Occupy clearout drawing nearer in Portland
Portland parks commissioner Nick Fish now says he's had enough of the antics of the campers in the downtown parks. With the police union eager to whack some hipsters, and a bunch of protesters now chaining themselves together on property owned by the security-obsessed federal government, the ticking of the clock is getting louder.
| Posted at 4:55 PM | Permalink |
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Comments (11)
Oooh, a commissioner that's 'had enough.'
Their words mean nothing in a corrupt lawless land.
Posted by Leaving | November 7, 2011 5:04 PM
Poor Nick...a really small Fish in the pond scum of Portlandia.
Posted by Portland Native | November 7, 2011 5:20 PM
Dear Mr. B.,
I'm de-lurking in order to make an O/T comment: the photo on your blog page is adorable. Made me smile as soon as it opened. Thanks.
Posted by Gwen | November 7, 2011 6:39 PM
Oh, Nick's not a commissioner. He's just a Portland City Councilor.
Posted by Max | November 7, 2011 6:45 PM
Made me smile as soon as it opened.
It's a great one. I believe it was taken at Sunnyside School in southeast Portland. I've had it for several years now, thanks to a friend of this blog. For posterity, here's a link to it:
https://bojack.org/images/schooldaysbanner.jpg
Posted by Jack Bog | November 7, 2011 8:26 PM
What a wonderful advertisement the encampments are for down town portland and its juvenile led governance. Even city hall, though, wants a fat cash register Holiday shopping season, and the encampments might put a damper on this season's cheer.
Go away Occupods, go away Occupods, it's christmas time in the down town! Grab your tent, and start paying rent; it's christmas time in the down town! You get low bail, but you are on sale; it's christmas time in the down town! Halloween is over, no more stayovers; it's christmas time in the down town!
get along little Occupods.
Posted by Bob Clark | November 7, 2011 8:32 PM
"Trees have rights." -Commissioner Dan Saltzman
That's all there is to it... when they start hacking up historic, protected trees in a downtown city park, then you pretty much have to firehose them. I recommend paying the 25 cents for super suds.
Posted by Downtown Denizen | November 7, 2011 8:58 PM
Q: Where can a large number of citizens assemble without having to get the permission of government to do so? What would the founding fathers think of our modern life of laws and regulations that hinder the rights they fought for?
Sure, I think the hipsters downtown are an embarrassment and their protest vague and juvenile, but where might you go if you wanted to make a stand against certain government actions? Would you wait until big Gov approved your request and then do it on their terms?
I hope that the protesters do as the Egyptians and clean and restore the public square on their own when they leave.
Posted by Nolo | November 7, 2011 10:37 PM
Nolo
The bigger Question may be...
When does a right to assemble cease being a protest or citizen gathering, and start to become a permanent homestead?
After all, do folks really think our founding fathers intended for us to have the right to move into a public area, and set up permanent living quarters? To simply inhabit that public property.
An existence rather than a protest. An aquisition of public land for private use. Maybe a nuisance and possibly a public safety hazard for those who have to travel the area? Clearly, the right to assemble and the right to occupy/invade are apples and oranges.
Posted by Gibby | November 8, 2011 4:34 AM
To Leaving (first post in this string). Corrupt Lawless Land? Give us a break. If you are indeed leaving and really want to inhabit a corrupt lawless land, then I suggest one of the "stans" would be appropriate...
Posted by dean | November 8, 2011 12:34 PM
Gibby , a fair question , but it took our Founding Fathers a good deal of time to get their sht together , because just like OccupyPortland , they didn't have a Playbook. When you have to make it up out of whole cloth it takes some time.
In the mean time The Right To Assembly takes precedence over petty concerns. It was after all the impositions of petty rulers that started the first Revolution.
AND we have to thank our Mayor and Chief of Police for being understanding. So if the Park Employees don't feel safe , send a cop in with them. Every group needs policing , even this one.
But these folks need basic sanitation , and denying it is rude.
Posted by billb | November 8, 2011 4:12 PM