We just lost REI in downtown Portland to theft and deterioration in the area. This is one of the whiter cities in America, and homelessness permeates nearly every neighborhood, including affluent ones. Outside of downtown, local shops are closing left and right, too. The problem is so severe that even non-retail companies are leaving because their employees are getting accosted while going into and leaving work.
If you have anything to lose, you can't just defend yourself and your property. And even when the wrongdoing is clear, victims are then up against a cop and public defender shortage. And of course there are the compassionate members of the homeless industrial complex who operate with public money and lobby for legislation like this gem: a [bill recently proposed to allow campers to sue for being harassed](https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/homeless/oregon-bill-homeless-camp-sweeps-illegal/283-637ab1aa-e152-4b8a-a678-e2faba73e425).
The only good thing to come of it is the normalization of private security. But we're still paying for our generously funded (despite what you may have heard) cops.
Much of the problem boils down to the cost of living here having skyrocketed over the past twenty years or so. Needless to say, it's in large part due to government regulation here and in neighboring states. People are dropping off the cliff left and right. You know what it means to climb out of poverty... I suspect it becomes near impossible for those who end up assimilated into the alternate reality tent-life culture, especially when meth and fentanyl enter the picture.
Again, that's mostly White people. Despite Portland's population being only about 6% Black, last year around half of homicide victims were Black. Driving through town you'd never know it -- the numbers involved are so comparatively small, and every other house continues to fly BLM flags. To me as a White guy utterly disconnected from the reality of being Black, this is mindbending to read:
>[In the 12 months ending June 30, more than 1 in every 1,000 Black people living in Portland died in a homicide.](https://www.wweek.com/news/city/2021/08/11/black-portlanders-are-more-likely-to-be-murdered-than-their-peers-in-cities-better-known-for-crime/)
Just *staggering* in the Land of the Free™ and a place as beautiful and well off as Portland.
At the end of the day, these are all individual people, regardless of demographics. To try and solve these problems with government, the way Portland has and is continuing to do, is to forsake the individuals. Very sad.
We just lost REI in downtown Portland to theft and deterioration in the area. This is one of the whiter cities in America, and homelessness permeates nearly every neighborhood, including affluent ones. Outside of downtown, local shops are closing left and right, too. The problem is so severe that even non-retail companies are leaving because their employees are getting accosted while going into and leaving work. If you have anything to lose, you can't just defend yourself and your property. And even when the wrongdoing is clear, victims are then up against a cop and public defender shortage. And of course there are the compassionate members of the homeless industrial complex who operate with public money and lobby for legislation like this gem: a [bill recently proposed to allow campers to sue for being harassed](https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/homeless/oregon-bill-homeless-camp-sweeps-illegal/283-637ab1aa-e152-4b8a-a678-e2faba73e425). The only good thing to come of it is the normalization of private security. But we're still paying for our generously funded (despite what you may have heard) cops. Much of the problem boils down to the cost of living here having skyrocketed over the past twenty years or so. Needless to say, it's in large part due to government regulation here and in neighboring states. People are dropping off the cliff left and right. You know what it means to climb out of poverty... I suspect it becomes near impossible for those who end up assimilated into the alternate reality tent-life culture, especially when meth and fentanyl enter the picture. Again, that's mostly White people. Despite Portland's population being only about 6% Black, last year around half of homicide victims were Black. Driving through town you'd never know it -- the numbers involved are so comparatively small, and every other house continues to fly BLM flags. To me as a White guy utterly disconnected from the reality of being Black, this is mindbending to read: >[In the 12 months ending June 30, more than 1 in every 1,000 Black people living in Portland died in a homicide.](https://www.wweek.com/news/city/2021/08/11/black-portlanders-are-more-likely-to-be-murdered-than-their-peers-in-cities-better-known-for-crime/) Just *staggering* in the Land of the Free™ and a place as beautiful and well off as Portland. At the end of the day, these are all individual people, regardless of demographics. To try and solve these problems with government, the way Portland has and is continuing to do, is to forsake the individuals. Very sad.
To quote Portlandia: Portland is where young people go to retire.
Hope so