Racial climate in West Linn and other Portland suburbs (Eugene: rent, lawyers)
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The Mrs and I are closing in on retirement and after years in southern California, we are really looking for a calmer life in a place where there are actual seasons. We are however, an inter-racial couple. I'm white/native american and the Mrs is african american. We've heard mixed reviews. I agree with those who say there are jerks everywhere. Our own experience with business trips to Beaverton were great but, our time was limited. Can any of you share your insights on the racial climate in West Linn and the Portland 'burbs? Especially if you are a person of color?
There are very fine, safe, and comfortable neighborhoods inside the Portland city limit where your being a bi-racial couple wouldn't even raise an eyebrow. Portland city is not economically / culturally / racially polarized by suburban stratification like so many other cities. Portland city is very white bread, seriously white bread.
Several people here have recommended that couples should rent the first year in Portland until they learn the neighborhoods. I agree. However, if you choose to live in the 'burbs, that is your choice and you will be happy with your choice.
If you live in the 'burbs, double check where the county line is. Property taxes and schools are the big reasons for living in the 'burbs.
Tongue-In-Cheek comment: My friend who informs me of the areas around Portland reefers to West Linn and Lake Oswego as the "Country Club Republican Ghetto; you know, the George Bush Senior type Republicans. The Pick-Up Truck Republican Types like to keep them there, together like."
Phil
Last edited by philwithbeard; 11-13-2009 at 07:23 PM..
Reason: delete extra words, add missing words
An inter-racial marriage such as yours will not be an issue. I know of an African-American male married to a Caucasian who live in West Linn very comfortably. Everyone has the risk of a nutty neighbor, these folks will find a reason to have an issue about anything - we found out when we shared an easement with an alcoholic.
In this economy I would pay attention to the financial needs of the city/county/school systems, and for other reasons find a home inspector who has your interests at heart... not the Realtors.
Lake Oswego and West Linn are hardly conservative areas. Both cities have a high percent of college educated adults.
Lake Oswego:
High school or higher: 97.7%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 62.0%
West Linn:
High school or higher: 95.5%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 49.2%
There are more people with bachelor degrees in Lake Oswego, but both are very highly educated cities. Education tends to make even conservatives socially liberal.
Side Note: When driving around Lake Oswego during the election, I saw way more Obama support than McCain support. In fact, I think both high schools held pretend elections and each voted overwhelmingly for Obama. And since most kids vote like their parents, I think it's safe to assume most in Lake O went for Obama.
Just because a community like Lake Oswego is wealthy does not necessarily mean it is socially conservative. My experience has been that education makes even fiscal conservatives socially liberal.
Lake Oswego and West Linn are hardly conservative areas. Both cities have a high percent of college educated adults.
Lake Oswego:
High school or higher: 97.7%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 62.0%
West Linn:
High school or higher: 95.5%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 49.2%
There are more people with bachelor degrees in Lake Oswego, but both are very highly educated cities. Education tends to make even conservatives socially liberal.
Side Note: When driving around Lake Oswego during the election, I saw way more Obama support than McCain support. In fact, I think both high schools held pretend elections and each voted overwhelmingly for Obama. And since most kids vote like their parents, I think it's safe to assume most in Lake O went for Obama.
Just because a community like Lake Oswego is wealthy does not necessarily mean it is socially conservative. My experience has been that education makes even fiscal conservatives socially liberal.
Well, yes, since the history of the Republican party, the party of Abraham Lincoln, Taft, and Coolidge was the Party of the college educated which meant a Liberal Arts degreed for the most part. In the 1920, 30, and 40's the Democratic party was the party of the blue collar worker, farm workers, and big city political machines. The so called red-necks (from working in the sun in the south on farms) were solid Democratic.
The political party shift started with the "Dixiecrats" in the Democratic Party in 1948 and 1952 who opposed equal rights. Solidified by the 1968 and 1972 Nixon Elections to the Presidency. The political party of the college educated, the party of citizens who got things done, the party that controlled the machinery of many local governments, the banks, retail store managers, county Governments, the county Court Judges, Prosecutors, and many lawyers, yada, yada, yada, is now the party of..... What, how would one describe what the Republican party has degenerated to... ???
The traditional moderate, even middle of the road Republicans, are now known as the "Country Club Republican." these are moderate to fiscally conservatives with college degrees, quite a few advanced degrees too. I doubt it would be in good taste or esthetically pleasing to actually put a sign in their yard (as if that would actually influence any voter). Better to do the fund raising diner, out of the spotlight as it were.
The humor I was going for (with my tongue in my cheek) was that a moderate republican ghetto would make it easy to round up the party moderates. As in that Republican congressional seat in NY where the wing nuts booted their own shoe-in Republican moderate candidate for a conservative "purist" who then lost the Election. An off color humor as in rounding up the herd of fatted cattle awaiting the truck to take them to market.
Kinda of like the ultra liberals did to the moderates in the Democratic party of 1972 with the McGovern campaign. You are free to Google how well that turned out. Or even the Mondale Democratic ticket in 1984. Just how many electoral votes did they get?? Close elections? NOT!
