Letter: Shed our misrepresentative label

I am amazed by the picture Vancouver and the county as a whole project to the world in comments in the newspaper and the reality of us all. If you read the comments online, or comments made by some of our elected officials, the old “Vantucky” label would be accurate.

My (same sex) husband and I walk around town holding hands and there has yet to be any harassing actions. We are seemingly accepted everywhere in Clark County. I could not say the same about Multnomah County. Score one for knocking down the “Vantucky” label.

The numbers of same-sex households increased more in our county than in the much more populated King and Multnomah counties. Score another for losing that “Vantucky” label.

We are now the most bicycle-friendly state in the Union. Another “Vantucky” strike.

Both liberals and conservatives, Democrats and Republicans represent us, which gives us a politically purple area as a whole. Yet another “Vantucky” strike.

So the reasons for the “Vantucky” label appear to be far from reality.

If we must have a label, “the Couv” sounds like what we really are: a cool, laid back kind of place that has a variety of leanings and recognizes everyone’s right to live and exist in peace with their neighbors.

Troy Haliwell

Vancouver