This page contains a single entry from the blog posted on June 8, 2004 4:06 PM.
The previous post in this blog was Reagan and Hanford.
The next post in this blog is The Boss.
Many more can be found on the main index page or by looking through the archives.
A while back I suggested that downtown Portland is not an especially safe place to hang out. Particularly at night. Particularly if you're a female.
Several commenters, declaring themselves experts on the subject because they'd lived elsewhere once, told me I was wrong.
Well, they should tell Renee Mitchell of The Oregonian, too.
Comments (5)
I don't notice a problem, but this seems to me as the classic example of Ms. Mitchell talking out of both sides of her mouth. When the residents of North Portland complain that the police are too aggressive with their pretext stops while trying to curb drug-related crime, she's right there to take up their cause. Now, she wants the police to step up enforcement of the sidewalk ordinance. She can't have it both ways.
Does anyone think we can police ourselves out of the drug culture and the crime culture (which is far and away much, much larger in terms of property crimes than crimes of violence)? We already imprison more people per capita than any other country, I believe. I am a quiet ordinary person and lead a quiet ordinary life. But when I was the victim of three serious crimes (mugging, burglary and car theft) in three years, and all were tied by authorities to this drug-crime culture that pervades the US, I began to look at even more closely and wish others would, as well. And I continue to think, from my conservations with individuals within it, that the police force might be surprisingly close to ready for this as well.
Elsewise, I think we will hear this same laments and see the same unsuccessful actions; and everybody by now knows what it's called when you keep doing the same thing expecting different results.
(The increasing immigrant -- largely illegal -- populations and declining incomes in lower social stratas will also be making it noticeably worse.)
Does her column say anything about people actually being harmed? I didn't recall so at the time I read it. It's people afraid to leave their buildings because of TEENAGERS. Some have DOGS.
They have a name for them. They're called beggars. They are there to beg you for change. Do not give it to them; walk on by. There is nothing in the City Charter about giving you the right to walk around witlessly in a major urban area.
What's worse is the class demagoguery going on. Who is threatening people? Are there descriptions and/or names? What are the police doing to follow up on specific claims of criminal harassment? ARE there claims of criminal harassment?
I cheerily add Renee' to the list of people who need to be the slightest bit realistic about living with a million other people in proximity.
I was out of town last week, and just saw Renee's follow-up column about the downtown scene. I lived downtown from 1988-1992 and loved it. On Monday, I was downtown for the first time in months.
What a surprise. Downtown was filled with scores of apparently able-bodied teenagers begging arond Pioneer Square. When a young man smoking a cigarette asked for money to feed his dog, I pointed out that if he had the money for cigs, he could probably afford to feed his dog instead. I was subjected to a nasty harangue. In addition, the sidewalks were dirty and trash blew around everywhere. I was embarrassed to show the downtown area to my out-of-town guests.
