I’m starting to realize I’m bitter and cynical and jaded. I don’t like this. It’s not how I picture myself inside. But when I look over the stories I’ve written for the last several months, I realize that in almost every single one of them, somebody in power, usually at the city, has shown themselves to be either apparently corrupt, lazy, useless, stupid, greedy, inept, incompetent, uncaring, self-serving or worse.
A cop was accused of lying to the court but is unlikely to face any sanction. A city official denied practically all knowledge of a secretive program he was taking active political credit for, weeks earlier. Another city official looks ready to vote with big business to hurt homeless people because the businesspeople funded his election campaign. The cops’ racial profiling committee remains mired in argument and no closer to achieving its goals. A black guy registering minority voters is excluded from public transportation by a cop (okay, this happened in Beaverton, but still). Park rangers destroy a homeless man’s property without warning. An apparently innocent man is jumped and Tasered by the cops, who happen to also be forgetting to properly report tickets given out under a controversial ordinance to the city-funded group responsible for overseeing the ordinance’s enforcement. Granted, Peterson’s convenience store remains open. But only because the city was shamed, shamed into doing something about its imminent closure.
So here’s my question: Why would I want anything more to do with the city of Portland? Why should I believe a single positive word coming out of its boondoggling little mouth? I want so much to believe in a city that works. A city that cares. A city that wants to make life easier for people. But I’m experiencing a city that obstructs. That evades. That, it seems, couldn’t give a hoot about responsibility. And it’s making me angrier by the day, to the point where I feel paralyzed to even open my mouth for fear that the whole lot might just come tumbling out in some mad man’s torrent of Falling Down-style idiocy.
Granted, I focus my attention on aspects of the city that are traditionally poorly overseen. I actively pursue stories that put pressure on elected officials to be accountable. But seriously? There’s a quote on the wall of the downtown Justice Center about “injustice anywhere being an injustice everywhere,” and frankly, I just ain’t feeling it. An injustice anywhere is an injustice there, maybe. Elsewhere, it’s just Portland as usual. And who cares?
Jeez, Matt! If you need a vacation, just ask for it!
Cheer up bloke.
But you see, that’s what happened when you expect government to be ‘A city that cares. A city that wants to make life easier for people’
When you learn that the best thing govt does is break things, you’ll see why they make the military run so well, and why less is better.
And for god sake, take the vaca offer too.
[Thanks the boss].
[Will return to normal Blogtown service shortly].
Maybe some kind of exchange program with the Wasilla newspaper?
Oh, Matt. You still think government is going to serve anything besides itself? That’s so cute.
Medicate. You’ll feel better.
The only way any government folks are ever going to do anything worthwhile is if a) they’re good people, or b) if someone scrutinizes and publicizes what they’re doing and draws attention to the parts of it that are bullshit. The arrogant cabal of jackasses at the Portland Police Bureau let’s say, or those in the federal govt., will continue to fuck us over, as long as they know they won’t be held accountable for their actions. I’ve enjoyed all the rabble-rousing stories you’ve written becauase god dammit, that’s what the press should do. Keep up the good work. Don’t expect to continue to feel all warm and fuzzy about Portland… that shit wears off after two winters.
You are probably frustrated with the hypocrisy of Portland’s self-proclaimed and widely marketed exceptionalism. See, deep down, Portland’s pretty much the same as everywhere else in the U.S. We say we’re different because we have politicians who ride bikes and make asses outof themselves saying “whoop whoop”; we take money intended for low income housing to recycle rainwater from yuppie rooftops; and we have a cute little trolley that runs over a former bus line and serves about 12.5 persons per year. Translation of our marketing: we have politicians who are weak and easily manipulated by special interests; we use “trickle down economic” theory by subsidizing wealthy developers for useless projects; and big contractors get play when they pay. The difference is, Portlanders actually seem to believe they’re different from everywhere else. Our sales pitch sounds good and the delusion makes the marketing pitch convincing, until you realize it’s pretty much the same as Bumblefuck, USA.
