It took over a year for Portland’s Citizen Review Commission to issue a ruling regarding the police action of November 29, 2014. In January of this year, the panel came to a 5-3 decision stating that orders issued by the Portland Police Bureau to hundreds of Black Lives Matter protesters were in fact unlawful. CRC’s investigation was the… Continue reading The Sound and Fury of Portland on November 29th 2014
Tag: Charlie Hales
‘Mad Max’ Is Here, and SHELL Is the Lord Humungus
It’s been almost a week since shit went down in Portland. In case you missed the news, a Shell ice-breaker bound for the arctic was blocked by hordes of kayaktivists, and a dozen or so dangling Greenpeace blockaders. For over forty hours, the icebreaker Fennica was detained under de facto citizen’s arrest, costing Shell several million dollars… Continue reading ‘Mad Max’ Is Here, and SHELL Is the Lord Humungus
Rebel Portland: Clean Water Warriors Claim Victory
Note: this article was originally published on May 24, 2013 as the fifth installment of my six part series for Mismanaging Perception on the unsuccessful campaign to fluoridate Portland’s water supply. If you worked on the ‘Healthy Kids Healthy Portland‘ campaign promoting fluoridation of Portland’s legendary Bull Run fresh water, you’re probably not having the best week. You’re probably thinking,… Continue reading Rebel Portland: Clean Water Warriors Claim Victory
The Battle For Bull Run: Fighting Against Fluoridation
Note: this article was originally published on April 8, 2013 as the first installment of my six part series for Mismanaging Perception on the unsuccessful campaign to fluoridate Portland’s water supply. With the amount of media blitzing that’s bombarded Portland’s airwaves, interwebs, and neighborhood front yards, you’d have thought the dual campaigns for and against fluoridating Bull… Continue reading The Battle For Bull Run: Fighting Against Fluoridation
When Is it Okay to Say ‘Fuck Charlie Hales’?
Listening to Portland, OR mayor Charlie Hales claim that police raids on homeless people are meant to punish “lawlessness” – hearing him respond to questions about expanding Dignity Village with quips like “it’s hard to find land”, it’s difficult to quell the revulsion one feels in their stomach. Listening to Hales being asked if he… Continue reading When Is it Okay to Say ‘Fuck Charlie Hales’?
Shutting Down Streets to Celebrate a #CopFreeChristmas
Last Saturday, dozens of Portlanders took to the streets in opposition to police violence, and in opposition to the idea of police all together. Titled ‘A Cop-Free Christmas’ the event included creative acts of traffic blocking, as well as some equally creative remixed Christmas caroling up and down festive Peacock Lane, a wealthy Portland holiday institution. Full… Continue reading Shutting Down Streets to Celebrate a #CopFreeChristmas
The Young Revolutionaries of Don’t Shoot PDX
These last three weeks have been something else. Since the night it was announced Michael Brown’s killer would walk free without indictment, Portland has seen mass protests along with virtually every other major city in the nation. Seemingly every other day there’s been another action here in Portland. What started out as a mix of… Continue reading The Young Revolutionaries of Don’t Shoot PDX
Charlie Hales Propane Scheme Contradicts Portland’s Climate Action Plan
This article was originally published on Blue Oregon. This September, a few noteworthy news stories broke that seemed to escape public consciousness. One was on Portland winning global honors for it’s Climate Action Plan. From a city press release: “Portland is among 10 cities worldwide to receive the C40 City Climate Leadership Awards 2014. Portland is developing ‘complete neighborhoods’… Continue reading Charlie Hales Propane Scheme Contradicts Portland’s Climate Action Plan
The Covert Violence of Gentrification
Progressive movements are experts at policing their own behavior. Vast amounts of energy are spent reminding each other to stay peaceful and nonviolent in the face of state violence inflicted by political and economic forces. So often we sabotage our own momentum for fear of being too aggressive in our methods. We retreat and wonder what we did wrong. We… Continue reading The Covert Violence of Gentrification
Portland’s Gentrification by the Numbers
The dreaded G-word has been tossed around much lately, from San Francisco’s Google bus blockades to Spike Lee’s whip-smart knowledge dropping at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. Gentrification is sweeping the nation, stirring up a hornet’s nest of rationalizing and resistance alike. Coast to coast, we’ve got a problem on our hands. This is especially… Continue reading Portland’s Gentrification by the Numbers