What American City Downtown is like Portland, with all the street kids? (fit in, hairstyles) - Oregon (OR) - City-Data Forum

Weekend Traveler · 04-22-2009, 02:52 PM

I spent three days staying at the Downtown Portland Hilton during a recent trip to your fair city. What an experience. I have two observations:

There is a very high percentage of white people in Portland for a large metro area.

There is an incredible number of street kids with crazy tattoos, strange haircuts, and freaky looking clothes. I have no other words for them other than street kids. There was tons of them hanging out and looking for money. A few approached me and asked for money. I asked them why they don't get a job. They said they are not into working. Whatever!

Are there other downtown's that have such a high percentage of street kids?

backdrifter · 04-22-2009, 04:27 PM

I hate being begged for money by lazy street kids who are pretty much my age. It's like... Get a f*cking job and EARN your money like me instead of being a leach on society. OR go back to your family and ask THEM to feed you, because I KNOW you have a family...

Sorry for the rant. There are a lot of street kids in Portland, that's for sure. And Portland is the whitest major American city.

davefr · 04-22-2009, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by backdrifter

Sorry for the rant. There are a lot of street kids in Portland, that's for sure. And Portland is the whitest major American city.

Portland has a large Mexican population. However the Mexicans (and their kids) seem to have a hard work ethic. The white kids might be a little spoiled because they've never seen tough times.

Just a theory.

subsound · 04-22-2009, 11:17 PM

I do see the "street kids" thing, I've seen a great number of young and highly tattooed/pierced people wandering around...most just into the alternative, no office work, life style. Not really anything wrong with it, they do what they want to do. Though they may realize later they aren't as economically mobile after making themselves "fringe looking" so they don't fit in, it will take a few years for insight into this to set in.

There are also people that I see like today coming home...two kids, probably just out of high school or early college (heavily inked and pierced) yacking it up about drinking themselves stupid and getting tore up on drugs tonight, and what happened to them while being blitzed in the last (I think) week. They get off the bus and promptly turn around to start begging all the people around, who just got off the bus after listening to them for the last 15 minutes, to give them money because "We are hungry and need food, we were abused and ran away from home....we swear we are doing our best".

subsound · 04-23-2009, 07:34 AM

The definition for "street kids" changes with each person, dealing with the levels of alternative lifestyle's, reason they decide to live on the streets, substance abuse, and behavior. I'm not sure I consider all on homeless in my view, just urban oriented and not traditionally career bound. There's a wide range of people that fit in there but the subgroup is easily recognized with heavy body modification. Not really any difference on average of the type of people compared to the general population.

backdrifter · 04-23-2009, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by subsound

The definition for "street kids" changes with each person, dealing with the levels of alternative lifestyle's, reason they decide to live on the streets, substance abuse, and behavior. I'm not sure I consider all on homeless in my view, just urban oriented and not traditionally career bound. There's a wide range of people that fit in there but the subgroup is easily recognized with heavy body modification. Not really any difference on average of the type of people compared to the general population.

I would agree with this.

JHG722 · 04-26-2009, 03:18 AM

I have to be honest, I've been dying to visit PDX for a while, and this unfortunately turns me off big time.

suncat · 04-26-2009, 11:37 AM

The spoiled little trust-fund hippies and hipster douchebags are like locusts around downtown Portland, and I think they're an embarrassment to what's otherwise a beautiful downtown. Sorry you had to encounter them, but I hope you ran into enough nicer folks to make your trip good.

Minervah · 04-26-2009, 02:18 PM

Those who are truly in need of help keep a pretty low profile. They may ask for food or money but are not in your face. Those who do their best to stand out with outlandish clothing and hairstyles are playing games. I always figure if they afford all that jewelry and leather and tats they couldn't be all that poor.
I play a little game with them. I am a frumpy middled aged overweight lady. These street wannabes look at me all smirky like they are scaring me. If ignoring them doesn't work, and they really crave attention, I will answer their comments and sneers by a very pleasant "Good morning."
If I am in a mood and they bug me, I will tell them to "f-off." The totally surprised looks on their faces make my day.
Unfortunately if you work downtown and have to walk to your job everyday you are going to encounter this, so you may as well learn how to deal with it. That goes for the druggies that get in your face too. Only once was I actually intimidated by one who demanded money. He was much more threatening than most and his eyes were really scary. Fortunately a cop was nearby and got a hold of him.
I have had many "colorful" experiences with street people; some bad some not. But they are a fact of life and here to stay.

LeftCoastee · 04-26-2009, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minervah

If I am in a mood and they bug me, I will tell them to "f-off."

Thats awesome. Maybe we are not so different.