14
Columbia Gorge News
Wednesday, July 21, 2021
www.columbiagorgenews.com
Poll: 1 in 5 say Black Lives Matter movement good for Oregon
Zane Sparling
■ By Pamplin
Media Group
The Black Lives Matter
movement has won support-
ers and detractors in equal
measure, according to a new
poll, but many on both sides
agree: It changed Oregon,
and the world.
The Oregon Values and
Beliefs Center found that 19%
of Oregonians believe the
social push, often abbrevi-
ated as BLM, had a positive
impact — while a roughly
equivalent portion (22%) say
the effect was negative.
A larger share, 29%, said
the movement contains both
good and bad elements.
Another fifth (22%) said it
had “no impact” and 9% were
unsure.
“There was more equality
but at the same time it turned
into unwanted riots,” said one
survey respondent, identified
as a female Democrat living
in Clackamas County.
Oregon Values and Beliefs,
a nonprofit polling orga-
nization, conducted from
June 8-14 the online survey
of 1,400 Oregon adults, who
were selected to mirror the
state’s broader demograph-
ics. The margin of error
ranges from 1.6% to 2.6%
depending on the question.
Let’s dive into the data:
• Nearly half of
Republicans (46%) believe
the Black Lives Matter cause
hurt their community, while
one-third of Democrats
(32%) said it was for the
best. A significant share of
Democrats had mixed feel-
ings (38%) on the movement.
About the
project
The Oregon Values
and Beliefs Center
is committed to the
highest level of public
opinion research. To ob-
tain that, the non-profit
is building the largest
online research panel of
Oregonians in history to
ensure that all voices are
represented in discus-
sions of public policy in
a valid and statistically
reliable way.
Selected panelists
earn points for their
participation, which can
be redeemed for cash or
donated to a charity. To
learn more, visit oregon-
vbc.org.
A plurality (38%) of rural
residents said BLM had no
impact on their lives.
• Almost half (47%) of
those polled think the Black
Lives Matter movement’s
impact, be it for good or ill,
will be long lasting. Twenty
percent believe it will only
have a fleeting effect, and
a third (33%) are unsure.
Those identifying as Black,
Indigenous or people of
color were more likely (27%)
than whites (19%) to see the
changes as temporary.
• The elderly, defined as
those 75 or older, were most
likely to say Black Lives
Matter had no impact, with
29% holding that opinion.
Those who identified as
A new poll finds a roughly equal number of Oregonians believe the Black Lives Matter movement has been good for Oregon. A larger share
said the movement contains both good and bad elements. Above, marchers lie outside The Dalles Police Station on Third Street, down-
town The Dalles.
Mark B. Gibson photo/file
Black, Indigenous or people
of color (36%) were sig-
nificantly more likely than
whites (28%) to see the pro-
tests as both good and bad.
Voices from across Oregon:
The Oregon Values and
Beliefs Center also asked sur-
vey respondents open-ended
questions regarding their
thoughts on the Black Lives
Matter movement. Here’s
what they had to say:
• “BLM has caused
significant decline in racial
harmony and harmed the
very people it claims to be
supporting. Unfortunately,
the media is hiding the fact
that the BLM organization is
an avowed Marxist organiza-
tion,” said one Washington
County man.
• “BLM brings awareness,
education and visibility to
the communities it touches,”
said a Washington County
woman.
• “White supremacists
have been emboldened, have
become more threatening as
they wield deadly weapons
to intimidate,” said a Clatsop
County woman. “Potential
mayhem is more likely to
ensue.”
• “It has been wonderful to
see all races and creeds walk
with the BLM demonstra-
tions, actually, heartwarm-
ing,” said one Multnomah
County man. “Police and oth-
er city policies have changed
to assist in the underserved
communities, including the
homeless.”
Recall effort against Sen. Findley gets
official signal to collect signatures
Gary A. Warner
■ By Oregon
Capital Bureau
the House added new rules
for gun storage and locks in
homes.
Sen. Bill Hansell, R-Athena,
A recall effort against Sen.
told the East Oregonian
Lynn Findley, R-Vale, has
newspaper that prior to the
been officially approved to
vote, the Republican caucus
begin circulating petitions,
had been lobbied by the
the Secretary of State said
Oregon Firearms Federation,
Thursday.
