[Grovenet] Re:a funny story

Sun Jun 4 17:01:17 PDT 2006

So, you are saying that Dutch Catholics have had no influence on Forest 
Grove?

Of course they aren't all conservatives, but my observation is that the vast 
majority are.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Eric Canon" <canonmetals at yahoo.com>
To: "Forest Grove local interests list" <grovenet at rdrop.com>
Sent: Sunday, June 04, 2006 4:36 PM
Subject: Re: [Grovenet] Re:a funny story

> On the factual end of things, Forest Grove was
> founded by the Congregationalists. They came here
> to "save" the local Indians, but the European
> diseases they brought killed off the Indians
> instead, so Tualatin Academy became Pacific
> University. Maybe David Morelli or Marie can give
> us those fascinating details. I'd love to have
> the details of the Catholic presence as well, but
> hold the slurs please. They aren't all
> conservatives, just as Congregationalists aren't
> all liberals.
>
> I agree with you Geri. Reading Steve's post was
> like standing under a very dark cloud that was
> dumping rain water.
>
> --- Geri <ggsteele at gte.net> wrote:
>
>> Steve, you are *pretending* innocence when you
>> ask me
>> what was off about your post!  Of course it is
>> good to
>> add perspectives.  In fact, I started reading
>> your post
>> thinking what good background you were offering
>> ...
>> But if you had really followed the thread, you
>> know crime
>> was brought up and resources offered for Joy to
>> find out
>> more.  *No one* who posted to Joy so far has
>> pretended
>> there is no crime.
>>
>> Take your paragraph that starts, "The area was
>> settled ..."
>>
>> The first half of the paragraph is great!
>> Informative,
>> giving background that sticks to the facts.
>> But as usual,
>> you couldn't help being snide about people from
>> the
>> university in spite of the fact you know many
>> on GroveNet
>> work there or have ties there --  Interspersed
>> with actual
>> decent information are ugly personal digs,
>> including your
>> opinion of the view she may get from GroveNet.
>>
>> You know very well what you are up to, and so
>> does anyone
>> else here, by squeezing in some of your
>> personal dissatisfactions
>> in a post, pretending they are part of your
>> "information."
>>
>>
>> Geri
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Steve Jerrett" <stevedj at teleport.com>
>> To: "Forest Grove local interests list"
>> <grovenet at rdrop.com>
>> Sent: Sunday, June 04, 2006 3:16 PM
>> Subject: Re: [Grovenet] Re:a funny story
>>
>>
>> : Geri,
>> :
>> : Nonetheless, I felt justified in offering a
>> different perspective. Sometimes
>> : the truth comes across as hateful when one
>> doesn 't want to hear it.
>> :
>> : What exactly did you find hateful about my
>> post? Was it my characterization
>> : of  Mormons as adding strength to our
>> community. Was it my observation that
>> : many of Dutch Catholic descent are solid
>> upstanding, people? Was it that I
>> : attributed intelligence, practicality and
>> independence to many Eastern
>> : Oregonians?
>> :
>> : Is pointing out poverty, drugs and gang
>> activity hateful? Are you being
>> : encouraging and informative when you fail to
>> mention them?
>> :
>> :
>> : Steve
>> :
>> : ----- Original Message ----- 
>> : From: "Geri" <ggsteele at gte.net>
>> : To: "Forest Grove local interests list"
>> <grovenet at rdrop.com>
>> : Sent: Sunday, June 04, 2006 1:19 PM
>> : Subject: Re: [Grovenet] Re:a funny story
>> :
>> :
>> : > Wow, were we having too much fun
>> communicating without
>> : > you, Steve?  The whole tone of your post
>> makes me glad
>> : > I don't hang out with whoever you get your
>> hateful mis-info
>> : > from!
>> : >
>> : > However, Joy, let me reassure you that
>> those who have been
>> : > friendly, encouraging, and informative to
>> you so far on GroveNet
>> : > are truly friendly, encouraging and
>> informative people.
>> : >
>> : > Geri
>> : >
>> : >
>> : > ----- Original Message ----- 
>> : > From: "Steve Jerrett"
>> <stevedj at teleport.com>
>> : > To: "Forest Grove local interests list"
>> <grovenet at rdrop.com>
>> : > Sent: Sunday, June 04, 2006 12:26 PM
>> : > Subject: Re: [Grovenet] Re:a funny story
>> : >
>> : >
>> : > : Joy,
>> : > :
>> : > : I have been following this thread for
>> some time now, and would like to
>> : > give
>> : > : you a different perspective.
>> : > :
>> : > : If you were to formulate your impression
>> of Forest Grove based on the
>> : > : conversations on grovenet, you might
>> reach the conclusion that we are a
