Portlanders, is it really as bad as the media portrays? (Wheeler: home, cinema)

[blau808]

We've seen the stories all over the news that makes it seem as if Portland is being taken over by rioting mobs. For those of you in the area, is it really as bad as they show? Or is this propaganda to push a political agenda?

Have the rioters taken over the Portland Japanese Garden? Have they burned all of Powell's Books? Are they barricading I-5? Is the Pearl a burning mass of rubble and fire?

Just curious.

[texasdiver]

It's just one or two blocks around the Federal building at night. Which is an area where there aren't many shops or restaurants anyway. The rest of the city is just normal.

[toodie]

Originally Posted by texasdiver

It's just one or two blocks around the Federal building at night. Which is an area where there aren't many shops or restaurants anyway. The rest of the city is just normal.

Then why are Portland business owners begging the mayor to do something so that people will return to downtown. It’s not just isolated to a couple of blocks.

[Cinema Cat]

Originally Posted by blau808

Are they barricading I-5?

Actually, yes. BLM protesters were blocking the I-5 (with city approval -- true, it was Seattle), resulting in an accident:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wcffsQdrwg


That news report chose not to show the accident itself, but you can see it here:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jtXAP06qzA


Ironically, the driver was black: https://scallywagandvagabond.com/202...ester-injured/

[texasdiver]

And a 3-week old video from Seattle has what relevance to Portland?

I passed through downtown yesterday with my daughter to visit a camera store. Everything looked quite ordinary.

[szug-bot]

Originally Posted by Cinema Cat

Ironically, the driver was black: https://scallywagandvagabond.com/202...ester-injured/

it is not ironic that the motorist is black. he's a human being, and expected to react as any might, either passively or aggressively.

[Jnvlv247]

I wondered this too. Seeing cities on TV that I have never been to makes me wonder the area these events are happening at. I know it's not everywhere as a city is a a very big area filled with more than just big buildings, gov buildings and business. Wonder if they will ever take thing to the suburbs and residential areas in Portland? It also makes you wonder what the rest of the city thinks as they do show some people but it doesn't give us a big picture. So we have the view of the city shaped in our minds as a crazy communist loving anarchy mess LOL

I think any city is mostly filled with people who just want to live in peace and go to work and provide for their families and don't even want to get involved in these types of things. People who can stand and support or say they disavow but never cause issues.

[jertheber]

Went to Portland yesterday, looked like an average day in the city, looked at some guitars and walked along the waterfront, got a bite to eat and drove home. Media isn't interested in anything that isn't in the real of sensationalism..

[toodie]

Originally Posted by jertheber

Went to Portland yesterday, looked like an average day in the city, looked at some guitars and walked along the waterfront, got a bite to eat and drove home. Media isn't interested in anything that isn't in the real of sensationalism..

Take a look at your city at night when it's dark outside. That's when the idiots start.

[mmh1030]

Originally Posted by texasdiver

It's just one or two blocks around the Federal building at night. Which is an area where there aren't many shops or restaurants anyway. The rest of the city is just normal.

It's not just normal. The rest of the downtown is not physically damaged to the extent that the riot zone is every night, but store windows are covered with plywood throughout downtown specifically due to the riots, and many people are afraid to come downtown. I own a business a block from the riot zone - our employees are working from home as much for the riots as for COVID. The poor local franchise owner of Jimmy John's near my office has windows broken almost every day. Paint was splashed all over the store yesterday. It's pathetic. I watch the protests at night when i work late (my parking garage is almost at ground zero). Some people are peaceful, but others provoke the police to try to capture things on video that they can then post.

Our politicians are weak and pathetic. None of them seem to care in the least about having a healthy and safe downtown for business, shopping and entertainment. Rioters and homeless campers are the more important citizens apparently. And i'm ashamed to say that i voted for Wheeler.