The Way: The moment Oregonians decide who we want to be

What path will we choose?

I am one of the seventy-three percent of Oregonians who believe that Oregon is on the wrong track. After two grueling years of pandemic life, I feel exhausted, isolated, and frustrated. And who wouldn’t be? Our housing crisis is worse than ever as friends and neighbors struggle to find affordable options and there are more homeless in Multnomah County than three years ago. Our government has increased money to schools, to addiction treatment, and to a better unemployment system. And yet, school districts are cutting school days, less than 1% of those helped with Measure 110 have entered treatment, and it will be at least two years until the new system of unemployment is up and running. I am tired of politicians identifying problems but not effectively solving them. High ranking elected officials choose to resign their positions to further their own political careers at a time when we need decisive leadership now. Homicides are skyrocketing and more children are struggling with severe mental health challenges than ever before. Every elected I have ever talked with privately states that campaign finance reform needs to happen. And yet, every attempt at reform gets stalled. The pandemic has left us isolated, sick, worried about getting sick, and scared for the future. Our collective confidence is shook. Oregonians are understandably on edge.

How we choose to respond to all of this will determine the future that we build for the next generation. Oregon sits on a precipice: how can we use this moment to create a better society? In my mind, there are three likely paths.

The easiest path is to choose is one of anger, fear, and blame. To look at the conditions as evidence that those we disagree with are the one’s making things worse. To use fear and scare tactics to highlight differences in religion, race, gender or sexual orientation. To present a narrative that other people are the reason that conditions are the way they are. That if we just changed the people in charge everything would be better. This approach has advanced the careers of many politicians and perhaps best exemplified by Donald Trump. But this is not just a national trend. Oregon has seen a rise in hate including divisiveness in Newberg, school board meetings having to go into undisclosed locations due to hostility and racist incidents at high school sporting events. The rise in anger and vitriol, particularly harnessing racism and homophobia, is on the rise and have fueled extremism.

A second option for Oregonians is to choose apathy. To retreat into our own world because it is what we can best control. To become numb to the problems of the community and stay to ourselves. In some respects, the pandemic has created conditions where isolation feels normal. It is easy to throw your hands up and say, ‘they are all corrupt and the system is rigged’ and not engage. While apathy may be the easiest in the short term, further isolating and removing oneself from the conversation will only lead to increased frustration and division. Inaction in a moment of need is cowardice.

The only path that will lead us to a better Oregon is the path of civic involvement. For too long, politics have been dominated by a small number of people with similar world views and life experiences. To create a better Oregon, we need people of all walks of life to run for office, attend public meetings, and have their voices and experiences valued and centered. We should create spaces that are designed to welcome everyone. We need hope through participation and collaboration. We need to view ourselves, collectively, as both the cause and solution to Oregon’s problems. Homelessness is a problem in our community because we have collectively decided that we are okay with 22,000 kids living without a roof. 22,000. If you don’t like that, what will you do today, this week and this month to change it? Will you make the call to your local leaders and demand action? Will you volunteer with one of our countless organizations working to better serve our homeless neighbors? Will you write a check to those on the ground working for change? Or will you retreat to anger, to fear or to apathy?

Oregon elected officials deserve criticism. People with different experiences, values and beliefs are not heard and electeds are resistant to structural change. The pandemic has made our politics feel insular. On the whole, however, Oregon elected officials are incredibly hard working, dedicated people who are open to meeting and working with the community. I encourage you to engage with your elected leaders. Share your ideas, provide feedback in a respectful way to hold them accountable, and organize with people in your community to create the changes you want to see. Actively seek change and support agents of change.

2022 is critical to the future of Oregon. Choose hope. Choose action. Choose to see ourselves as the cause of, and solution to, the problems in our community. Choose coming together to build the future our children deserve. Choose the path toward a better future for Oregon.

Andy Saultz

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To look forward to:

·      Mark Hester on the urban-rural divide

·      Steve Novick on whether anyone actually cares about climate chaos

To Read:

·      What Adam Davis learned about governing from watching his son’s race for class president

·      Representative Marty Wilde arguing that service disparities drive the urban-rural divide

·      The Beerchaser is at it again with advice for Gomez and Sizemore

From Jenn Schuberth and John Urang

To Do:

·    Read the latest version of the Liftoff

·    Share The Oregon Way with three friends