Who Are the Police?

For John, BLUF:  For over a year now we have had groups carving out their own little territories, like CHAZ in Seattle.  This is not a good will to build a peaceful, happy, community.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Portland BLM/Antifa Draw Guns on Drivers to Enforce No-Go Zone in Broad Daylight

From J Media, by Reporter Victoria Taft, 7 May 2021, 9:36 AM ET.

Here is the lede plus one:

Portland’s revolutionaries from Black Lives Matter and antifa took over a busy street at noon on Wednesday and pulled guns on drivers who dared try to dart past the mob.  The groups were holding a rally for a gangland shooter who was killed by police in 2018.  That shooting was ruled justified (more below).

The chaotic scene included guns being drawn on white drivers by the multiracial BLM and antifa protesters and one driver drew his own weapon in reply.  Someone deployed pepper spray.

I don't think this is a good trend.  For a long time we have depended on the Police to police our streets.  Now, in some parts of the country, we are leaving it to private armies.  Are we turning into Mexico?

Some people think they are building a better America, but they are, in fact, destroying the fabric of our society and creating an alternative culture, and not a good one.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Portland Evovling

For John, BLUF:  The Police "kettled" the protestors (read ANTIFA), which means placing a police cordon around a group of demonstrators.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Police detain more than 100 Portland protesters in apparent kettling

From Oregon Live, by Reporter Jayati Ramakrishnan, 13 March 2021, 12:11 AM.

Here is the lede plus three:

Portland police detained a crowd of over 100 protesters during a Friday night demonstration, stemming a march only minutes after it began.

The mass detainment was an apparent use of kettling, a police tactic of surrounding a crowd and containing people within a perimeter.  Police told the crowd they were detaining everyone within the boundary for the “investigation of a crime” but did not specify the nature of the alleged crime.

Demonstrators initially gathered in the Pearl District about 8:30 p.m. and started marching roughly a half-hour later.  Police threatened to arrest protesters minutes after the march started, saying those walking in the street were blocking traffic and would be subject to arrest, citation or crowd control munitions if they didn’t move.

Police announced about 9:20 p.m. they were setting up a perimeter around the group and detaining everyone.  Police said the detention was “temporary” and that they would remove demonstrators “one at a time.”

And here is the view from Breitbart:

Portland Police Bureau officers surrounded and temporarily detained about 100 Antifa protesters after they vandalized multiple businesses in the Pearl District.  Police identified and photographed all of the protesters, and some journalists, and placed 13 people under arrest.

Portland police report a group of people began marching in the street and blocking traffic at about 9 p.m. on Friday, according to a statement from police officials.  Officials advised the protesters to get out of the open roadway.  The group refused to comply and began marching down the roadway.

The Breitbart article makes it sound like the Portland Policer Bureau has decided to take back its City.  If you look at Reporter Michael Yon's post on the issue, 13 arrested.  There are reports of attacks on a Federal Court House.  Is the Department of Justice protecting our Federal Judges?

Meanwhile, Thursday, The Oregonian reported:

Mayor Ted Wheeler seeks $2 million to bring back uniformed police team to address spike in shootings

A funny thing about resources is they only go so far.  Protection of the People♠ is why folks pay taxes to their local government.  If the People can't enjoy their life, then the point of paying taxes is lost.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  There is the theory that the Police are there to protect the perps from a vengeful Citizenry.  I would not dismiss that too lightly.

Portland Tries a New Way

For John, BLUF:  Last Summer showed us that lack of policing just encouraged "mostly peaceful" demonstrations.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Portland Can Relax.  The 'Enhanced Community Safety Team' Is On The Job

From PJ Media, by Reporter Rick Moran, 7 March 2021, 10:23 AM ET.

Here is the lede plus two:

Portland Oregon politicians decided to drastically cut the budget for the police department at the end of last year, hoping to make their city streets safer — at least for Antifa and Black Lives Matter.

For the rest of the citizens?  Not so much.  Shootings have skyrocketed — nearly 2 1/2 times higher than the year before.  Authorities blame the pandemic.  And unemployment.  And “systemic racism.”  And everything but the 7 percent reduction in the police budget.

The cuts with the biggest impact on gun violence included the disbanding of the highly effective Gun Violence Reduction Team.  The unit was charged with getting guns and violent criminals off the streets.

