A recent article in The Oregonian concerning Beaverton, Oregon's planned celebration of Mexico's bicentennial - which has been attacked by Washington State resident Lars Larson - has produced some pretty heated comments (many in response to my Open Letter to Beaverton praising city officials). Comments like:
- Will really reconsider shopping in that city any more. Uwajimaya will lose MY business.
- We will no longer be shopping in Beaverton OR; As Americans we will give our business to cities that celebrate us. Thank you.
They're going to boycott Beaverton?
Actually, those were some of the more polite comments left on the paper's website but both of them reminded me of this photo from a Tea Party rally:
Looks like these folks boycotted English classes in grade school.
Ok, ok. That wasn't fair. Read a few posts on this blog and you'll see similar errors. But the irony of the mistake on this sign is just sweet.
In the end, Beaverton's celebration of Mexico's bicentennial (which has now been expanded to include other nations south of the border) will more likely than not be good for business. Celebrations bring people into the city and help local businesses.
What's really going on? Some people are clearly upset tax payer money is being spent on the celebration - and you can fairly debate that - but others are clearly being whipped up by racial animosity. Larson has helped to fan the flames of racism. That's the truth of the matter. Check out a few other comments left on The Oregonian's website:
- Celebrating the heritage of the dirt countries that they fled? If Mexico is so great, why is it a pig sty? And why do the Mexicans all want to leave the country that their great heritage has wrought in order to come to this one? I'd be ashamed of being part of the Mexican and/or Latin culture. Look at the misery it's caused in the lands in which the culture has domain. Do you want Mexican/Latin culture in THIS country? Really?
- The brown people are the future after all, huh mayor. They'll probably have mercy on you and your family once they have completed their invasion, huh.
- Why does "diversity" always revolve around propping up black and hispanic culture and holding it in higher regard than our own America culture?
I suspect Larson doesn't actually care about this issue. What he cares about are the mid-term elections and it is clear that he is happy to try and divide Americans along racial and cultural lines if he thinks it helps his partisan political agenda.
Show Beaverton some love and join their celebration on September 16th.
