I love OREGON.. but another question about the meth use (Medford: middle-class, sales)

[miss magdalena]

Originally Posted by Clear2land

Unless there are huge numbers of Oregonians on drugs, I am not going to let the number of drug addicts’ dictate where I choose to live or where I fly. We spend far too much time concentrating on reasons not to live in Oregon than we do reasons to live in Oregon. I think that is wrong. We are spending far too much time talking about on Meth and rain instead of parks and rivers. We are complaining about the lack of libraries and cost of living instead of beautiful mountains and camping. Not one person has mentioned how good the water is right out of the tap. The best water I ever drank was at a fall at Crater Lake. It was ice cold and quenched my thirst. I would rather see us talk about the quality of Oregon life instead of the hate Oregonians have for their neighbors to the South. I see complaints about the high cost of real estate but no one wants to talk about The Farmers Market. We should be talking about fishing and food instead of bad drivers and bad schools.

Dan

I think that the problem is all of these good things are things that are taken for granted in your state. It is hard for people to see the good thing that they have if they assume that is just how it is. How many of us wake up in the morning so grateful for eye sight or for breakfast foods to put in our stomach? You know that old saying "you don't really know what you have until you lost it"? If you lived in a part of the world where these kinds of good things aren't there, then you value them. Otherwise, they are just the things that are automatic and normal for you.

[PDXsailor]

Look at this map:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/meth/map/

Now read this:

http://www.wweek.com/editorial/3220/7368/

And this:

http://www.portlandmercury.com/portl...category=34029

[Steve97415]

Originally Posted by PDXsailor

Look at this map:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/meth/map/

Now read this:

http://www.wweek.com/editorial/3220/7368/

And this:

http://www.portlandmercury.com/portl...category=34029

There are some good points in there (read all the reader comments on the second link as well).

Part of the problem is that the meth problem originated in Oregon. Or at least this is the first part of the state to have an epidemic, so that reputation is likely to endure for a while, no matter the current status. On the upside, having all the experience that we do, Oregon is perhaps leading the nation in finding solutions...or was -- public money is drying up pretty fast. And this sounds harsh but, natural selection is slowly weeding out the people who are attracted to meth use. They don't live too long.

I supposedly live in the belly of the beast, yet I don't see any evidence of meth use in the community personally. Because I know the law enforcement people, I hear the stories, but if I took an ignorance-is-bliss attitude, I would never know there is a meth issue in Curry County. If you are a person who keeps his/her nose clean, lives in a good neighborhood and isn't attracted to the party life, meth use will be something you only confront in the newspaper. Alcohol abuse is a far worse problem here...not much consolation, I know.

[RodFarlee]

CantWait2Bthere, I am ashamed of this board. It is entirely inappropriate that you should feel you need to apologize for asking a question. Especially on an issue which is widely discussed in the media, in law enforcement, and by the public in general. You are very clearly owed an apology for some of the childish and dismissive responses you've received.

No one here seems to have ever seen a meth tweaker? Well, I have. It is a pretty amazing and scary sight. No one here even seems to know a recovered meth addict? Well, I'm not a counsellor or in law enforcement, but I sure have. If they used it for very long, you can see it, and if you get to know them, can ask. I know several people who have recovered, but it put a big dent in their lives. And I know one who has Parkinsonism as a direct result, and will never be the same. I challenge those "head in the sand" folks here, just for a reality check, to simply ask their local sheriff or police chief or ER nurse if meth is a problem.

There is good news, as Steve says, Oregon has rehab and education programs that are working, and it appears that the peak of the meth epidemic is past. But it is still here, and is spreading nationwide.

CantWait, you have nothing to apologize for, you are owed apologies.

[RodFarlee]

Originally Posted by Clear2land

Unless there are huge numbers of Oregonians on drugs, I am not going to let the number of drug addicts’ dictate where I choose to live or where I fly. We spend far too much time concentrating on reasons not to live in Oregon than we do reasons to live in Oregon. I think that is wrong. We are spending far too much time talking about on Meth and rain instead of parks and rivers. We are complaining about the lack of libraries and cost of living instead of beautiful mountains and camping. Not one person has mentioned how good the water is right out of the tap. The best water I ever drank was at a fall at Crater Lake. It was ice cold and quenched my thirst. I would rather see us talk about the quality of Oregon life instead of the hate Oregonians have for their neighbors to the South. I see complaints about the high cost of real estate but no one wants to talk about The Farmers Market. We should be talking about fishing and food instead of bad drivers and bad schools.

