Friday, February 19, 2010

Aryan Nation poised to invade Oregon

Beautiful John Day, Oregon
Yesterday, a coworker who has family in Grant County informed me of the news that leaders of the Aryan Nations, based in Idaho, are interested in purchasing property in John Day, Oregon, so that they might establish a new headquarters.  A headquarters from which, they informed Scotta Callister of the Blue Mountain Eagle, Grant County's local newspaper, they hope to create a nation-state in the Pacific Northwest for the "Aryan race."

Apparently, the "national director" of the Aryan Nations movement, Paul R. Mullet, and several cohorts, came to John Day on Wednesday, appareled in full Nazi regalia, and checked into a local motel.  They proudly displayed their Nazi flags from their room, causing people in two other rooms to check-out early.

Is this our new neighbor?
Mayor Bob Quinton had this to say about a potential Nazi headquarters in downtown John Day, "That's the last kind of thing our reputation needs.  We need to be inclusive and emphasize positive things here."

I lived in Eastern Oregon for nearly half my life, and I can tell you, there are definitely racist sentiments over there.  When you live amongst rednecks, you will inevitably hear ugly racist remarks and bear witness to racist incidents.  Ask anyone who has lived east of the Cascades for any length of time.

But it is hard for me to believe that the people of Eastern Oregon will give much of a welcome to overt and organized racism.  The same people who might make tasteless and offensive racist jokes in the privacy of their own homes will recoil in fear and horror when faced with the truth of the Aryan Nations creed.  The people in Eastern Oregon are not bad people. They're not Nazis.

Folks, I'm a lifelong Oregonian, and I'm damned proud of it.  And I'll be god-damned if I'm going to let my home become a hotbed of the most virulent and poisonous of human attitudes.  It remains to be seen what can be done, but acquiescence is certainly not an option.

8 comments:

  1. AnonymousFebruary 19, 2010 at 10:16 AM

    I'm no fan of Nazis, but it seems to me that "redneck" is a racist term.

    Would it be alright to make a similarly derogatory reference specific to people of a different race?

    -Anthony O'Donnell

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousFebruary 19, 2010 at 3:58 PM

    I'm a resident of Grant County and I assure you, there is overwhelming opposition to this, contrary to however racist you may see us.

    Also, let this be a warning of things to come to all the big suits over on your side of the cascades and conservationists who want to eliminate our logging and practically oust our people so eastern Oregon can be the next Yellowstone - economic ruin brings about terrible things. Neo-Nazis trying to move in is just a symptom of a much greater problem at hand.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Heather AnnFebruary 21, 2010 at 2:50 PM

    Creepy stuff! I sure hope the opposition to this prevails! AS to the redneck comment. My son has many friends who proudly call themselves rednecks, but perhaps it is similar to using the N word - only okay if you count yourself as one of the group. ^_^

    ReplyDelete
  4. KateFebruary 22, 2010 at 4:05 PM

    Democrat, Independent, Republican, Jew, Christian, Pagan, Muslim...
    We will all pull together to keep this scourge out of Grant County.
    There will be pickets every day on Main and Canyon Blvd. JOIN US!!!! Dont just drive by and HONK get out of your car and stand together.

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousFebruary 23, 2010 at 5:25 PM

    for those of you on facebook...
    http://www.facebook.com/pages/Putting-a-Boot-In-The-Ass-of-the-Aryan-Nations/320990328166 is one place you can show your opposition

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousFebruary 24, 2010 at 1:51 AM

    As a resident "redneck", um' well I guess as I'm a minority, but hay, I feel rednecky today, I noticed that the majority at the "protest" were from Out of Town. Oh yah, I was right there too, and talked to almost everybody at least once, and yah, they were mostly Antifas from the West and North, and not from this area.
    As well, I have talked to alot of folks around here and they are more offended with the fact that there has been a sudden influx of Antifa Activists bombarding and Gangstas. One of which was a white low-rider.
    I hope they are not going to make a Gangsta Drug Turf area out of this town!
    And, I hope all the Antifas that are anti-white and violent in Portland will realize the weather to drive out here is pretty bad right now.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Dan BinmoreFebruary 24, 2010 at 9:16 AM

    One of the great difficulties with being tolerant is that it requires you to be tolerant of the intolerant. However, whenever you are intolerant of the intolerant then you are part of the intolerant. It's a big problem for the progressive left in that they espouse toleration, but howl with outrage when someone says something intolerant.

    It would be more honest if people would say that they just want everyone to be like themselves because they think they are better than other people. I for one think that many people should be more like me, and certainly almost everyone should have similar opinions to mine, because they are great.

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousJune 7, 2011 at 8:26 AM

    I'm a resident of Grant County and I assure you, there is overwhelming opposition to this, contrary to however racist you may see us.

    Also, let this be a warning of things to come to all the big suits over on your side of the cascades and conservationists who want to eliminate our logging and practically oust our people so eastern Oregon can be the next Yellowstone - economic ruin brings about terrible things. Neo-Nazis trying to move in is just a symptom of a much greater problem at hand.

    ReplyDelete

Say what you will.