Best of the Occupy Portland Voicemail Complaints to the Mayor’s Office

As you know, I periodically request the citizen voicemails left for Mayor Sam Adams’ office (here are the gems). While going through the batch from this fall, we realized basically the entire October voicemail box was stuffed with Occupy Portland complaints. Here are the best, plus a helpful pie chart of October complaints (and about a dozen supportive calls). More voicemails will be in next week’s print edition!

Friday, October 7, 2011, 2:12 p.m.
I am extremely upset that the Mayor has apparently announced that he is definitely bringing in security from Salem and from Vancouver for the sit in—or whatever the protest is. I think there’s a better way to handle this. It appears to me that you’re looking for the confrontation rather than the folks who are doing it. I think we have over-reacted, Sam. And, I know Sam, and Sam knows me. You know, I’m not going to the protest; but, that’s only because I’m old. But, I really think that this is a very bad way to handle this whole thing. Thanks. Bye.

Friday, October 7, 2011, 2:17 p.m.
Gosh, this morning you’ve got a little problem, Sam—with some squatters in the parks? FIRE HOSES! Alright? Kill two birds with one stone: get rid of the squatters and give them a bath. Thanks very much, you little jerk! Bye.

Friday, October 7, 2011, 2:23 p.m.
I am a constituent of yours. I live in Southeast Portland. I’m calling about the Occupy Portland protest that’s going on right now. I want to urge VERY strongly that there be negotiations with these folks and with Portland Marathon that there NOT be mass arrests. We don’t need that. What we need right now is a solution to our economic crisis; and I think this economic crisis has been going on long enough that it’s become really clear that the solution is not coming from above.

Monday, October 10, 2011, 11:01 a.m.
I wanted to leave a message to let the Mayor know that he has let anarchists take over the City and rules of law and order no longer apply. The message to the entire population of the City is that permits don’t matter, law and order doesn’t matter, you can do whatever you want, and the inconvenience of the taxpayer the business owner and the property taxpayer doesn’t matter. So, Sam Adams has GOT to get his hands around this situation. The anarchists downtown are blocking traffic, taking over areas that have been permitted to good use is ridiculous. He’s weak and he’s demonstrated that to the entire State – and I am so disappointed. PATHETIC! I wish he’d resign or leave office so someone with some courage can take over and restore the City to law and order. RIDICUOLOUS. It’s an embarrassment. As a citizen and a member of the community, I am SO embarrassed. Pathetic leadership! Lack of courage! Terrible!

More voicemails!

Monday, October 10, 2011, 11:27 a.m.
Hi: I’ve called you guys a couple times this week. Congratulations, Sam Adams. You negotiate with TERRORISTS! I drove downtown on my way home from work, and your park looks like an absolute third world country. So, I know you embrace that kind of stuff. Congratulations! And, I really resent the hell out of it that my tax dollars goes for this bullshit. So, congratulations. You’re ignorant and naive. Keep your head up your ass, Sam. You’re doing a great job. You don’t have the guts or the courage to call. Bye.

Tuesday, October 11, 2011, 1:36 p.m.
Yes: I just went into downtown Portland today. I live out in Molalla, and I will NOT come into the city anymore, okay? You need to get rid of those thugs, and hippies, and whack-jobs that are down there on Main Street, okay? It is ridiculous; and you need to do something to get rid of those people. Thank you. That’s it. Goodbye.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011, 1:07 p.m
Yes: This is regarding the protest downtown. I just wondering what would happen if I got a thousand protestors to protest this stupid composting, which were supposed to have to be doing, which I’m not going to do, sir. What if we marched in front of your house or in front of City Hall protesting your stupid composting, would you be so nice then to us? I don’t think so, sir. So, the rule of law is the rule of law. Unless you start doing something, I’m going to try to find out how many people I can get together to protest this STUPID COMPOSTING!!! Have a good day. Bye.

Monday, October 17, 2011, 10:29 a.m.
You hurt my sister, and she is a Buddhist. So, whatever Karma’s coming towards you, I hope it comes to you,

Friday, October 21, 2011, 4:59 p.m.
PLEASE DO SOMETHING FOR THE TREES! PLEASE SAVE THE TREES THAT ARE BEING DESTROYED BY THESE OCCUPIERS!

Tuesday, October 25, 2011, 4:24 p.m.
Hi: What I’d like to know is how long this disgusting little sham of a protest is going to go on in downtown Portland. I used to go down there all the time with granddaughter and my sister. We would go down and park and walk the streets and go to the Nordstrom Rack and Pioneer and whatever. The clientele that’s walking through stores and hanging out down there is disgusting.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011, 4:40 p.m.
Hi: I work in the Wells Fargo tower and I’m getting tired of listening to the campers in the park. It’s time they went home. It’s annoying; it’s disruptive; and it’s time for the city to get back to work. Thanks.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Hi: I’m calling to make a complaint about the Occupy protestors. I called the Multnomah non-emergency police number. I talked to the Sergeant, and he took my complaint, and he directed me to pass it on to the Mayor’s office, which I’m doing. Yesterday or the day before one of my friends and I took three boxes of food down to the Occupy movement to donate. They tried to turn it away. They were kind of rude. But, what primarily bothered me was the fact that they had — for lack of better terms — shit buckets and jugs of piss lined up around there. The entire area smells and is not what I expected it to be at all. I’m kind of upset about it and kind of insulted.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011, 10:54 a.m.
Mayor Adams: Please leave the Occupy Portland protestors alone! They are doing quite well in letting you and law enforcement know when they need help. They are taking care of homeless people. They are giving food to people that YOU pass by every day on the street to your job that you DON’T DESERVE and you DON’T DO. You’re not doing your job! So, wake up and smell the coffee — or get out of the way. And, you keep the police at bay!!

Wednesday, October 26, 2011, 1:31 p.m.
Yes: I’m a business owner here in Portland. The Occupy Portland group and all this police presence this afternoon: I just saw a pack of motorcycle policemen on Burnside — I mean, this just feels like a third world country now. The Occupy Portland people are totally in the right in their criticism of banks and so on and so forth; and the times are terrible. They should be left alone. If anything, the police ought to be visiting the banks. You know, you can’t tell who the bank robbers are from the bankers anymore. Anyway, just leave these guys alone and maybe it’ll amount to something and something will change for the positive. They don’t need the police after them. Thanks.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011, 11:10 p.m
Hey, Adams: Enough’s enough! You’re ruining the city. You’re letting these hoodlums and thugs — you’re letting them ruin a beautiful city. They’ve taking part of it hostage. They’re just thumbing their nose at your office, and you haven’t got the nuts or the balls to do ANYTHING about it. Now, I don’t ordinarily use that kind of language, because I am a great-great grandma; but it just breaks my heart to see what’s being done in Portland — it just absolutely breaks my heart. I mean, they’re calling the shots. PLEASE, get some balls and do something about it before something really bad happens.