Dan

Dan, I strongly suggest that you exercise your right to simply NOT PARTICIPATE in threads discussing drugs, rain, libraries, taxes, housing costs, bad drivers, and most certainly Californians.

Or if you do choose to participate, simply IGNORE anything you feel is remotely negative and might disturb your personal vision of Eden.

Certainly you have a right to say whatever you want, but as an adult, you also have a responsiblity to look at the consequences. Do you WANT to censor these topics? That IS what you're saying. And that IS the effect your comments, which you felt you needed to reiterate with a second posting, had on CantWait2Bthere.

If that is the result you sought, then you certainly should not be a moderator, sir. If it is not, then you owe CantWait an apology.

[FXRS]

Interesting thread to say the least.

First off, PDX, I looked at the map you linked to and it was interesting to see Wi. (where I still live yet. ) as low on the meth problem. I also noticed that the source is from 03. Now I know in the last year or so well over a half dozen meth labs have been shut down in the county I live in alone. So I'm thinking that things have changed.

This is the way I look at it.......

You can have it one or two ways. Never hearing about the meth problem in the news or hearing about it. Out of those two choices you are gonna have two different results. Knowing aobut it and having your community do something about it, or not knowing about and keep living with your head in the sand. Me personally I would rather know about it so maybe I could do something about it, or educate my kids about it. I seen that there was some comments made on all the negative press that meth gets, which is rightly so there should be, but there should also be some positive press about it also. Which I'm sure there isn't much. Just the way the main stream media works now a days. Look at the war in Iraq. All negative, nothing about the good that is being done. Thats a whole different subject though. Big problem with meth is that it is easy and cheap to make, or was. Things are starting to change now with the availablity to by the product to make it.

Cantwait, if you pick a spot in Or where you want to live and do the research and still feel that is where you want to be, then do it. No matter where you pick to live in the world there are gonna be up sides and down sides. It if isn't drugs it will be something else. Just pick another social problem.

Rod I'm not sure where I see Clear2land needs to apologize at all. He is just stating a fact, or his point of view. I have seen alot of times on this site, bad things being said about Or or how "some" people will treat people from other states, namely CA. (Even if the people from CA come there without a chip on their shoulders) He is just sticking up for his state when it seems as though it gets slammed alot. I'm not saying that everything on here being said is agaisn't OR., but I think he just wants to remind people of the good things. When people come here asking questions about your state they want to know everything, not just the bad, but also the good.

Finally, I'm still waiting for the Salem hospital to give my wife the final paperwork on her job offer so I can move out there myself. As of right now its all verbal and the paperwork is being worked on. Like others I did some research about the place where we wanted to move and found that some aspects of it would not have been good for our kids. (School and preparing them for college). So now we have to do more research on other places we are thinking about. Will I want to know if there is a meth problem? Yep I will, but will I base my final decision just based off that one problem? No. That is were my part of a parent comes in in educating my kids about the dangers of meth or any drugs. All you can do is educate, that with a little luck things will be fine.

Just gotta weigh your options. Pros and Cons. Any place you pick is gonna have some sort of problems.

[RodFarlee]

Someone wanders in here, and very politely asks a question, and has already apologized twice for even asking! Then they get hit with this:

Originally Posted by PDXsailor

...Get over your meth obsession and just go visit a place if you want to move there. If you are that paranoid, DON'T MOVE HERE!!!!!!

Build up a straw man, knock down the straw man, feel like a man now?

Please do not bother apologizing. I have already apologized for you (sheesh, someone has to act like a grown up around here!).

To the entire Oregon Forum: the normal standards of polite, civil discourse should not be abandoned here. I appeal to our moderator to discourage such outbursts, not encourage them. Everyone, please re-read the forum guidelines:

"Our opinions on a location or issue are just that, opinions. Highly subjective. Personal preferences. Quirks, even. Leave wiggle room for dialogue, others may not see things the same as you, or been there as long as you, and any one of us can be wrong. Pouncing on someone you disagree with runs contrary to the spirit of this board and it's members. We are here to help each other."