The numbers tell the story.  However, there are assumptions that need to be examined.  For example, does everyone unemployed and in trouble with the law has the same work ethic and attitude as those who are employed.  I believe that is an untested assumption.  Do they vote and look for work or are they a part of the some 30% who are not in the labor force, who are not counted in the Labor Participation Rate?  We need to examine our assumptions, which is whar Democracy is about.

I worry that we will implement too many "defund the police" efforts and end up with a backlash that hurts solid efforts to improve policing around the nation.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Whither Portland

For John, BLUF:  I get the need to fix homelessness, which requires jobs, housing and social mores, as well as mental health care.  This will require elected leadership, which, so far, appears to be absent.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Death Of A City:  The Portland Story?

From Forbes, by Senior Contributor Bill Coner ly, 28 January 2021, 07:30am EST.

Here is the lede plus three:

How long does it take for a city to die?  Downtowns across the country have emptied due to the pandemic, causing many stores and restaurants to close.  Suburbs are doing much better, in many cases hardly touched by the recession.  But in Portland, Oregon, continued violence and vandalism have combined with high housing costs, homelessness and poor community leadership to raise the question:  how long before this city dies?

Portland has been doing well for years, and current problems are not certain to end the city’s life.

But without significant change, decline is certain. In many other cities, leaders stepped up to the challenge and saved their cities. That will probably happen in Portland, but there are few signs of change at this point.

Cities can die. Death can be sudden, as with Pompei, or gradual, as with the Mayan city of Tikal and the Jordanian city of Petra.  The United States abounds with ghost towns in the mining country as well as communities left behind by economic change.  Down the road from Portland are a number of mill towns that have emptied out.

The Marxists trying to impose their view of how society should operate are not bringing about useful change, but are making life miserable for those they come in contact with.

We, as Americans, need to unite and work together for a better society, one based on reality and an understanding of economics and social interaction.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

If Only

For John, BLUF:  Don't say Sweden.  As Abe Lincoln said, "Better you hold your tongue and appear ignorant than to speak and remove all doubt.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Millennial Wishes There Were Some Historical Examples Of Socialism We Could Study To Have Some Idea How It Might Turn Out

From The Babylon Bee, 5 November 2019.

Here is the tweet and the lede plus two:

The Babylon Bee
@TheBabylonBee
Millennial Wishes There Were Some Historical Examples Of Socialism We Could Study To Have Some Idea How It Might Turn Out

PORTLAND, OR—Local socialist millennial man Matthew Hatter lamented Monday that there are no concrete examples of socialism he can point to in order to have some kind of idea how it would turn out.

"If only there were other countries that have tried socialism before," Hatter said to a friend at an ethical coffee shop, Commiebrews, Monday afternoon, after he finished his paper route. "Then, we could see if there are any pitfalls."

Hatter said it'd be nice if there were books that covered things like world history and economics that we could read.  If that were the case, Hatter said, we could abandon socialism if it looked dangerous or proceed with socialism if every country that implemented it were incredibly successful.

Life is hard.  Harder if you went to one of those left wing universities where is was all indoctrination and none of that Wesstern style critical thinking, nothing about the Enlightenment.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

The Short Range Future

For John, BLUF:  Reporter Michael Yon brings a fresh set of eyes to the problems in Portland.  As General David Petraeus once asked:  "Tell me how this ends."  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Dispatch 15:  Return to America:  Ebbs and Flows

From Michael's Dispatches, by Reporter Michael Yon, 5 October 2020.

Here are three key paragraphs on Portland:

Ebbs and Flows: Media reports about Portland fighting abating.  The authors of those articles often attach unstudied analysis in the form of wishful thinking.  Not to be confused with positive thinking.

I do not sense the Portland fighting will suddenly abate and vanish.  My current feel is that ANTIFA/BLM in Portland has eroded its support base.  BUT, the Antifa terrorists still are energetic, highly emotional, and their moods will be affected by, yet transcend, 2020 elections.

My sense is this will go on no matter the results of the elections.  Potential terrorists without a cause have been assigned a cause.  Local government here is amazingly weak-minded, feeble-minded, creating a vacuum that terrorists have filled.

The Media, the Fourth Estate, seems to be ignoring the long term issues of what is happening in Portland.  The danger is that it will not wind down as winter comes.  The additional danger is that it will spread to other parts of the nation.  I think we are playing with fire here and we don't realize it.

Regards  —  Cliff