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[April 23rd, 2008]
INCARCERATION IS NOT THE ANSWER
Thank you, Willamette Week and James Pitkin, for exploring the criminal justice contradictions in last week’s “Jailhouse Paradox” [April 16, 2008].
The article touches on the resulting fiscal nightmare should the Mannix Mandatory Minimum ballot measures pass, and in addition, I want to make sure people know that in Oregon we already spend just under half our state general fund on Corrections. The Department of Corrections is staffed by a lot of great people, but We, The People, are not watching closely enough. Folks, the data is in: Locking people up is the most expensive way to deal with criminal behavior and it does not address most of the problems that actually result from crimes. I personally do a lot of work on behalf of victims and am attuned to what types of accountability and reparations actually help—more Mannix Messes ain’t it.
Melissa Egan
Northwest Flanders Street
BUT CRONKITE KEPT PIE OFF HIS FACE
Dear Mr. Smith, Thank you for mentioning “On the Go With Joe” in your fine publication’s recent “Kvetch Fest” [April 9, 2008]. I haven’t actually read the article (April is the busy season for pie-eating contests), but I can only assume that it praises my journalistic integrity and Cronkite-like gravitas. My colleagues in the mainstream media may decry my tactics, but I take great pride in covering the stories that they are afraid to touch. Rest assured, when Portland faces its next Pirate festival or free smoothie giveaway, I will be there to ask the tough questions. Thank you for making Good Day Oregon Portland’s number one source for news, weather, traffic and canine fashion shows.
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Joe Vithayathil
Feature Reporter/Senior Boat Show Correspondent
Good Day Oregon
BLAZERS GO .500! (P.S. THERE’S WORLD PEACE)
I’m one of those dreaded newbies to this amazing city: I’ll celebrate two years in PDX this August. Not long enough to call myself a “true Portlander,” of course, but I’ve logged enough miles walking in the amazing rain (sans umbrella, of course) to wash the “Tourist” tag off my back. But, P-towners, you need to grow out of your near pathological jealousy towards us L.A. Laker fans. At least expand your mindset enough to embrace our common Pacific Coast connection and help us take down the dreaded Celtics (Now THERE’S a team to hate on, folks!).
And, before you start foaming at the mouth (or is that just beer?), I have family connections in Oregon that date to the turn of the century. The 20th century, that is, so cut me some slack. Your team is making great strides, and I can’t wait to see next year’s Blazers, too. Next year will be all about Roy, Aldridge and Oden going up against Kobe, Gasol and Bynum. Rip City, indeed. So show me a little love, and I’ll promise to stop whispering “2000 Western Conference Finals, game 7, fourth quarter” in your pierced and distended earlobes. But it is kinda cute when your daily newspaper uses a type size normally reserved for the end of world wars to exalt a .500 season. Keep up the good work.
Michael Whipple
Northwest Lovejoy Street
You whisper "Game 7" in my ear, I whisper "Denver Hotel Room" back into yours and we're even.
At the end of the night, the Lakers STILL can't win a game in Portland.
BEAT LA and see you next year, Cali-scum.
Whipple- with an attitude like that, you'll never be a "true Portlander". Stop trying right now.
When you say things like, "walking in the amazing rain," "P-towners," and "our common Pacific Coast connection" it's obvious that you are not and never will be a local, regardless of how long you live in your overpriced only-a-Californian-transplant-could-afford Lovejoy abode. So do us all a favor and go home to L.A. and take your annoying California friends with you.
Totally agree with you Jefe - I was born in this town 34 years ago and the rain is not "amazing". It's a fact of life. I don't have "amazing" memories of coming home with "amazing" soaking wet shoes walking from the tri-met bus stop after school when I was a kid.
I don't know anyone that was born and raised in Portland that calls it "P-town" or people from Portland that call residents "P-towners". We're Portlanders. Trying to use a hip acronym that doesn't exist just reeks of wanna-be status.
BTW, walking without an umbrella doesn't make you a local either. Most of the people at my office use an umbrella when they go out to get lunch when it's raining.
And if Mr. Whipple knew anything about Portland's history, he'd know that one of our founding fathers came from Boston, the city was almost named Boston (that's what 2-out-of-3 on a coin toss will get you) and that Portland has more in common character-wise with Boston than LA, by a mile.
We cannot just let people who commit crime out on the street. I real solution would be to bring back public executions, floggings, whippings, and reintroduce the Stocks as a form of punishment. Futhermore, children need to learn to respect their elders and those in authority. When I was a child in the 1980's I had to call adults 'sir' and 'ma'am', use 'Mr' and 'Ms.' or 'Mrs.' Corporal punishment in schools would be good too, beat a bit of sense and humility in todays youngsters. Nothing wrong with a good old clip around the ear now and again to keep people in line.
The article about black preachers.Didn't address the issue of whites inabilities to hear the truth about their attitudes and behavior.Look if the Armed Criminals bka as the Ppd cannot have a drugtest after a shooting,or that so-called health nuts are displaying a death wish in believing that a rolling cage will not hurt them,or that whtie womens are disobeying traffics while their small childern are in the car.Or that this city isn't progressive and so a JIM CROW city instead.Or that in the occupied N/NE Portland all these watering holes[when back more blacks the ppd could not do their job properly now you have drunk ghosts on bikes in the night.man I could go on.and my saddest observation is where in the name of heaven is the the black parents at on the behavoir of the black kids.
Gee Bob, you get my vote for "most incomprehensible" comment this week.
Also, it's kind of nice for a comment to have a point.
I read your statement 5 times and still can't figure out what the hell you are trying to say.
i moved here from California and I am breeding.
RE: Blazer go .500.
You're a newbie, plain and simple. And being from LA, you'll never have that distinct Northwest appeal. So go on back to your Captain Morgan coolers ya Laker-douchebag wank.