Here is another account.
https://forward.com/culture/471056/oregon-racist-state-song-jewish-teacher/
Thankfully, as of Tuesday, there are new lyrics. Amy Donna Shapiro, an Oregon resident and musician specializing in traditional Jewish music, has updated the words while keeping the original tune. “Land of Majestic Mountains,” it now opens, and “blood of martyrs” is now “land of freedom.”
Few Oregonians today know the song, but it still led government meetings and made occasional appearances at sports games and other similar events; Shapiro told me she hopes it will be taught in schools again, now that the words are no longer offensive.
Shapiro first encountered the song when she was asked to teach it to her students 30 years ago, at the Portland Jewish Academy, where she was the choir director. She felt uncomfortable with it at the time, and has been pushing for years to change the words.
“I did not want to teach the children to sing about the blood of martyrs,” Shapiro said in a podcast interview with OregonLive. “It’s especially difficult in a Jewish school when there are martyrs all over the world who call themselves martyrs for attacking Jews.”
>> and “blood of martyrs” is now “land of freedom.”
Figured the world martyrs might set them off.
Was there much violent bloodshed in settling the land of Oregon?
The woman is deranged, and someone might want to ask just how she came to live in a place settled by others stronger then her.
I still know the lyrics—and I’ve only been back twice since my folks pulled up stakes and headed to Ohio in ‘99.
I’m surprised they survived this long.
Well, Amy, try learning about the Whitmans. It is pretty small potatoes as far as martyrdom goes, but it is what the State has, and can be grateful for having as little of that as possible.
Amy could also learn about the French-Canadians and how close Oregon came to remaining part of British North America.
Then she would have this to complain about:
Ô Canada!
Terre de nos aïeux,
Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux!
Car ton bras sait porter l’épée,
Il sait porter la croix!
Ton histoire est une épopée
Des plus brillants exploits.
Et ta valeur, de foi trempée,
Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.
Protégera nos foyers et nos droits.
It is much more in your face than Oregon My Oregon—your arm knows how to wield the sword and how to carry the Cross . . . we will protect our homes and our rights.
Play hockey.