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Fucking poser.
I just wanted to add this: I am not unsympathetic to the concerns expressed by OPDX. Looking back, the single biggest contribution that they have made thus far, is getting people talking. Not just the activists and commentators on either side, but average people who don't typically think about these issues very much were interested because of OPDX. That conversation was valuable. But now, OPDX and associated groups are fading into the background. They are not drawing the attention that they used to, and the conversation they fostered is dying out. Continuing to camp outside of City Hall is an activity which has ever-diminishing returns. Frankly, I don't understand what they believe that they will accomplish by continuing that strategy. I wrote this as a message to them, in the hope that they might start talking about other options that might have either a more direct effect or greater visibility.
I am not yet convinced that they are right, but I value the public discourse they fostered.
Chicostix, I have spoken to them, and I do know why they were out there in the first place. What I don't understand is the continuation of a tactic that has become impotent. Also, just for curiosity, what do you believe that I am posing as?
DamosA, that is not my my preference. My preference is that people of all political stripes and viewpoints are involved in public decision-making to their maximum effect. I am no longer convinced that the act of camping (no matter where it takes place) is going to produce any person's maximum effect. In other words: there are many other things that these people could be doing that would have a greater impact in both the short and long term. I encourage them to do those things instead.
Tcraighenry, that's a fair point. There is a fairly high degree of self-righteousness in posts like mine. I don't mean to suggest that I've got all (or really any) of the answers. However, I've been in groups like OPDX, and I know that when you're constantly surrounded by like-minded people, it can be easy to over-estimate the attention being paid by outsiders. Maybe I'm totally off base, and maybe this is the best use of their time, but I wanted to encourage them to take a second and ask themselves that question. Because, maybe it's not. I chose this forum, because I believe that there is a better chance that they take hear me here, than there is if I were to approach them on the street. If none of them read it, then that's fine. No one is worse off for my having written this.
I miss the days when the way that we organized our economy was a common topic of conversation, even among strangers. I credit OPDX with instigating that conversation. I think it was good for us, and I wish they would do it again.
The only effective wing of Occupy was Occupy Wall Street because it was actually aimed at Wall Street. Occupy Portland was aimed at the city, and mostly the city police. It is completely local and inward facing.
I respect Whitten because he is actually has some sort of plan that he can explain. The rest are mostly road warriors needing a place to crash, and trying to dress up their problems as a "protest." I feel for you being on the street, but your situation isn't a "protest". You are homeless, often with drug issues, and you live by panhandling. For lack of a more PC term, you are bums, not freedom fighters.
Homelessness is sad, but it is impractical to expect the city government to give you all housing. There are too many homeless people and we can't afford it. Portland has actually gone farther lately than most cities to build new facilities, but it seems to have only made you more demanding. If we can afford to build more, there are people out there who are much more fragile than you young people and should get the housing first.
I am tired of you destroying parks and making our city hall look like shit. I wonder what would happen if you put half this effort into using some of the programs available to get yourself straight....
maybe you're right. Maybe it doesn't matter if they hold my attention. Though, I doubt that I am alone in my views. There must be some identifiable segment of the public that feels the way that I do about this, and I don't see how OPDX benefits from that loss of attention.
Protest alone does not cause change. There must be some intermediate step. For example: (Step 1) protest, (Step 2) change the beliefs of the holders of power, (Step 3) those who hold power make changes. Or another example: (Step 1) protest, (Step 2) raise awareness and change the minds of the general public, (Step 3) the general public puts into power the people who will make changes. Lastly, you might have (Step 1) protest, (Step 2), protest draws in enough people that those who hold power can no longer effectively exercise that power, (Step 3) protester's demands are met under threat of violence and disorder. There are, of course, others that I have not listed here. One thing that doesn't work is: (Step 1) Protest, (Step 2) keep protesting, (Step 3) Change happens. That plan is missing some pretty important links in the causal chain.
I don't think that they should stop because I'm bored with them. I think they should ask themselves what Steps 2 and 3 of their plan are, and whether protesting continues to be the most likely way to achieve those steps. The only reason that my attention is relevant to this process at all is that most of ways in which protest can generate change involve capturing the attention of the general public (of which I am a member).
Though, maybe they have a plan that doesn't involve me or others like me. That's very possible. Maybe they've got a way to cut a back-room deal with the Mayor's Office. Or maybe they've got a plan to overthrow the City government by force. I don't know what their idea is exactly. But, if their plan does not call for the mobilization of the electorate in some capacity, then I have a hard time seeing how lasting change is achievable.
What I do know is this: Eight months ago, every single day, in multiple conversations, people would casually bring up and discuss the way in which we organize our economy. Whatever side of the issue you may be on, that discussion was good for us. A lot of people learned a lot of things. Recently, OPDX (and its offspring) are no longer the catalysts for that kind of wide-spread discussion. So, I no longer understand what the protest is meant to do. How do the protesters envision their success being achieved?
Lastly, I will address some of your comments more directly: (1) My attention is not "precious." I willingly waste it on all kinds of meaningless things, like arguing on the internet with people I don't know, and about things that I care about only marginally. (2) I do not assume that everyone is bored if I am. I assume that a number of people that could be meaningfully counted as a percentage of the population in Portland share my views on the subject. This is the sort of thing that political organizations are sometimes interested in. (3) You're right to imply that they don't need me in particular, no political organization needs any person in particular. Though, I rarely find one that doesn't care if their message is being heard. (4) I do not mean to suggest that they should stop what they are doing because they have lost my attention. If their plan does not rely on gaining the the attention and support of the general public, then I encourage them to continue doing what they are doing. If, on the other hand, gaining attention in an important part of their plan, then I suggest that they either find a new method, or double down on the current one.
I am not going to try to explain what I see going on down there, unless you want to come down some time and look me up. Ask for Jimmy.
-ps, I hope that paying attention from afar IS boring you. I can promise that actually COMING DOWN will be much more interesting. That might be a little too much to ask, I get it, but it doesn't hurt. Worst you can say is "no".
(F.Y.I.: i'm pretty sure that blabby's photo isn't of him.)
(click on it and see if you don't agree.)
(i would've come down there and told you this in person, but i have a job and thus rarely have the free time to hang out in parks protesting about the fact that life is hard, and/or that many of our elected officials are assholes.)