Comments

1
Personally, I see more drug deals at Pioneer Courthouse Square than in Old Town. Today I witnessed two, including a mob of about 15 druggies setting up a market on the North side of Nordstroms.

There's only one way to end the drug problem in Old Town: Open a store that sells these drugs. Just legalize the heroin and meth, and give people option to seek treatment when they come in for a purchase.

I can’t think of a plausible reason why these people are not doing time in Snake River instead of walking the streets and being “excluded.” Don’t get me wrong, locking these people up is not a long term solution, but drug dealers are going to commit crimes of opportunity too.

I can't imagine too many readers are surprised to learn that policing in this country/Portland is racist. The Drug War is the perfect emblem of racism: it started specifically to target cultural traditions of racial communities, and continues as a tool of oppression today. Just look at the history of the Drug War if you want to know more.
2
What's odd is that the D.A.'s office gets to institute a new, racially-disparate drug program each time the last one gets constitutionally tossed. It's odd because you'd think the public wouldn't like that, but they do, because it turns out they elect the D.A., and they really would prefer it if drugs weren't in certain areas. But the D.A. is never scrutinised by local media, closely, on whether he thinks these programs are indeed racist. I mean, I've never heard Mike Schrunk respond to ten years worth of stats on these programs. Drug Free Areas. Drug Free Zones. Whatever they're called that year. And I've never seen anybody serious challenge Mike Schrunk. Say, is Mike Schrunk even still the D.A. in Portland? When's he due to retire? Who's running? And what do they think of all this?

Please wait...

Comments are closed.

Commenting on this item is available only to members of the site. You can sign in here or create an account here.


Add a comment
Preview

By posting this comment, you are agreeing to our Terms of Use.