A RIGGED ELECTION?
RE: âThe Mercuryâs Cutest Pet Photo Contest,â part of our Pet Issue [Feature, Aug 9], in which Mercury readers voted online to determine Portlandâs cutest pet. One contest asked readers to determine who was the cuter dog: Ottis or Louie. Louie easily won with 1,437 votes to Ottisâ 824... OR DID HE?
Hi, Iâm not trying to sound like sour grapes or anything, but you have a pet contest thatâs going on right now, and thereâs Ottis against Louie. And every 30 seconds, Louie is gaining, like, 10 votes. Itâs a little bit fishy. So just wanted to give you that tip-off.
Anonymous, via voicemail
[UPDATE, Aug 16, 2017: Louie has been DISQUALIFIED.âEd.]BURGER PROBLEMS
RE: Burger Week, the Mercuryâs annual promotion of $5 burgers, and last weekâs Letters to the Editor [Aug 9], in which readers noted the disconnect between the Mercuryâs progressive values and Burger Week, considering âthe beef industry is responsible for an obscene amount of greenhouse gasesâ and the amount of âcarbon dioxide and methane emissions produced from animal agriculture dwarfs those of the energy industry.â
Here we are, in this heat wave and these ever-warming temperatures and with forest fires burning all around usâall signs of climate changeâand youâre putting a big thing in there about burgers? Is anybody aware, or trying to do anything good here? Or are you just falling in line with all the developers and all the people grubbing for money? Why donât you become part of the solution, instead of contributing to the problem?
If you people are not willing to address the problem of climate change, then perhaps you would think about the ethics of the whole thing and the cruelty involved with the animals. But maybe that doesnât get to you, either! This gives me a really bad opinion of your newspaperâthat youâre not at all what you purport to be, and are just a fraud.
Nancy Siverson, via voicemail
EXCLUSIVE NIMBYS
RE: âCity Threatens to Cease Recognizing Neighborhood Association Considering Homeless Discrimination Bylawâ [Blogtown, Aug 12]. âThe city will consider âexercising its authority to suspend, and perhaps eventually terminateâ its recognition of the Overlook Neighborhood Association if the groupâs board votes to approve a discriminatory proposal that would prevent houseless residents from participating in meetings,â wrote News Editor Dirk VanderHart, noting the proposed rule seems targeted at âresidents of the organized Hazelnut Grove encampment,â which the neighborhood association âhas squabbled with since 2015.â A letter from Portlandâs Office of Neighborhood Involvement (ONI), which is headed up by Commissioner Chloe Eudaly, stated, âIn the spirit of diversity, ONI does not believe that residency should be based on a âlegal home address,â nor should it be limited to those who may be able to afford to buy or rent a home.â
Would Eudaly be okay with people who arenât Portland residents showing up and voting against her in the next election? Why not, if a legal Portland address isnât a requirement for a voting stake in an even more local system?
FlavioSuave
Maybe the homeless could join if they can provide proof they were once bonafide residents of the neighborhood, renting or owning a place prior to becoming houseless.
FYI
Weâve had the same issues in our neighborhood. And, because we know the individuals so well, we know who is actually residing in the area, and who has just carpetbagged in for the purpose of âadvocatingâ at meetings.
We donât require residency for membership in our neighborhood association, but membership is defined as residents, business owners, or representatives of businesses and organizations within the boundaries of our neighborhood. For cases like Hazelnut Grove, that would mean that HG, as an organization, could designate a single representative. Itâs not as easy as showing up, but weâve made accommodations.
Psymonetta Isnoful
For pointing out a common-sense solution to a hot-button issue, Psymonetta Isnoful, you win the Mercuryâs letter of the weekâand two tickets to the Laurelhurst Theater.
Letters and comments may be edited for space. Email us at lovenotes@portlandmercury.com.