Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The typical attitude seems to be that Portland is already perfect, and there is no reason to fix or improve anything about it.
There is also a lot of judgement towards people who dont fall in line like you are, "one of THOSE people". There isn't a lot of room for diversity of thought and especially no room for religion except for Buddism. I am not kidding either. Inner Portland, or "Portlandia", is where this mentality lives and breathes but get out into "the bad areas" ( code for areas with blue-collar whites, immigrants and more than 1% black) and you see the Portland that existed way before the trendy transplants, like myself, came and declared Portland to be this and that. I just wish we could call a spade a spade. Like it's easy to be open minded and accepting when you aren't challenged by people who think differently. People clam up at parties or gatherings of any kind when any problem in Portland is expressed.
There is also a lot of judgement towards people who dont fall in line like you are, "one of THOSE people". There isn't a lot of room for diversity of thought and especially no room for religion except for Buddism. I am not kidding either. Inner Portland, or "Portlandia", is where this mentality lives and breathes but get out into "the bad areas" ( code for areas with blue-collar whites, immigrants and more than 1% black) and you see the Portland that existed way before the trendy transplants, like myself, came and declared Portland to be this and that. I just wish we could call a spade a spade. Like it's easy to be open minded and accepting when you aren't challenged by people who think differently. People clam up at parties or gatherings of any kind when any problem in Portland is expressed.
What "bad areas" are you referring to, or was that code for "East Portland?" I would definitely have to say with the people I know, my experiences are definitely much different from yours. Most of the people I know are more than willing to express their opinions about Portland good or bad.
Heck, just this week with dealing with the homeless issue in Portland, I feel like we have become too lazy with dealing with the problem and have basically tied the hands of law enforcement when it comes to handling this issue. Which doesn't mean that we should start arresting people who are homeless for being homeless, but this do nothing attitude the city has definitely needs to change. From what I have seen, this current city council and mayor has to be the biggest waste of space in Portland that should all lose their elections and be replaced with a new crop of politicians who actually have some real vision and drive for Portland's future.
Obviously the homeless issue is an off topic one, but it is one of the many things we talk about, so maybe it is time to focus on those that you know that don't clam up when an issue comes up. That tends to be the sign of someone who doesn't want to say something negative in fear of it being taken the wrong way or being attacked for having a negative opinion.
What "bad areas" are you referring to, or was that code for "East Portland?" I would definitely have to say with the people I know, my experiences are definitely much different from yours. Most of the people I know are more than willing to express their opinions about Portland good or bad.
Heck, just this week with dealing with the homeless issue in Portland, I feel like we have become too lazy with dealing with the problem and have basically tied the hands of law enforcement when it comes to handling this issue. Which doesn't mean that we should start arresting people who are homeless for being homeless, but this do nothing attitude the city has definitely needs to change. From what I have seen, this current city council and mayor has to be the biggest waste of space in Portland that should all lose their elections and be replaced with a new crop of politicians who actually have some real vision and drive for Portland's future.
Obviously the homeless issue is an off topic one, but it is one of the many things we talk about, so maybe it is time to focus on those that you know that don't clam up when an issue comes up. That tends to be the sign of someone who doesn't want to say something negative in fear of it being taken the wrong way or being attacked for having a negative opinion.
I think you are at least 15 years younger than I am, Urbanlife, so I sure we are in different social circles. I have met very thoughtful people in Portland BUT many of these people seem like Portland cheerleaders. For example, when I told a neighbor that over four of us on the block were car burgled while our cars were parked deep on our properties, I was not received with concern or a "what can we do to watch each other" kind of attitude but a," Portland will be Portland" kind of attitude. I have met scores of very educated, concerned parents but the concern for "other peoples' kids" like kids from certain neighborhoods doesn't seem to exist. How can so many educated, thoughtful, LIBERAL, progressive people not be concerned with the education of Portland's children? As for topics like bike lanes and the homeless youth with dogs downtown... well these topics are very hush- hush. I have mostly only discussed these issues on this forum. I think the homeless problem contributes to the Portland image of having no one in charge. I feel like there needs to be some feeling of authority especially in tourist areas. Families that spend good money at a nice hotel should feel safe to walk around and not be harassed or pass some punk with his pit bull with a studded chain around his neck. I grew up in the land of hippies, freaks, someone always protesting something, went to the Gay Freedom Parade in SF in the early 70's. I am NOT naive but enough is enough. I avoid many areas because of the 30 or more homeless youth that congregate and contribute nothing to Portland. As for diversity, I am moving to a WA County neighborhood that has two Muslim families, one Hindu family, several Christian families, several Catholic families and that's just the neighbors I have met. There are many ethnic and racial groups on one block which is funny that one has to move to the burbs to feel like she is back in NYC!