And as a percentage of population, for Portland metro population standards, I still contend there are (is?) a larger population of Country Club Republicans in W.L. and L.O. than, oh, say, along SE Hawthorne St, NW 23rd, or even the Sellwood neighborhoods. Irvington, well your guess is as good as mine there. Hollywood district? Not a chance dude.
If you took my meaning that ALL citizens of those two cities are radical right wing under-educated republican wing nuts, I apologize for my lack of clarity and lucidness. I do make an effort to be concise at times, however my posts then tent to end up long winded, (like this one) and become way too boring for any normal person to wade through. So people are apt to skip through and pick out the hot button words that they take out of context and misinterpret.
I will as a concession, however, make a statement there could be only a small minority of very social and religious conservatives who are:
-active members in the Republican party.
-and actively engage in such things as "Tea Parties", and shouting at Congressmen (and Congresswomen) holding local voter meetings,
-and who watch more than 4 hours of Fox New Cable TV channel a day.
And of course there are Liberals, Spiritualist, maybe even Libertarians living and raising their children in WL and LO. And not all moderate republican live in WL or LO. Why some could even live in Beaverton, or Knob Hill.
I hold out no hope of persuading you that your defense of W.L. or L.O. was unneeded, or misplaced. Feel free to do the same with this post.
And as a percentage of population, for Portland metro population standards, I still contend there are (is?) a larger population of Country Club Republicans in W.L. and L.O. than, oh, say, along SE Hawthorne St, NW 23rd, or even the Sellwood neighborhoods. Irvington, well your guess is as good as mine there. Hollywood district? Not a chance dude.
The only place in Oregon that might have more liberals than Portland is Eugene. So of course there are more "Country Club Republicans" in WL and LO. But I honestly believe there are just as many Democrats in LO and WL.
I know many extremely wealthy Democrats that live in Lake Oswego. Additionally, the Republicans I know in Lake Oswego are socially liberal (probably because of their educational background). That's the only point I was trying to make -- that the Republicans in Lake Oswego seem to be socially liberal because of their educational background. This makes sense because the difference between un-educated and educated Republicans is their exposure to different cultures, ideas and people. This is why most of those who are extremely socially intolerant are stereotyped as the beer-drinking, hunting, "god, guns and gays" part of the Republican Party. That aspect of the Republican party is hardly, if at all, found in LO. So this couple should have no problem moving to WL or LO.
Just for kicks (not that it means much): General Tony McPeak, former Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force under Bill Clinton, resides in Lake Oswego with his wife. I'm sure they are a member of the country club in LO. And both his wife (who is a city counselor) endorsed Barack Obama in 2008.
My experience is that the PDX 'burb's' are very different from downtown and close in Portland. Haven't been to West Linn or Lake Oswego but I see no reason to doubt what everyone says. Why? Because they usually say "race is not an issue" in the rest of Portland and it most definitely is, so when they say West Linn and L,O. are kind of 'exclusive'... ... Agreed, where the level of education are higher and median incomes are above average you likely don't have much petty racism or overt bigotry. That doesn't equal liveable. If no one will talk to you or give you decent service in restaurants a lot of what is taken for granted by others will be denied you. Some liberal Obama supporters at my part-time job called security to escort me off the premises two weeks ago. They were sure I was some kind of dangerous person and they were so terrified they couldn't even let me know that they didn't recognize me. They were ever so ingratiating and friendly and I was very surprised and they were very embarassed when I finally was approached by security. Clearly I knew my way around and 'belonged' there. They saw that but still couldn't accept what their eyes and common sense were telling them. That says to me that the 'burbs' have some catching up to do with Portland proper.
Our next move will likely be into Portland because my GF is wilting on the vine out here. She hates that no one talks to me and when she makes friends at the gym or somewhere else and they eventually meet me they disappear. That is not the case in Portland on the occasions we've been. People are very much open towards someone who is open towards them. That said, I love the open space of west Hillsboro. A couple of minutes on the bicycle and you can see horses! My honest summation: Oregon is beautiful but if you can make the West Linn cut you can afford to stay in So Cal and enjoy much better weather. OTOH if you really want to retire well and truly enjoy rain, one of the cheaper, but still nice suburbs will fit better. Tigard, Newberg, McMinville, Beaverton, Hillsboro, Forest Grove are all places you could research. You will be very lonely though, if that's ok with you come on up.
And as a percentage of population, for Portland metro population standards, I still contend there are (is?) a larger population of Country Club Republicans in W.L. and L.O. than, oh, say, along SE Hawthorne St, NW 23rd, or even the Sellwood neighborhoods. Irvington, well your guess is as good as mine there. Hollywood district? Not a chance dude.
Country Club Republicans are declining in number, even in Lake Oswego, which elects Democrats to the Legislature.
As far as being an interracial couple, you might look more to the Washington county suburbs if you prefer living in a more racially diverse area. Beaverton is actually more racially diverse than Portland, even though Portland proper has the reputation for being uber-progressive and all the rest.
You're unlikely to experience any hostility or problems in any part of metro Portland, but the two burbs you mentioned are very white (i.e., over 90%). There's a reason Lake Oswego earned the derisive moniker "Lake No Negro."
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