Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1977-1989 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 28, 1979)
Would the real The hand-made poster on eoffice wall reads: “To Don- eWant Your Bod!” Next to it a picture of a little boy, shoes ¡tied and clothes askew, a )k of bewilderment in his ap- aling big eyes. Below -him i the words: “We’re All In iis Together!” These posters next to each her seemed incongruous; wever, they were very scriptive of the young man I is about to meet. A smile and a warm han hake while being led into his ice along with a continuous ribling of spilled words from » 19-year-old Associated Government udent jsiden.. Don Porter, varified e differ ng opinions I found lile researching this story. My ears were hearing Por- •’s smoke-screen of words out what the ASG is plan- ig, doing, hopes to do and en may consider hoping to .Allthe while, my eyes and ises were telling me, “Here a young man who is deter- ned and quite skillful at owing what he thinks is his st side.” I wondered . . . ve 1 met a true politician? Porter continues his constant wof words while I settle in, d begin to see his energetic dy movements and try to ep up with his thought and eech patterns, which seem to np around like a scared jack et. Every-which way! He is stylishly dressed in a I 11-sleeved rose colored shirt ier which he’s added a calf- in leather vest. His dark curly iir hangs to his shoulders and mes the brown eyes that ap- ¡ar to see through and Sondme, . He talks non-stop. I had to I interrupt his talking marathon for, as yet, I had not asked him a question. “Don, wait just a minute, I came to find out who you really are . . . Who IS Don Porter?” I asked. His dark eyes gleamed, his mouth stopped working and genuine pleasure spread over his face as he exclaimed, “You know, no one has asked me that before!” Because Porter seems as though he has never asked himself this question, and. says so. I decide to break the question into parts to try and Porter please stand up” find the man who seemed to be “I guess that answers your hiding behind the ready smile, question, I have no close frien ability to recall (and use) first ds.” We talked of why that names and “back-slapping might be and he seemed sur Porter-style of being the suc prised to hear himself saying, “I cessful politician.” talk too much and never really “What do you consider your listen.” This came after several best characteristics?” I asked. comments about how “I can’t But Porter wasn’t ready yet to allow others to bring me down trust me, as he answered, “I with their problems . . . not am my own best friend.” many people know me ... I “Does that mean you trust date a lot but never seem to no one but yourself?” I pushed really get to know any one per on because Porter was stalling son very well.” for time by rambling something At this point I ask Porter to about “how one can’t please describe his idea of what a per everybody.” fect friend might be. “That per “Do you have many close feet friend would be someone friends?” I countered. His reply who. knows my good and bad was an almost flippant, “I have points and will give construc many friends, I probably know tive criticism and still care about more people by their name me.” He begins to talk of his than anyone else on this cam relationship with his father, of pus.” whom he says, “My dad not With even more deter only asks interested questions, mination to find the person but cares enough to listen to who seemed to be hiding my answers.” Although Porter tells of his desire to get into politics, study law and even become governor of Oregon, he says he dislikes going to classes which hold lit tle interest for him. The irony in these statements reminds me of his relatively tender age. When pressed about his wish to become a successful politician and his dislike for structured learning, Porter replies, “I learn more from working with people than from any class 1 may attend.” Porter graduated from Milwaukie High School in 1978 and tells of his lack of self discipline and preparation for college with more than a little anger.- He says he was taught little in high school and spoke vehemently about a need for change in public schools. Don Porter cares very deeply about many things. He enjoys movies, especially the old- Photos and story by Dea Shepherd-Kent November 28,1979 behind this wall-of-words, 1 asked, “Do you have one or two close friends to whom you can tell about your fears, your successes and your failures? Are you lonely?” At this, Porter swung his chair from behind his desk where he had been sitting, to within three feet of where I was and sat facing me as he began to let me see the Don Porter that he says, “only my family knows.” Don Porter is a highly motivated, highly sensitive, impatient and very determined young man. He talks of his hurt and disappointment when he was in high school. He had thought, like many other young men and women, that “having a nice car was the key to being popular.” He told of the pain he felt when for a time his car was not running and all of his “supposed friends” essentially disappeared. He continued, “It was the car they liked, not me.” Porter acknowledges his im patience with "persons who ap pear to be apathetic toward what is going on in the College society and in society in general. He sees his impatience as a fault and also an attribute. “After all, if no one tries to make things better, we only slide backwards. But one thing I know after being in this office for six months is that we have to work within the system.” The sensitive side of this gregarious young man shows as he speaks of trying to help handicapped students with their special problems. Porter’s throat seemed to tighten with emotion as he tells of a problem he failed to help solve. He speaks of feeling guilty because he is healthy and able to move about as he wishes. This usually talkative young man raises his arms in a gesture of helplessness when words fail him. timers, he works off excess energy when he skiis, he feels useful and pleased with the 20 hours he devotes to manning the telephone at the county Crisis Center each month. He also is lonely much of the time. He is often afraid to let his emotions show through the facade hes built around him self. He laughs, he cries, he feels proud of his successes and deep disappointment with his failures. After three hours of probing, listening and watching a Don -Porter that, apparently, few people really know, this repor ter hurried to the typewriter determined to catch this illusive side of a youth who is struggling to grow into that “mystical-self” we all are striving to become. Like the posters on Porter’s office wall, he is a dichotomy . . . ljut then, “We’re All In This Together”—aren’t we? Page 3