Charamba, Douro 2008
Horse Heaven Hills, Cabernet 2010
Lorelle, Horse Heaven Hills Pinot Grigio 2011
Avignonesi, Montepulciano 2004
Lorelle, Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2011
Villa Antinori, Toscana 2007
Mercedes Eguren, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Lorelle, Columbia Valley Cabernet 2011
Purple Moon, Merlot 2011
Purple Moon, Chardonnnay 2011
Abacela, Vintner's Blend No. 12
Opula Red Blend 2010
Liberte, Pinot Noir 2010
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Indian Wells Red Blend 2010
Woodbridge, Chardonnay 2011
King Estate, Pinot Noir 2011
Famille Perrin, Cotes du Rhone Villages 2010
Columbia Crest, Les Chevaux Red 2010
14 Hands, Hot to Trot White Blend
Familia Bianchi, Malbec 2009
Terrapin Cellars, Pinot Gris 2011
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2009
Campo Viejo, Rioja, Termpranillo 2010
Ravenswood, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2010
Waterbrook, Reserve Merlot 2009
Lorelle, Horse Heaven Hills, Pinot Grigio 2011
Tarantas, Rose
Chateau Lajarre, Bordeaux 2009
La Vielle Ferme, Rose 2011
Benvolio, Pinot Grigio 2011
Nobilo Icon, Pinot Noir 2009
Lello, Douro Tinto 2009
Quinson Fils, Cotes de Provence Rose 2011
Anindor, Pinot Gris 2010
Buenas Ondas, Syrah Rose 2010
Les Fiefs d'Anglars, Malbec 2009
14 Hands, Pinot Gris 2011
Conundrum 2012
Condes de Albarei, Albariño 2011
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2007
Penelope Sanchez, Garnacha Syrah 2010
Canoe Ridge, Merlot 2007
Atalaya do Mar, Godello 2010
Vega Montan, Mencia
Benvolio, Pinot Grigio
Nobilo Icon, Pinot Noir, Marlborough 2009
Portuga, Rose 2011
Revelation, Chardonnay, Pays d'Oc 2010
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 2005
Monte Alto, Tinto Reserva 2005
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Cabernet, Indian Wells 2009
Espiral, Vinho Rose
Vin-Koru, Pinot Gris 2011
14 Hands, Hot to Trot Red 2009
Rodney Strong, Cabernet, Sonoma 2009
Abacela, Vintner's Blend #11
Portuga, White 2010
La Bourgeoisie, Red 2009
Januik, Red 2009
Three Rivers, River's Red 2008
Kirkland, Alexander Valley Merlot 2008
Muga, Rioja Rose 2010
Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2009
Mauro Molino, Barbera d'Alba 2009
Garda Chiaretto Rose
Columbia Crest, Two Vines Vineyard 10 White
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley 2009
L'Hortus, Rose de Saignee 2010
Maculan, Pino & Toi 2008
McKinley Springs, Bombing Range Red 2008
Trader Joe's Pinot Gris 2009
Montes Alpha, Cabernet 2007
Gran Sasso, Sangiovese, Terre di Chieti 2009
Garda, Classico Chiaretto Rose
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1999
Picos del Montgo, Tempranillo 2008
Chateau de Montmirail, Vacqueyras 2008
La Granja 360, Syrah 2009
Montgras, Carmenere Reserva 2009
Lange, Pinot Gris 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet 2008
Kirkland, Pinot Grigio 2010
Trader Joe's Coastal Syrah 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Merlot 2008
Trader Joe's Coastal Chardonnay 2009
Vieux Papes Red
Domaine de l'Aujardiere, Chardonnay 2009
Santa Rita, Cabernet, Medalla Real 2007
Penfold's, Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet 2008
Guild, Red, Lot #02 2008
Dievole, Dievolino Sangiovese 2008
Laforet, Burgogne Chardonnay 2009
Columbia Winery, Merlot 2007
Bonterra, Cabernet 2008
Elk Cove, Pinot Gris 2009
Maquis Lien 2006
Scott Paul, Pinot Noir, Le Paulee 2007
The Occasional Book
Neil Young - Waging Heavy Peace
Mark Bego - Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul (2012 ed.)