You are rare in outing the man behind the curtain, as it were. Keep on muckraking—we need it!
Looking back, my last comment was a little flip, considering I was trying to make an actual point.
If you’re jaded about the state of our government, it’s because you have a faults assumption that it could be any better. You’re expecting it be something that it never will. You’re like a guy who says he’s starting to feel jaded about his chances of ever taking flight with his own two arms.
You shouldn’t listen to anything that comes out of the mouths of those crooks and whores–you should go and do stories about jet packs. Because jet packs are awesome. Both as metaphors, and as modes of personal transportation.
I think this is a good time to say “THANKS MATT” for doing a kickass job and hounding our public servants when we’re all cynical sloths who occupy our time with unsubstantiated bitching.
Matt Davis – Substantiates our bitches.
Man, vacation is where it’s AT. I spent the whole day today biking around Portland with a friend from out of town, seeing the great things about this city (like the mid-week farmer’s market in the South Park Blocks, where we enjoyed lunch while I fought the strong urge to pop into nearby city hall). I’ve almost completely forgotten about all that’s wrong with this city. Until next week, when I’m back at the desk.
Matt,
I didn’t create “The No Hate Zone”, just for others. It’s as much for me as it is for others. We all have to remind ourselves, that each day, every day is a gift from G-d (Warning !! About to get deep and sentimental).
Believe it or not I’m thankful for your reporting , we as a community would be lost without it.
Imagine if you were the one who’s property was destroyed or you got tazed. Instead you are the one giving those people a voice, you are the one giving them Justice. With out you and others they would be paralyzed.
On a lighter note, Stay away from Vince Young.
Shalom Brother.
Sam
WE LOVE YOU, MATT
Digging up shit is a dirty job, but without your reporting, our city would choke on it.
You are a HERO to THE PEOPLE
Stop whining and do your fucking job.
You forgot the CRC.
You forgot a few:
*The Mayor and one of the Commissioners (along with many other retirees) have been getting extra money from the Public Safety Pension Fund and don’t plan on paying it back.
*A certain city commissioner who wants to be in charge of the police bureau has a child with warrants out for her arrest here in Multnomah County (theft) and in Clark County(drugs and bail jumping, I heard). Not that anyone wants to mention it or clarify the rumors except to snicker about it around the watercooler down at the courthouse. Or let the public know because such a situation creates a bit of a conflict since maybe the head of the police bureau shouldn’t be harboring fugitives or be worried about the cops knocking on the door during Thanksgiving dinner.
*The city is on the verge of bankrupting itself with overextending itself with too much borrowing.
*The majority of the “journalists” in the city concern themselves with reprinting press releases.
*The City can’t even get a street renamed without dropping more money on a consultant than the median person makes in a year.
*A police officer is free to walk up and shoot you in the back/crush you to death/choke you/fill in the blank and if they say self defense there is no way that they will ever get in any real trouble.
You’re right. I think a relocation would be in the best interest of everyone. If S. Renee Mitchell stops writing, you hit the road and Lars Larson receives a vocal cord injury on a tough piece of venison, my media world would be a thousand times brighter. Godspeed!
“Moreover, I am cognizant of the interrelatedness of all communities and states. I cannot sit idly by in Atlanta and not be concerned about what happens in Birmingham. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. Never again can we afford to live with the narrow, provincial “outside agitator” idea. Anyone who lives inside the United States can never be considered an outsider anywhere within its bounds.”
“corrupt, lazy, useless, stupid, greedy, inept, incompetent, uncaring, self-serving or worse.”
And your point is?
Jacomus
Matt, I think the Eugene Weekly may be more your speed. They could really use your sense of nuance.
This State is repulsive and corrupt and most residents are oblivious to it. The state authorities allow its police force to get away with lies that place the honest civilians in its jail or on probation all for revenue. Portland police not put in jail for being immoral and for defrauding and falsifying citations as they should get disciplined because that is a class A misdemeanor in addition to one year in custody. Furthermore, ignorant juries don’t think police officers lie, and they are another failure for our state.