Vandals target Happy Valley (Oregon) family with racist graffiti, threaten to burn down their house

[stevedeshazer]

http://www.oregonlive.com/happy-valley/index.ssf/2010/09/happy_valley_family_victims_of_racial_harassment.html



HAPPY VALLEY -- The FBI and Clackamas County authorities are investigating a case of racial harassment against an Asian-American family moving into a Happy Valley home.

Sometime Monday afternoon, someone spray-painted racial slurs on the exterior of Sang Huynh's new home on Southeast Catina Place, a short residential street just west of 147th Avenue. The family had begun moving into the home three days earlier.

The family also found a book of matches next to a clear plastic water bottle filled with what police think is gasoline. The accompanying hand-written note said, "Last warning. We will burn your house down if we have to."

Happy Valley Mayor Rob Wheeler called the vandalism and threats "Totally unacceptable and disturbing," in a statement released today.

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For any remaining skeptics who doubt we are on the verge of racial violence, explain this. These racists are everywhere, even in Happy Valley.

on edit: The family

[ejpoeta]

1. you have people like beck and limbaugh and palin fanning the flames

and they are responsible for this. they'll incite this crap and then stand black and claim 1st ammendment and that they are not responsible. yes we have free speech. but we should also be responsible for that speech when it causes violence.

[Bobbieo]

2. What is Happy Valley mayor. Bob Wheeler, going to do about the incident?

[laconicsax]

3. Leave more threatening notes?

He's a Republican, right? It's within the realm of possibility.

[TroglodyteScholar]

9. He gave the incident a bad review...

...what more do you want from him???

[AsahinaKimi]

4. I had always thought Oregan was a mellow place..

with quite a few Asians living there. I guess there are still those who will not except us and think we are "taking over" the neighborhoods.


I was in a Sushi Restaurant the other day. There was a couple sitting behind me, who I over heard mention they were visiting San Francisco. The man said he had never been to a "Jap" Restaurant in his entire life, and didn't know why his wife had dragged him in there.

Said if he wanted to eat raw fish, he would have gone to his local bait and tackle store. When his Miso soup came he demanded a spoon.

He broke his "Cheap Ass balsa wood" chop sticks in half and demanded he be given a fork and knife, "like civilized people eat with".

When asked if he wanted to try some Sake, he insulted the waitress, calling it "Jap swill" and that he wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole, and ordered a Coors.

I could tell, the waitress (who was Asian) wanted to cry..I felt bad for her.

Some people should never come to San Francisco if they don't want to try new things. Most of all, they should have a little respect for other kinds of cultures that are here.

Oh, and by the way, of course, they didn't leave a tip. His wife tried to but the dude slapped her hand, and snatched up the cash.

After they left the Restaurant,(He didn't even bother to eat his food, just drank his beer.) I left a double tip, for the waitress because she deserved more respect then what she was given to by that moron.

[NYC_SKP]

5. Thanks you for your kindness.

for leaving the extra tip.

This man sound's like an oldtimer, I hope he is.

Those specific slurs and attitudes remind me of things I've heard from older grumpy men.

I feel badly for his wife, who seems to have been more open minded.

SF is not place for him.

:hi:

[bullwinkle428]

6. What a scumbag. Obviously, these assholes suddenly feel

completely emboldened about not having to "hold back" in any way, when it comes to attitudes on anyone or anything different from them. I wonder who helped remove their inhibitions?

[Canuckistanian]

7. That's disgusting

I'm always amazed at the narrow minds of some people.

Ignorance and fear are just not necessary in this age of instant information.

Thanks for showing some compassion for the victim in this ugly scene - the waitress, who had no choice but to try to serve this cretin.

[political_Dem]

8. Thanks for your kindness. The waitress did not deserve that. :(

SF is a beautiful, interesting city. It doesn't need bigots like that polluting the atmosphere. One has to have a sense of adventure as well as an open mind to be there.

Besides, the man doesn't know what he's missing by acting like a total, ignorant rube in such a culture-rich place.

Furthermore, my heart goes out to the family terrorized in Oregon. I hope that they encounter decent, caring folks who will stand with them to fight his nonsense. No one should have to be afraid in their own home.

[stevedeshazer]

10. Let me say this about Oregon and Happy Valley

Oregon in general is a very tolerant and mellow place. However, like any other state, it has places where discrimination and hatred live on.

Based on my experience as a lifelong resident of this strange corner of the world, Happy Valley and the surrounding communities are overwhelmingly white and despite their proximity to liberal Portland, are full of racists and view themselves as refugees from such a progressive city as Portland.

Portlanders are overwhelmingly progressive, liberal, whatever adjective you wanna use. This area of Clackamas County, southeast of Portland, is full of Libertarians and racists. It's not so much that this family was Asian; it's because many who live there see it as a last stand in the Portland area (it's on the fringe) for an all-white community.

Sort of a Peachtree Street in the Northwest, if you get my drift.

Portland, Oregon is an island of progressivism, but go thirty miles in any direction and you're in a morass of pickup trucks, guns and ATV's.

Hope this helps explain it.

[hayu_lol]

11. Steve...there are pockets of POLECATS...

scattered through the state. Even here in Kalamity Flats. Along with them are some pretty accomodating folks who make the place worth living in.

By now, the family has probably had offers by neighbors/townspeople to help guard and watch their house. Happened here like that when a black family was threatened.

[stevedeshazer]

12. K-Falls?

Anyway, I hope people in Happy Valley respond in kind like you described. There are good people everywhere, too.

:)

[hayu_lol]

13. Yup, K-Falls...

the family that was threatened here a few years ago...had hordes of townsfolk parked near their house 24/7 watching for trouble until the perps were caught.