Jenny Lawson - Let's Pretend This Never Happened
J.D. Salinger - Franny and Zooey
Charles Dickens - A Christmas Carol
Timothy Egan - The Big Burn
Deborah Eisenberg - Transactions in a Foreign Currency
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. - Slaughterhouse Five
Kathryn Lance - Pandora's Genes
Cheryl Strayed - Wild
Fyodor Dostoyevsky - The Brothers Karamazov
Jack London - The House of Pride, and Other Tales of Hawaii
Jack Walker - The Extraordinary Rendition of Vincent Dellamaria
Colum McCann - Let the Great World Spin
Niccolò Machiavelli - The Prince
Harper Lee - To Kill a Mockingbird
Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus - The Nanny Diaries
Brian Selznick - The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Sharon Creech - Walk Two Moons
Keith Richards - Life
F. Sionil Jose - Dusk
Natalie Babbitt - Tuck Everlasting
Justin Halpern - S#*t My Dad Says
Mark Herrmann - The Curmudgeon's Guide to Practicing Law
Barry Glassner - The Gospel of Food
Phil Stanford - The Peyton-Allan Files
Jesse Katz - The Opposite Field
Evelyn Waugh - Brideshead Revisited
J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
David Sedaris - Holidays on Ice
Donald Miller - A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
Mitch Albom - Have a Little Faith
C.S. Lewis - The Magician's Nephew
F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Great Gatsby
William Shakespeare - A Midsummer Night's Dream
Ivan Doig - Bucking the Sun
Penda Diakité - I Lost My Tooth in Africa
Grace Lin - The Year of the Rat
Oscar Hijuelos - Mr. Ives' Christmas
Madeline L'Engle - A Wrinkle in Time
Steven Hart - The Last Three Miles
David Sedaris - Me Talk Pretty One Day
Karen Armstrong - The Spiral Staircase
Charles Larson - The Portland Murders
Adrian Wojnarowski - The Miracle of St. Anthony
William H. Colby - Long Goodbye
Steven D. Stark - Meet the Beatles
Phil Stanford - Portland Confidential
Rick Moody - Garden State
Jonathan Schwartz - All in Good Time
David Sedaris - Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
Anthony Holden - Big Deal
Robert J. Spitzer - The Spirit of Leadership
James McManus - Positively Fifth Street
Jeff Noon - Vurt
Road Work
Miles run year to date: 21
At this date last year: 52
Total run in 2012: 129
In 2011: 113
In 2010: 125
In 2009: 67
In 2008: 28
In 2007: 113
In 2006: 100
In 2005: 149
In 2004: 204
In 2003: 269
Comments (5)
I don't notice a problem, but this seems to me as the classic example of Ms. Mitchell talking out of both sides of her mouth. When the residents of North Portland complain that the police are too aggressive with their pretext stops while trying to curb drug-related crime, she's right there to take up their cause. Now, she wants the police to step up enforcement of the sidewalk ordinance. She can't have it both ways.
Posted by Ken | June 8, 2004 9:37 PM
Does anyone think we can police ourselves out of the drug culture and the crime culture (which is far and away much, much larger in terms of property crimes than crimes of violence)? We already imprison more people per capita than any other country, I believe. I am a quiet ordinary person and lead a quiet ordinary life. But when I was the victim of three serious crimes (mugging, burglary and car theft) in three years, and all were tied by authorities to this drug-crime culture that pervades the US, I began to look at even more closely and wish others would, as well. And I continue to think, from my conservations with individuals within it, that the police force might be surprisingly close to ready for this as well.
Elsewise, I think we will hear this same laments and see the same unsuccessful actions; and everybody by now knows what it's called when you keep doing the same thing expecting different results.
(The increasing immigrant -- largely illegal -- populations and declining incomes in lower social stratas will also be making it noticeably worse.)
Posted by Sally | June 9, 2004 5:31 PM
Does her column say anything about people actually being harmed? I didn't recall so at the time I read it. It's people afraid to leave their buildings because of TEENAGERS. Some have DOGS.
They have a name for them. They're called beggars. They are there to beg you for change. Do not give it to them; walk on by. There is nothing in the City Charter about giving you the right to walk around witlessly in a major urban area.
What's worse is the class demagoguery going on. Who is threatening people? Are there descriptions and/or names? What are the police doing to follow up on specific claims of criminal harassment? ARE there claims of criminal harassment?
I cheerily add Renee' to the list of people who need to be the slightest bit realistic about living with a million other people in proximity.
Posted by torridjoe | June 10, 2004 12:33 AM
Amen to the commenters above.
Posted by brett | June 10, 2004 7:16 PM
I was out of town last week, and just saw Renee's follow-up column about the downtown scene. I lived downtown from 1988-1992 and loved it. On Monday, I was downtown for the first time in months.
What a surprise. Downtown was filled with scores of apparently able-bodied teenagers begging arond Pioneer Square. When a young man smoking a cigarette asked for money to feed his dog, I pointed out that if he had the money for cigs, he could probably afford to feed his dog instead. I was subjected to a nasty harangue. In addition, the sidewalks were dirty and trash blew around everywhere. I was embarrassed to show the downtown area to my out-of-town guests.
Posted by Lily | June 11, 2004 1:59 AM