And, with all this glow at home, YOU PEOPLE, still, can not stay put. Why is that?

The California of today is the result of its histories, first, the Native Americans, then the Spanish Missions, then Mexico, then the discovery of gold at Coloma in 1849, which brought the Americans west in droves including the dream of riches, where eggs sold for $3 each, crooked businessmen out to make a fast buck, inventors, ideas, investors, farmers, wine makers, and let's not forget the Bear Flag revolt of the California Republic, which led to Statehood on September 9, 1850.

Next came the Transcontinental Railroad beginning in Sacramento and heading east and the Chinese people who built it with the Central Pacific Railroad,

the days of the Barbary Coast of the 1890s, World War I, hopes and Dreams of those from the depression riddled dust bowl, World War II, post-war California, 1950's, 60s, 70s and on.

The movie industry flashed California across every movie screen since the early 20th Century and, along, with its music industry continues to allow many the first taste of real hopes and dreams, some imagined, some not.

So, why is it YOU PEOPLE can't stay home?

I was the first person in three generations to leave California for, as, my, grandmother always liked to say, "of all places, Oregon."

On my first Thanksgiving back to San Francisco my grandmother had this to say, "I don't know why you had to go up there (Oregon)? We've been taking care of those people all their lives!"

I already knew about how terrified Oregonians were about the devil in the south. It's amazing no Californians were burned at the stake. The 70s always proved there was no place in Oregon to yell "I'm from California!"

When I made the move I loaded everything I owned into my VW Beetle, with its California license plates, and headed north. The first community with a DMV office, Ashland, I stopped, and using a general delivery address in Portland, Oregon, I tossed the black and gold plates of California for the gold plate with dark blue lettering of Oregon.

And, I've never looked back.

And California? A state of independence, like no other, in the warm California sun. California boasts the eighth largest economy in the world.

I worked for a political lobby prior to immigrating to Oregon. People's Lobby Inc., Los Angeles, and its founder Edwin A. Koupal Jr., always liked to press the point "whatever we change here in California will affect the entire world. One in ten Americans live in California...(1972)"

And, California has certainly influenced the world and America from cleaner fuel burning cars, air quality control to food safety, stem cell research, fads, equal rights, diversity, style, trends, and I could go on and on.

So, why is it, YOU PEOPLE can't stay home?

And (don't tell the Oregonians)I will always have a special place in my heart for the Golden State, although my loyalty is to Oregon.

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Creating A World That Works For All - the Common Way Institute (Portland, OR)
http://www.commonway.org

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