OUT OF SITES

RE: “Mayor Ted Wheeler Has Shot Down the Latest Plan to Move Right 2 Dream Too—And Won’t Try To Find It a New Home” [Blogtown, Feb 17], in which News Editor Dirk VanderHart reported that, following the latest rejection of a possible new site for the homeless rest area Right 2 Dream Too, Mayor Ted Wheeler has chosen not to proactively pursue further relocation efforts. “With no one left to hold the reigns,” wrote VanderHart, “it appears possible the six-year-old camp could be forced out of existence.”

Many voters thought Ted Wheeler was a progressive. They were suckered.

Euphonius

Ted Wheeler was chosen by Portland’s business community. His buddies toss him some cash, and he keeps the homeless away from them. This is the man Portland voted for. The recall petition will begin collecting signatures this summer.

recall wheeler

Portland has already wasted $900,000 on trying—just trying—to relocate a homeless camp. Why anyone would think this was a good use of time and money is beyond me. Not that we owe these people anything, but think of how much housing could have been purchased with that.

stumpbiscuit

SHOTS FIRED

RE: “One Killed, One Wounded by Portland Police on Thursday. Here Are the Two People Shot and the Three Officers Who Shot Them” [Blogtown, Feb 13], News Reporter Doug Brown’s story about the police shootings of 17-year-old Quanice Hayes, who was killed, and 56-year-old Don Perkins, who was wounded. Hayes, who was black, was shot by Officer Andrew Hearst; Perkins, who was white, was shot by officers Roger Walsh and Bradley Clark. In their work as police officers, both Hearst and Clark have shot people previously.

Cops know they can get away with—and are protected in court for—shooting someone if they have any justifiable cause, such as someone having a fake gun or a past criminal record. It makes a lot of sense that Clark would shoot someone again, since he got away with it once.

Wheeler acts as though the Portland Police can do no wrong against minorities. He has expressed a lot of over-the-top praise of the Portland Police Bureau and public condemnation of minorities who have run-ins with law, while not raising any issue with whites who break the law or who are criminal or violent.

Wheeler has a bigger vocabulary than [former Mayor Charlie] Hales, and has learned through years of practice in an elected office to be somewhat careful with public relations, whereas Hales was as blunt as a human being could possibly be. One thing Hales often boasted of was that no one was shot or killed by PPB under his mayorship, or something to that extent. I never dreamed I would say I thought that Hales did a good job, in some areas, as mayor—but after watching what Wheeler has done in less than two months, Hales’ mayorship is starting to look good.

Latina_writer

GO TO CHURCH

RE: “So You Want to Counter-Protest Abortion Clinic Protesters. Here’s How to Do It Without Making Things Worse” [Blogtown, Feb 10], in which Senior Editor Megan Burbank offered advice such as “Maybe don’t actually do it,” and “Remember that there are other ways to help.” Alternately....

It takes very little time to find out which churches sent these rotten fucking people. Find out what church they come from and picket that church. The deal was always “We won’t tax you if you stay out of politics.” Well, they’ve never stayed out of politics, and taxing them will always be a political non-starter. So do the only thing you can, and picket their fucking churches.

rich bachelor

Not a bad idea, rich! We’re giving you the Mercury’s letter of the week—and two tickets to the Laurelhurst Theater, so you can kick back with a beer and a movie after protesting.

Letters and comments may be edited for space. Email us at lovenotes@portlandmercury.com.