I've Got To Ask (Portland, Beaverton: city hall, eviction, loans)

[Pavlov's Dog]

Originally Posted by dcisive

I was just watching several Youtube videos done by some folks that took you on a tour of the downtown and outlying areas from there that were nothing but endless lines of homeless in their tents. Some defecating and peeing right there in front of anyone that might be watching. Some very sad souls hanging out there. As these people were explaining it's a problem few discuss and it's going from bad to worse at a fast pace without assistance from the government to correct it or clean it up.

So how in the world does one decide to live in a city such as this when it's becoming so much more destroyed on a regular basis. I happened to be up that way working for a company training their crew for several months back in late 1993 early 1994. It was a delightful place with no apparent issues like I see it has now. Much like what Seattle is going through if not worse. How do you folks living there and not on the streets deal with it?

It's an American thing to move away from problems rather than trying to address the root cause. That isn't a solution though, although out of site, out of mind does work for some folks.

America hates its poor and desitute. Doesn't matter if its the homeless in Portland or countless cities and towns across the country, the rural squalor all over the US or the gutted and bombed out rustbelt cities. These people are you fellow Americans. What are you going to do about it besides pointing out the obvious on an internet forum?

[ccjarider]

Originally Posted by EasyBeezy

Pot has permeated the state culture for the last 50 years. People smoking tons of pot in Oregon is nothing new.

Of course, but legalizing it just normalizes what for society, is not a good trait. No one denies it would not be here if not legalized.

It must be acknowledged that normalizing it has certainly made it more palatable at a surface level. Kind of like homeless here are more palatable for some reason.

[jertheber]

Originally Posted by fastball92

We lived in the Portland Metro area for 10 years and relocated to the South for a job transfer in 2016. We truly missed the mild weather( although I hated the long grey season), food scene, and outdoor lifestyle. That was until we went back this year to visit. We thought about moving back and that was the basis for our 3 week visit, but there is NOT A CHANCE after what PDX has become.

Yeah, you may want to look at Charlotte NC, some posters say it has NO problems, well, with the exception of this:

https://www.wfae.org/politics/2021-0...less-residents


Most large US cities have their problems, but for whatever reason, some want to look thousands of miles from their home to see the problems they could have just seen in their own backyard..

[fastball92]

Originally Posted by jertheber

Yeah, you may want to look at Charlotte NC, some posters say it has NO problems, well, with the exception of this:

https://www.wfae.org/politics/2021-0...less-residents


Most large US cities have their problems, but for whatever reason, some want to look thousands of miles from their home to see the problems they could have just seen in their own backyard..

literally 75 people that they addressed, not 7500 and it is isolated to 1 location. lol... apples and oranges. And I chose not to live in Charlotte for many reasons, but this isn't one of them. Homeless isnt a "problem" for the Carolinas.

[jertheber]

Originally Posted by fastball92

literally 75 people that they addressed, not 7500 and it is isolated to 1 location. lol... apples and oranges. And I chose not to live in Charlotte for many reasons, but this isn't one of them. Homeless isnt a "problem" for the Carolinas.

It IS a problem, but you like to think it's not..Everyone who goes to Portland wants to get on the web and complain, or like you, act as though their hometown/state has NO PROBLEM. One minute looking on google will produce stats showing you the truth, but i suppose when one wants to make his point he can---just make up stuff..

There is no shortage of reading material with regard to the Carolina's and their problems but then again I don't have a political gripe with Carolina, nor do I feel a need to bash anyplace in a country that is suffering a dire poverty. The entre southern states long history with poverty should be enough to convince anyone of the fact of social ills not being a west coast phenomenon. North and South Carolina have their fair share of poverty, it isn't about the numbers but it is about the fact that poverty and drug addiction knows no boundaries within the united States. There are a ton of reports from the Carolina's on google, but then again, you'd rather attempt to defend your illusions than to actually read the truth.


https://www.usich.gov/homelessness-statistics/nc/

https://www.yesweekly.com/news/invis...5413fc452.html

[dcisive]

I don't think it would be hard, but some of ya'll might want to check your news. It seems Portland is now chasing after some new records in homicides and robberies over the last several months. Not a good direction to be headed. It's beginning to sound a bit like the ostrich syndrome or a lot of heads in the sand. But oh don't worry everything is just fine it's just one segment that can easily be ignored.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/a-...des/ar-AAPGq0J

https://thecrimereport.org/2021/10/1...ecord-numbers/

[rainierman]

As a Republican who divested from Portland before COVID, I'll say Portland is actually worse than what you see but a lot better than you think.

The music & cultural life-blood and authentic grit that made people love Portland is effectively gone. Any new big artisan or musical pioneer in this town is going to be GEN-Z crap. 'New Portland' will be a gigantic corporate tsunami from here on out, and given what kind of stuff GEN-Z poor are stealing, they want to be a part of this high-tech corporate influence on society even if they deny it.

The very last 15% of Republican voters still in Portland proper are the ones keeping the last lukewarm liberals in goverment just long enough to make sure this corporate tsunami saves Portland from going full Detroit. As long as Californians and New Englanders stare at Portland like fiscal perverts, it's going to be a plastic metrosexual paradise. It won't be the People's Republic anymore, it will be electric A.I. Google land and TikTokers walking in to light poles.

[dcisive]

Originally Posted by rainierman

As a Republican who divested from Portland before COVID, I'll say Portland is actually worse than what you see but a lot better than you think.

The music & cultural life-blood and authentic grit that made people love Portland is effectively gone. Any new big artisan or musical pioneer in this town is going to be GEN-Z crap. 'New Portland' will be a gigantic corporate tsunami from here on out, and given what kind of stuff GEN-Z poor are stealing, they want to be a part of this high-tech corporate influence on society even if they deny it.

The very last 15% of Republican voters still in Portland proper are the ones keeping the last lukewarm liberals in goverment just long enough to make sure this corporate tsunami saves Portland from going full Detroit. As long as Californians and New Englanders stare at Portland like fiscal perverts, it's going to be a plastic metrosexual paradise. It won't be the People's Republic anymore, it will be electric A.I. Google land and TikTokers walking in to light poles.

I'd say you summed it up about perfectly. Nothing more to be said.

[skylar0201]

Originally Posted by Pavlov's Dog

It's an American thing to move away from problems rather than trying to address the root cause. That isn't a solution though, although out of site, out of mind does work for some folks.

America hates its poor and desitute. Doesn't matter if its the homeless in Portland or countless cities and towns across the country, the rural squalor all over the US or the gutted and bombed out rustbelt cities. These people are you fellow Americans. What are you going to do about it besides pointing out the obvious on an internet forum?

I upped your reputation for a reason here....

The *best* response listed in this thread, to date. This is 'Murica! It's all about "me, myself and I!" only, and to hell with everyone else.

[redguard57]

The homeless problem is a problem across the whole western U.S. If you think it's only Portland, you have not travelled enough.