Passport needed?

[Al Mialkovsky]

Believe it or not, there's a small but vocal group that wants to separate far northern California and southern Oregon and form a new state, The State of Jefferson.

http://www.jeffersonstate.com/

I live in southern Oregon. Most in the movement know it will never happen but they're trying to make a point when it comes to distribution of state taxes and federal money. Of course both areas would be better off without those big cities sucking up the money.

And Jefferson will require passports from you city folk.

 

[sharky60]

Wouldn't be right to let this fester... Yes, hard as it is to admit, there is a detectable undercurrent of racism here. Of course, there're two sides to this....

...Of course, it's not all that simple. Neither side is clean. I've met some of the de Spread da aloha.

VERY NICE!! Thanks for your well thought out and informative words.

 

[bluemagoo]

VERY NICE!! Thanks for your well thought out and informative words.

Someone else noted how sideways this thread peeled off and so I'll quit my part with this: If there was a turning point, I think it came with the infamous confrontation on the first trip of the Hokule'a in '76. I think that after that boil-over, most people really took stock of the situation and realized they had to get past the sterotypes and grudges to move forward: Like a ship, these islands are too small and isolated to carry this kind of baggage. There are things that need to be made right but I think most people are much more constructive about it now. If anything, it's the newcomers who've picked up the various causes because they don't want to see *their* Hawaii slip away -- the same kind of "new home" zeal shown by US immigrants who volunteer for duty without even having their citizenship formally confirmed; their deeds speak for their place in the community. To live here is to live in three worlds: The first centers around a strong indigenous heritage; the other is any personal heritage that one may have, and third is the responsibility to live in the larger world. Blending all this while preserving each can be challenging but is an undeniable part of living here. "Live aloha"; share and respect. Sometimes that gets lost in the stresses of the moment but that's what it's all about.