THE COST OF BURGERS
RE: âAn Inconvenient Sequel Makes a Convenient Argument for Capitalismâ [Film, Aug 2], in which Sydney Brownstone noted the new Al Gore film âdoesnât address the root of the problemâ of climate change, and Burger Week, the Mercuryâs annual promotion of $5 burgers.
This review seems a bit off base. The bigger reality is that itâs our animal agriculture industry that is the largest leading contributor to global warming, wasteful water usage, and ecological destruction. The amount of carbon dioxide and methane emissions produced from animal agriculture dwarfs those of the energy industry.
Donât get me wrongâIâm not trying to defend the oil bastards. However, for you to give this kind of rant in a paper that, during the very same week, also ran a multi-page food porn promotion for Burger Week seems hypocritical. Itâs not just Al Gore whoâs missing the point.
zipitup
I love your newspaper, particularly how outspoken you are about promoting progressive values. But Iâm confused about how you square your concern about climate change with your advocacy for Burger Week. We know the beef industry is responsible for an obscene amount of greenhouse gases.
According to The Atlantic, âeven if people kept eating chicken and pork and eggs and cheeseâ[removing beef from our diets] could achieve somewhere between 46 and 74 percent of the reductions needed to meet the targetâ for greenhouse gas emissions.
Burger Week could have been an opportunity to educate people about the link between beef and climate change, by, say, suggesting people eat burgers made from animals other than cows. But encouraging people to binge-eat burgers all week, without even a mention of the effect all that beef-eating has on the planet? Itâs a missed opportunity to support more environmentally friendly options. I hope youâll consider taking a more nuanced perspective next year.
Saul
WATERFRONT CLASHES
RE: âFights on the Waterfront: Photos/Video from Sundayâs Right-Wing Rally and Left-Wing Protestâ [Blogtown, August 6], News Reporter Doug Brownâs story on clashes between activists. Right-wing marchers used a militia group, the Oregon Three Percenters, for security.
Iâd say those âThree Percentersâ donât do a very good job at keeping the peace. Maybe they need more training?
tommyspoon
POLICE ABUSES
RE: âHall Monitor: Slap Yourselves, Portlandâ [News, August 2], in which News Editor Dirk VanderHart urged Portlanders to pay attention to Portland City Council as they make âa series of tweaks to the cityâs ongoing settlement with the US Department of Justice over police abuses.â
Donât we already have a police oversight section at City Hall? Namely, the Citizen Review Committee (CRC) and the Independent Police Review (IPR)? Shouldnât they be part of the discussion on this new acronym-fest? They have been doing police oversight for a very long time. Meanwhile, this new board doesnât seem to have a lot of directionâand what does the mayor know about police oversight? He has a lot on his plate already. Is he the right person for the job?
Cromsy
SWOOSH
RE: âAn On-Duty PBOT Employee Trolled Under Armour with a Nike SwooshâThen Retiredâ [Blogtown, August 4]. âIn a bizarre and delightful series of events, the City of Portland is trying to collect more than $250 from a former transportation worker after he decorated a road in front of Under Armourâs new Southwest Barbur outpost with a Nike swoosh on his last day of work,â wrote VanderHart.
How is this in any way delightful? Nike already has its fucking swoosh all over our parks under âin perpetuityâ deals that the city should never have made. Under Armour is no saint among corporations, but at least it makes substantial donations without any logo placement. When you splash your logo around, itâs not a charitable contribution. Itâs an ad buy.
averageidiot
zipitup and Saul, you both win the Mercuryâs letter(s) of the week! And you each get two tickets to the Laurelhurst Theaterâwhere excellent movies can be enjoyed alongside environmentally friendly food options.
Letters and comments may be edited for space. Email us at lovenotes@portlandmercury.com.