‘HOOD RHETORIC
RE: Ongoing changes in, and coverage of, demographics in Portland neighborhoods.
DEAR MERCURY—It would be nice if the city did some real research on how NOT to repeat the same mistakes it made over the years with North/Northeast. Portlanders now talk about the Numbers, Felony Flats, and East County in the same way people used to talk about North Portland. People said it was a part of town they didn’t really consider Portland, that it was dangerous, ignorant, dirty, the schools are bad, there are gangs, the white people who live there are white trash. All of the hateful rhetoric that was constantly used as justification for gutting and auctioning off the old ‘hood is now being thrown at the new ‘hood.
Carlos Covarrubias
HARDING THE BEAUTIFUL
RE: “Not That Sarah Marshall” [Feature, Feb 25], an interview with Portland’s foremost Tonya Harding expert.
When Harding was at the top of her game, flawless and confident, she was most definitely beautiful to watch. She didn’t have a model’s body, but she did things no one with a model’s body could do.
posted by Burtles
KERSEY THE ASS BUSTER
RE: “#25” [Everything as Fuck, Feb 25], columnist Ian Karmel’s heartfelt eulogy for recently passed Trail Blazer Jerome Kersey.
Blazers used to practice at Lewis and Clark, and I would go up there afterward to play rat ball. One time as I was passing through the locker room to the gym, and there was Kersey sitting outside the shower on a bench, head down. I’ve never seen a more exhausted individual in my life. That guy busted his ass.
posted by I’mrightyourwrong
THE KITTEN WARS
RE: “Will Someone Please Adopt… Scruffles, the GOP Kitten?” [New Column! Feb 25], an adoption posting for a Republican kitten—free to good, heterosexual home that does not rely on government assistance—along with the contact number for Multnomah County Republicans.
TO THE MERCURY VIA VOICEMAIL—Mr. Humphrey, this is Eric Fruits. I’m chair of the Multnomah County Republican Party. I’m calling about an article or something… I guess it was supposed to be funny, that ran the other day about Scruffles the cat. Normally I like a joke as much as the next guy, but we’re getting some very nasty phone calls because—believe it or not—people think we’re going to do mean things to this cat…
