EVERYONE SUFFERS
DEAR MERCURY—In response to the article about the
horrible death of Tracey Sparling [“Blind Spot of Justice?” Feature,
Jan 17]: I am confident that the district attorney and the police
department carried out a complete and thorough investigation regarding
all of these unfortunate incidences. While my heart goes out to the
pedestrians, bicyclists, and their families, my heart also goes out to
the motorists involved in these cases. Let’s not forget that these
individuals and their families will live with these deaths for a long
time.
Chuck
HAMMERS & EGGS
DEAR MERCURY—I’m writing in regards to the article
“Blind Spot of Justice?” [Feature, Jan 17]. I don’t think ignorance of
physical presence is any way to justify the driver getting off the hook
here. A driver has to be reasonably cautious—you’re driving and
you don’t see a speed limit sign, it’s not reasonable to assume then
that there is no speed limit! He’s a trucker by occupation—he
should know that there was a possibility of somebody being there.
Sounds like Portland wants to go out of their way to protect the
hammers from the eggs.
David Grimshaw
IN THE HOUSE
DEAR MERCURY—I feel obligated to write and clarify the
false labels the Julia West House (JWH) has been given by the press and
by certain politicians [“Julia Wild West House,” News, Nov 29]. It has
been said that JWH enables drug users and dealers, and gives them a
“safe haven” to do their business. The only thing JWH enables the
homeless to do is to get warm, dry, fed, and the ability to contact any
other resources they may need, such as doctors, lawyers, shelters, and
numerous classes to better themselves.
Dylan Collesidis
REAL RACISM RESEARCH?
DEAR MERCURY—[Re: “Blue Numbers,” News, Jan 17] As a
former police officer, from a very large city that has been leading the
country in crime since the ’60s, I would have to say that by and large
blacks and Latinos (Cubans, in my case) commit a disproportionate
amount of crime for their relative population percentage. Blacks not
only commit a large number of crimes, but they tend to resist arrest
with violence and/or run when stopped. I have very little experience
with Mexicans, so I can’t say why guns are drawn on them except that
maybe meth users and dealers tend toward violence. Profiling is also a
necessary tool of law enforcement, although some cops tend to get
carried away, resulting in unnecessary traffic stops and arrests.
However, fill a car with four young black guys, and at least one of
them has a serious arrest record. In the ’60s through the ’80s if a cop
observed a white guy with long hair driving a beat-up car, he could
safely assume that there just might be drugs in that vehicle. The next
time you decide to write an article like this you might want to do some
real research.
Anonymous
BAD DREAM
DEAR MERCURY STAFF—When I turned to My, What a Busy
Week! I was utterly disappointed with your flippant treatment of Martin
Luther King Jr. Day [Jan 17]. If the
Mercury strives to represent itself as a
progressive publication, it needs to do a better job.
How are we to be hopeful for the future of our country, let alone city,
when the Mercury tells us to “Dream on”? I expected
better.
White Liberal Reader
CONGRATULATIONS TO WHITE LIBERAL READER for setting the
bar higher for progressives everywhere, and winning the Mercury
letter of the week! WLR gets two tickets to the Laurelhurst Theater
and lunch at No Fish! Go Fish!, where diversity is always on the
menu.
DEPT. OF CLARIFICATIONS
In last week’s story on the police bureau’s use of force statistics
[“Blue Numbers,” News, Jan 17], we indicated that Independent Police
Review head Leslie Stevens, and City Auditor Gary Blacker declined to
comment. To clarify, Stevens responded to the Mercury‘s
question—whether the IPR was sitting on the stats—with a
quote from a report that did not answer the question, and neither
she nor Blackmer responded to a follow up request for comment.
HEY READERS! What is your craziest love story? Ever
have a legendarily bad breakup? Found the love of your life against all
possible odds and obstructions? If you’ve got a crazy love story, we
want to hear about it! Send ’em in to crazylove@portlandmercury.com by Friday, February 1 for a chance to see your tale in the pages of the
Mercury!