Readers Respond to the Governor Scolding Portlanders for Going Out and About

“People are doing the best they can. This isn’t a competition of who makes the best martyr.”

A masked neighborhood band in Northeast Portland. (Joy Bogdan)
By WW Staff

On April 10, Oregon Gov. Kate Brown admonished Portlanders on Twitter, saying they were failing to adequately comply with her stay-home order as the weather improved. WW reported her remarks on wweek.com. "Some parts of Oregon are doing better than others at staying home and practicing social distancing," Brown wrote. "To all our Portlanders: As tempting as it is to be out and about, please remember that our No. 1 priority right now is staying home and social distancing." Here's what readers had to say:

Heather Woodruff, via Facebook: "Thanks, Portland, the longer you 'rebel' and stay self-centered, the longer all of us are screwed."

Brian Thorp, via Facebook: "I deliver food so I get to see all over the metro area. The further you get from downtown Portland the more people there are outside. Gresham and all up McLoughlin Boulevard are particularly bad. The river is also particularly crowded in Oregon City."

Robyn Pryor, via Facebook: "People are doing the best they can. We're allowed to be outside, we're allowed to talk with friends and neighbors as long as we practice physical distancing. This isn't a competition of who makes the best martyr."

Natasha Riedel, via Facebook: "I live in Portland and am an essential worker. I walk to work everyday instead of taking the bus to stay safe. I have seen SO MANY people out in the last three days, not adhering to social distancing as well as giving me side eye when I walk around them at an acceptable distance. We aren't in the clear. Stay. The fuck. Home."

K. Kofler, via week.com: "I get social distancing and am practicing it. Closing playgrounds and schools, I get. But telling us we can't go out into OUR woods is B.S. Since I don't have the option of working from home and am considered 'essential,' my mental health days in the forest by myself are essential, too. Let's get reasonable about this; dispense with the heavy-handed, overreaching orders and deal with the real problem—the lack of testing."

Gil George, via week.com: "OK, well let's take a look at comparative lot size. It is a lot easier to isolate when your living area is measured in acres and not feet."

Andi Costa, via Facebook: "I'm sure it's not easy for those living in apartments. My friend in NYC hangs out on the roof. But I'm not sure all these new apartment buildings in Portland are roof-friendly."

Sean Hanna, via Facebook: "It's not been perfect, but both Portland and Oregon are beating the curve. Many sad, cynical remarks here."

Letters to the editor must include the author's street address and phone number for verification. Letters must be 250 or fewer words.
Submit to: 2220 NW Quimby St., Portland, OR 97210.
Email: mzusman@wweek.com

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today.