I think you are at least 15 years younger than I am, Urbanlife, so I sure we are in different social circles. I have met very thoughtful people in Portland BUT many of these people seem like Portland cheerleaders. For example, when I told a neighbor that over four of us on the block were car burgled while our cars were parked deep on our properties, I was not received with concern or a "what can we do to watch each other" kind of attitude but a," Portland will be Portland" kind of attitude. I have met scores of very educated, concerned parents but the concern for "other peoples' kids" like kids from certain neighborhoods doesn't seem to exist. How can so many educated, thoughtful, LIBERAL, progressive people not be concerned with the education of Portland's children? As for topics like bike lanes and the homeless youth with dogs downtown... well these topics are very hush- hush. I have mostly only discussed these issues on this forum. I think the homeless problem contributes to the Portland image of having no one in charge. I feel like there needs to be some feeling of authority especially in tourist areas. Families that spend good money at a nice hotel should feel safe to walk around and not be harassed or pass some punk with his pit bull with a studded chain around his neck. I grew up in the land of hippies, freaks, someone always protesting something, went to the Gay Freedom Parade in SF in the early 70's. I am NOT naive but enough is enough. I avoid many areas because of the 30 or more homeless youth that congregate and contribute nothing to Portland. As for diversity, I am moving to a WA County neighborhood that has two Muslim families, one Hindu family, several Christian families, several Catholic families and that's just the neighbors I have met. There are many ethnic and racial groups on one block which is funny that one has to move to the burbs to feel like she is back in NYC!
I will say, the "Portland will be Portland" response over the car break ins probably was their way of saying, don't leave stuff in your car because someone might break into them....I cannot stress this fact enough in Portland to people. I know you said deep in your property, but that doesn't matter, keeping the parked car in the garage is about the only way to prevent that from happening besides making sure there is nothing worth stealing visible.
Of course the neighbors you mentioned this to might also be the kind of people that don't want to be the neighborhood watchdogs....it is very common in Oregon for people to feel like you need to watch out for your own stuff. (Granted, they could have also just been jerks.)
My guess on the parenting issue is again it comes back to watching out for your own stuff. When one has a kid, their priority is that kid, not so much everyone else's kids. The friends I have that have kids all seem to act this way, and I am sure my wife and I will act this way when we one day have a kid. There are people hired to make it their concern what other children are doing when it comes to education in Portland.
Here is my issue with homelessness in Portland, it is a illness, for one to live on the streets to begin with shows they have a sign of mental illness. Now if the Police were to push the homeless out of "tourist areas," all we would be doing is moving around the problem without ever addressing the problem. Also, homelessness in Portland knows no age, I have seen all ages homeless, not just the youth. Which I do agree with you that enough is enough and something should be done, but I will say, pushing them to less seen places isn't a viable answer.
Oh and I totally agree with you, when people try to say Portland isn't diverse, what they are really saying is there isn't a lot of black people in Portland, and a lot of white people live here. Though diversity is more than just skin color, Portland is a very diverse city and metro when it comes to many things beyond just race. Overall, it is a city that still impresses me to this day, and I am still happy to call this city and state home.
Urbanlife- the diverse street I am speaking of is the new neighborhood I am moving to in the West suburbs... NOT Portland. My Portland neighborhood is not very diverse at all. I am glad to start something new in an area that better suits my families' needs and it's kind of funny to see more international diversity in Beaverton than the core of Portland.
Urbanlife- the diverse street I am speaking of is the new neighborhood I am moving to in the West suburbs... NOT Portland. My Portland neighborhood is not very diverse at all. I am glad to start something new in an area that better suits my families' needs and it's kind of funny to see more international diversity in Beaverton than the core of Portland.
Sorry, I meant to say Portland metro, I wasn't referring to just the city of Portland.
From what I have seen, this current city council and mayor has to be the biggest waste of space in Portland that should all lose their elections and be replaced with a new crop of politicians who actually have some real vision and drive for Portland's future.
This is the funniest thing I have read on this forum in a long, long time.
Portlanders will always vote for the "trendy" candidate who's politically correct and who all their friends are voting for, and really give no thought to that candidates policies. Political herd mentality at it's finest.
IMHO, Portland's last several mayors and councils have been extremely short sighted and lacking in long term policies.
They all remind me of an immature teenager who gets a summer job, and all of a sudden has a few bucks to spend and then blows it all on "fun stuff" instead of putting some of the money away for the future.
Just for giggles, tell me who the the last Portland mayor and council (in recent memory) were that were not a waste of time?
Sam Adams? (Waste of time.)
Tom Potter? (Irrelevant)
Vera Katz? (Started the spending spree)
Beatnik Bud Clark? (not a career politician, but actually started to bring Portland out of it's doldrums)
Frank Ivancie? (Maybe ok)
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I would definitely have to say with the people I know, my experiences are definitely much different from yours. Most of the people I know are more than willing to express their opinions about Portland good or bad.
