Now if only the people who disagree with Adams could work together and pony up $15,000 for a third-independent poll and release the results.

No. The issue isn't guns. Guns are the symptom.

The issue is an underlying sickness that more Portlanders are turning to guns and crime. Take away the guns, and that sickness? It will get out another way.

Oh, we should totally address (1) gun-related crimes and (2) discontent and resentment of US policies.

But just because the media limits the scope of potential solutions to these issues doesn't mean we have to do so.

We're not actually constrained to either doing nothing or (1) outlawing guns and (2) shootin' anyone with a tan who looks askance at America's corporate influence on the world.

In fact, by carrying out these two (ahem) so-called "solutions" to the problems? The US continues to cause even greater problems that are much worse in the long-term.

So what to do?

Address the root cause. Not the symptom. And both causes are more likely economic rather than ideological. But I've probably rambled on enough for one post...