[Flylooper]

Originally Posted by Clear2land

Unless there are huge numbers of Oregonians on drugs, I am not going to let the number of drug addicts’ dictate where I choose to live or where I fly. We spend far too much time concentrating on reasons not to live in Oregon than we do reasons to live in Oregon. I think that is wrong. We are spending far too much time talking about on Meth and rain instead of parks and rivers. We are complaining about the lack of libraries and cost of living instead of beautiful mountains and camping. Not one person has mentioned how good the water is right out of the tap. The best water I ever drank was at a fall at Crater Lake. It was ice cold and quenched my thirst. I would rather see us talk about the quality of Oregon life instead of the hate Oregonians have for their neighbors to the South. I see complaints about the high cost of real estate but no one wants to talk about The Farmers Market. We should be talking about fishing and food instead of bad drivers and bad schools.

Dan

I agree. I moved here in '97 to Jefferson, OR from San Francisco, and haven't looked back. Drugs are a problem everywhere and even this little burg isn't free of them.

We have one stoplight and am beginning to be a "suburb" of Salem because of the affordibility of housing here. I love it. It's quiet and the fly fishing is great. The Santiam River is a couple of blocks away!

[yakker]

Originally Posted by RodFarlee

Dan, I strongly suggest that you exercise your right to simply NOT PARTICIPATE in threads discussing drugs, rain, libraries, taxes, housing costs, bad drivers, and most certainly Californians.

Or if you do choose to participate, simply IGNORE anything you feel is remotely negative and might disturb your personal vision of Eden.

Certainly you have a right to say whatever you want, but as an adult, you also have a responsiblity to look at the consequences. Do you WANT to censor these topics? That IS what you're saying. And that IS the effect your comments, which you felt you needed to reiterate with a second posting, had on CantWait2Bthere.

If that is the result you sought, then you certainly should not be a moderator, sir. If it is not, then you owe CantWait an apology.

RodFarlee,

I think Dan is reflecting what a lot of us that visit here are feeling. It's not that we're not aware of all the problems in the world, it's just that Oregon doesn't have a patent on them. I am not saying this about you personally because I've gotten a lot of good information from your posts, but some of the people who post from Oregon seem to want to discourage prospective residents, no matter where they are interested in settling. It's important to have a balanced view of the area you are considering, but concentrating too much on the negative aspects can only lead to confrontation on these threads. IMHO Dan was not advocating censurism, but was trying to refocus on the reasons we all admire the positive characteristics of Oregon and it's people. No matter where you dig, if you go deep enough you're going to find mud.
I'm surprised that there isn't more of a bragging rights mentality to the Oregon residents who post here. Maybe it has to do with a certain caution that you must feel about drawing too many emigrants to your area.

[Flylooper]

Originally Posted by yakker

RodFarlee,

I think Dan is reflecting what a lot of us that visit here are feeling. It's not that we're not aware of all the problems in the world, it's just that Oregon doesn't have a patent on them. I am not saying this about you personally because I've gotten a lot of good information from your posts, but some of the people who post from Oregon seem to want to discourage prospective residents, no matter where they are interested in settling. It's important to have a balanced view of the area you are considering, but concentrating too much on the negative aspects can only lead to confrontation on these threads. IMHO Dan was not advocating censurism, but was trying to refocus on the reasons we all admire the positive characteristics of Oregon and it's people. No matter where you dig, if you go deep enough you're going to find mud.
I'm surprised that there isn't more of a bragging rights mentality to the Oregon residents who post here. Maybe it has to do with a certain caution that you must feel about drawing too many emigrants to your area.

Yakker, you're probably right. But I think we're at the point where so-called natives are now outnumbered by emigrants like myself. LOL. They can whine all they want but it's not a very deep annoyance on their part, I suspect. I was treated very warmly when I came here. In fact, in my neighborhood in South Salem, I noted that the majority of the residents were from California! I was really surprised. But still in all, the state has only about 3.5 million people living here, most of them along I-5.