BAN MEN

RE: “His Word Against Mine” [Feature, Sept 28], Ciara Dolan and Doug Brown’s feature on stories of sexual assault from the Portland music community following local musician Joel Magid’s admission via Facebook that he’d committed a sexual assault. “Sexual assault is a problem everywhere—not just in Portland or its music community—but we hope the following locally based stories will amplify voices and experiences that may have been previously drowned out,” they wrote.

As hard as it is to read stories like these, I hope that talking about it helps [sexual assault survivors] work toward healing. One unexpected realization I came to while reading this is just how much this sounds like fraternity culture. The irony, of course, is that these same people would be deeply offended at the comparison; however, both scenes give these men the inflated sense of self-worth and entitlement that leads them to commit such acts.

The part about the Blacklist was interesting too, as much as I dislike the name. I guess something has to be done when you see how little the police will do in these situations. I don’t particularly care for the term “blacklist,” and given my previously mentioned realization I’d like propose a new name for it. I hereby submit the idea of establishing a new fraternal order of Mu Epsilon Tau Lambda (METL) in which new members are involuntarily submitted.

zipitup

Thank you for this piece. It is so necessary. Thank you, Portland Mercury, for having the balls to write what I haven’t seen any other media outlet write.

shdifofndndnsk

<3 THORNS

RE: “Soccer (Hot Mess) Recap: Thorns FC vs W. New York Flash” [Blogtown, Oct 3], Erin O’Regan’s recap of our beloved Thorns’ loss to the unworthy New York Flash. “THE THORNS HAVE LOST AND I CANNOT BE CONSOLED,” wrote O’Regan, in obvious distress.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for all of your Thorns posts. I laughed and smiled while reading all of them, even this one (though I was crying at the same time). ’Til next year...

hellothomas

Thank you so much for your awesome Thorns posts! I saw my first match in May because my six-year-old daughter is into soccer and I thought, “Hey, why not?” Yesterday, it took everything in my power to keep from sobbing all over my scarf when the metaphorical buzzer rang and it wasn’t the Thorns celebrating a victory. I am beyond bummed, but also so happy to have a team I can follow and believe in and celebrate with my daughter. I read your posts to her because they are the best Thorns coverage around. Thank you and can’t wait for more next year!

Katie S

WE FUCKED UP

RE: “In Portland, Kristen Schaal Speaks Out Against Donald Trump—and the Tampon Tax” [Blogtown, Sept 26], Meryl Williams’ recap of Kristen Schaal’s appearance at the Mission Theater, where the comedian stumped for Hillary Clinton and where we quoted Schaal as having compared America under a Trump presidency to “Bip’s Empire from Back to the Future 2.”

Thanks for the coverage! I think you mean “Biff,” though, not “Bip.”

Mel

JFC, Mel. Thank YOU for your knowledge of the Back to the Future franchise. We regret the error, and blame it entirely on the fact that the blog post in question was edited by someone born in the late ’80s who is still “catching up” on those movies. Our bad. Please enjoy two tickets to the Laurelhurst Theater, where know-it-alls are welcome.