Racial Issues / Concerns about Portland, Oregon

[oldtintype]

Originally Posted by rass33

I think as time goes on you will see an increase in Asians and Hispanics moving here. Black people not so much. But getting back to your question on racism, I don't think I have experienced it since I been in Portland.

What you said above pretty much goes for the entire west coast though--it's not a Portland thing. The black population on the west coast is small in every city. The Latino and Asian populations in SF and LA are much larger than here so they're seen as more diverse (but they leave out the small numbers of AAs when they talk about diversity).

[Nell Plotts]

You need to look at the jobs that pull people to a community. Today it is high tech professionals, skilled crafts and health care. We need AAs with those skills if we have any hope of changing the demographics.

[Yankeemama]

Originally Posted by turquoise1

It is the PC platitudes thing that bugs me. "We welcome diversity!" In other places that truly are diverse, you never hear this kind of thing. It just goes without saying.

A certain kind of diversity is welcome. I am a liberal and I have found this true.

[gonpostal]

I'm a different 'minority', Native American. In the summer I naturally tan and many times Hispanics talk to me in Spanish. I just shrug. Growing up in rural Oregon in the 60's & 70's I never had an issue.

Nowadays, I see women clutch their purses a little tighter at Fred Meyer and Safeway. I've been on the receiving end of those 'looks.' I don't think they are directed at me because I am Indian but because they think I am Hispanic.

However, I have overheard people at the hardware store complaining about those damn Indians and their fishing rights. That wasn't directed at me.

[Steve Pickering]

I get the same looks, and although I have Hispanic brothers and children, and grand children, and great grand children, I don't look Hispanic. So what does that have to do with it. Maybe you are paranoid.

[dj006]

Originally Posted by Nell Plotts

You need to look at the jobs that pull people to a community. Today it is high tech professionals, skilled crafts and health care. We need AAs with those skills if we have any hope of changing the demographics.

Why do the demographics 'need' to change, to suit your ideal percentages? Portland has a demographic problem? I suspect you mean lack of brown people. People are people, it should end with that. Everyone is different in their own way. What you should be saying, "We encourage all skilled professionals to join us building a better city, irregardless of age, sex, or race."

Encouraging immigration to one's city by a particular race has racist undertones. Whether you think it's justified or not.

[Nell Plotts]

There are many who imply that because we have a low % of AA that we must be discriminating against them. In my experience that is not true. The new arrivals to Portland metro come here for jobs for which they are qualified. As one who enforced discrimination laws and affirmative action regs for many years I have seen the statics, including education tracks for minority students. One can see the future looking at middle school test results.