turned to me and said, "And I bet you're a good cook!" My fellow chaperone, who *is* a life-long rural Oregonian, replied, "Actually, she's a university professor with a Ph.D. in History. We actually have a university in our town." It struck me then how eastern Oregonians do indeed deal with cultural condescension. I think these cultural attitudes are central to the political and economic issues being discussed here today.

posted 5 years ago
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