The Findley recall was ap- which advertises itself as the
proved to circulate petitions state’s “no compromise” gun
rights group, to walk out on
on July 7.
Proponents now have until the session. A Republican
walkout would have prevent-
5 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 13
to submit at least 8,289 valid ed a quorum in the Senate,
signatures.
stopping all legislation.
“Each petition signer
The decision of whether or
must be an active registered
not Republicans should walk
voter in Senate District 30
out over the gun bill split the
at the time of signing the
caucus.
petition,” said Carla Axtman,
Sen. Fred Girod, R-Stayton,
communications director
said he would go to the
for Secretary of State Shemia Senate floor to argue against
Fagan.
the bill and vote.
Findley’s Senate District
Republicans should not
30 is the largest in the senate, bring the session to a halt
covering all of Baker, Grant,
with more than three months
Harney, Jefferson, Malheur
to go and crucial legislation
and Wheeler counties and
still pending, Girod argued.
parts of Deschutes, Lake and He also expressed concern
Wasco counties.
that Republican single inter-
The Secretary of State’s
est groups were beginning to
website shows that a “Findley expect a walkout against bills
Failed” political action com- they opposed.
In the end, six Republican
mittee was created on July 1.
senators — Girod, Findley,
Patrick A. Kopke-Hales of
Mount Vernon is listed as the Bill Hansell of Athena,
Tim Knopp of Bend, Bill
chief petitioner. HollyJo A.
Beers of Pendleton is listed as Kennemer of Canby and Dick
Anderson of Lincoln City
the treasurer.
— went to the floor to vote
Findley was among six
against the bill.
Republican senators who
Republican senators who
have been sharply criticized
chose to be absent without
by some conservative activ-
ists for voting against Senate Senate permission included:
• Dallas Heard of Roseburg,
Bill 554, a gun control bill,
who is also the chair of the
rather than walking out to
Oregon Republican Party.
prevent the legislation from
• Dennis Linthicum of
moving forward.
The final version of SB 554 Klamath Falls, who is also
the treasurer of the Oregon
barred concealed weapons
Republican Party.
from the state Capitol and
• Kim Thatcher of Keizer,
the passenger terminal
who was also the unsuc-
at Portland International
Airport. An amendment by
cessful GOP nominee for
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The Findley recall is in an
earlier phase, with the circu-
lation of petitions approved
on July 7, the day after the
demise of the Girod recall
drive.
Findley told the Blue
Mountain Eagle in June
that going to the floor of the
Senate was doing the job
voters sent him to Salem to
do: Represent constituents’
positions and values through
the legislative process.
“I chose to stand and fight
and put stuff on the record,”
he said, “and by staying in the
session, I was able to work
hard for the constituents.
And that’s what I’m supposed
to do.”
The petition also criticized
Findley for co-authoring
Senate Bill 865 which would
have barred senators from si-
multaneously holding public
office and being an officer in
a major political party.
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Columbia
Secretary of State in 2020.
• Art Robinson of Cave
Junction, a freshman, who
would eventually leave
the Republican caucus to
join Sen. Brian Boquist of
Dallas as senators elected as
Republicans but announcing
later they were independent.
Other senators received
permission in advance to
be excused, removing them
from the center of the quo-
rum issue.
Though Findley and the
other GOP lawmakers spoke
out forcefully against the bill,
their presence in the cham-
ber allowed for a quorum of
senators to do business.
SB 554 passed 16-7,
with Sen. Betsy Johnson,
D-Scappoose also oppos-
ing the bill. It was sent to
the House, where House
Minority Leader Christine
Drazan, R-Canby, announced
ahead of time that there
would not be a walkout. The
bill, with some Democratic
amendments, passed 34-24.
Gov. Kate Brown signed
the bill, which will go into
effect on Sept. 27. Backers of
a proposed referendum to
overturn the bill must submit
74,680 valid signatures to the
Secretary of State by Sept. 24.
The law would then be put on
hold until voters could decide
the issue in the November
2022 general election.
There were angry de-
nouncements of Republicans
who went to the floor instead.
The Senate Republican
Caucus also reported death
threats against some of the
GOP senators to the Oregon
State Police for investigation.
A recall was filed against
Girod, but the July 6 deadline
to file petitions passed with
no documents submitted.
That action is now dead.
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