>> : > very
>> : > : liberal community. Nothing could be
>> further from the truth. Yes, we have
>> : > a
>> : > : University and there is a small liberal
>> microcosm here, but we also a
>> : > very
>> : > : large conservative base.
>> : > :
>> : > : The area was settled in the 1800s by
>> Dutch Catholics and their presence
>> : > is
>> : > : still very influential. The small
>> communities of Roy and Verboort both
>> : > have
>> : > : churches and private schools and names
>> beginning with "Van" (Vandyke,
>> : > : Vandehey, etc.) are still very common.
>> Many of these folks still farm
>> : > the
>> : > : area as they have for many years. They
>> tend to hold conservative values
>> : > and
>> : > : I have found most of them to be solid ,
>> upstanding people. Some of the
>> : > local
>> : > : "elite" enjoy joking that the "gene pool"
>> of the Dutch Catholic
>> : > community
>> : > : has been compromised by inbreeding. Some
>> Pacific University professors
>> : > got
>> : > : themselves in hot water a few years back
>> by joking about it in their
>> : > : classes. It seems that they had a few of
>> the locals in their classes. I
>> : > : still hear some of these comments now and
>> then, but it doesn't seem as
>> : > : prevalent as it was. You get some of this
>> on grovenet, although veiled,
>> : > with
>> : > : the redneck jokes, etc.
>> : > :
>> : > : We also have a large Mormon presence. I
>> don't know how large, but it
>> : > : certainly adds to the strength of our
>> area.
>> : > :
>> : > : In addition to farming, Forest Grove once
>> had a large timber-based
>> : > economy.
>> : > : There are no mills in Forest Grove now,
>> but there is one a few miles
>> : > away
>> : > : that employs quite a few local folks
>> : > :
>> : > : In your previous post, you mentioned the
>> conception that Oregon is quite
>> : > : liberal. This is true in the metropolitan
>> areas, but the further you get
>> : > : from the heavily populated areas, the
>> more conservative it becomes.
>> : > Eastern
>> : > : Oregon is very conservative, but it is
>> not the "bubbaville" that was
>> : > : mentioned earlier. I have found, having
>> lived in the eastern part of the
>> : > : state, that many of the folks there are
>> very intelligent, practical and
>> : > : fiercely independent. Western Oregon
>> liberals tend to brand them as
>> : > : "redneck" with all of the negative
>> connotations that come with that
>> : > term,
>> : > : but that is a shallow generalization that
>> often comes from a lack of
>> : > : independent thinking.
>> : > :
>> : > : As for Forest Grove, we are on the fringe
>> of the metro area, and, as I
>> : > : stated before, tend to be much more
>> conservative than Portland. We are
>> : > not a
>> : > : wealthy community in comparison, with
>> some of the least expensive
>> : > housing in
>> : > : the area. We have a fairly large portion
>> of the community below the
>> : > poverty
>> : > : level, as reflected by the high rate of
>> students qualifying for free and
>> : > : reduced lunch at our schools. We have a
>> large Hispanic population, being
>> : > an
>> : > : agriculatural area.There is some gang
>> activity and quite a large drug
>> : > : culture here also.
>> : > :
>> : > : My main objective in writing to you was
>> to give you a different
>> : > perspective.
>> : > : You will tend to get a narrow view from
>> grovenet, as it is not a true
>> : > : representation of the very diverse
>> community that we have here.
>> : > :
>> : > : Steve
>> : > :
>> : > : From: <JBlair2154 at aol.com>
>> : > : To: <grovenet at rdrop.com>
>> : > : Sent: Sunday, June 04, 2006 11:29 AM
>> : > : Subject: [Grovenet] Re:a funny story
>> : > :
>> : > :
>> : > : > Jack had the oil changed in his
>> Explorer yesterday, and came home
>> : > : > grinning
>> : > : > over a conversation he had with the
>> garage owner in our little
>> : > : > Mississippi
>> : > : > town. Ya'll might enjoy it.
>> : > : > Jack mentioned that we plan to move to
>> Oregon.
>> : > : > "Oregon?" said the owner. "My son lives
>> there!" But he couldn't relate
>> : > : > exactly where in Oregon. "I've never
>> been up there," he explained.
>> : > : > He went on to volunteer: "It's a
>> liberal place...but he  loves it."
>> : > : > He couldn't describe his son's job,
>> either, but declared that his  son
>> : > "is
>> : > : > smart...much smarter than his daddy."
>> : > : >
>> : > : > All I can add to this exchange is a
>> Southernism:  Bless his  heart.
>> : > : > Joy
>> : > : >
>> : > : >
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