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Larry's avatar

The link I am providing is not germane to this discussion save in a tangential way. However, I believe it goes some distance to explaining the moronic cowardice that drives Western culture.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJz7aBFlygc

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FidelityPDX's avatar

This is top-notch reporting. Kudos.

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Joshua Marquis's avatar

I am a lawyer, but with none of the particular skillset to sue what sounds like should be "ducks in a barrel" cases. But I can tell you that a large part would depend on which of the small number of US District Court in Oregon judges you drew, if such a lawsuit were filed. At least two would give it a fair hearing, some of the others less assuredly so.

This all sounds very much like the late Tom Wolfe's story about guilt money being handed over to the Black Panthers 50 years ago in NYC in his wonderful collection "Mau -Mauing the Flak Catchers."

As you say, to earmark millions of dollars and say people have to be of a specific ethnicity or skin color sounds...irredeemably racist and illegal. That's very different than addressing a specific racial injustice, if for example a plaintiff can show that Blacks were systematically excluded from certain job by a particular government entity, they should - and can - recover damages for an injustice they suffered because of clear racial bias.

What is even scarier is that people handing out - OUR - tax money are rarely elected officials but this hodgepodge of self-appointed groups, about which we know nothing, and many of which vanish without ever filing any documents with the federal government, as required for Section 501 entities.

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Richard Cheverton's avatar

Your remarks about judge shopping are spot on. The progressive machine has that one firmly under control--any new federal judge has to be vetted by one or another of our senators, as is the federal DA.And don't forget that the state AG is a classic machine type.

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Larry's avatar

David Brinkley toward the end of his best last days used to give a cynical knowing chuckle when recounting political antics in D.C. Cookie Roberts could touch on wry knowingness, too. After all, her old man got his feet wet fighting the Kingfish's outfit. Those chuckles or flashes of bitter humor were enough at times to let you know that some informed and intelligent people hadn't lost the plot.

A comprehensive catastrophe is gathering. The blithe confidence of all the best people no longer disgusts but terrifies me. People are ruined for alluding to the truth. This goes on long enough the good people will shut you down and you'll be glad to be let off with keeping your mouths shut.

I'm religious for a reason.

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tc's avatar

I have never understood how Portland voters are so easily hoodwinked. With true condescension, having left Portland a few years back, the place just gets dumber and dumber.

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Larry's avatar

I do not believe hoodwinkery is involved. The independent clause of the second sentence is all that was needed.

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Pamela Fitzsimmons's avatar

Portland has weak news media that kowtow to race mongers. So, yes, we’re getting dumber and dumber. It wasn’t always like this.

As has been pointed out many times, Portland’s city commission form of government is dysfunctional and needs to be changed. Yet, earlier mayors like Vera Katz and Neil Goldschmidt were able to run the city with that same form of government. What was also different, though, was Portland had a more vibrant news media to keep an eye on things.

The Police Oversight measure that was passed by voters a couple of years ago is going to turn into another boondoggle for racists. Just as these energy grants will do nothing to change the climate, the Police Accountability Commission trying to rethink law enforcement will not improve police service in Portland.

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Richard Cheverton's avatar

It should tell us something that all three of the leading media outlets (leaving TV aside) still are mostly concerned with ink-on-paper. The OregonLLive web site is a grotesque mess; it's pathetic that the O "electronic" version is just screenshots of the print pages. Both the Trib and WillyWeek have sites that are clumsy and clearly seen as extensions of the print product. Which is dying.

None of the local web sites ake any advantage of the web's unique features--mmostly for advancing real dialogue (which is the most surprising and gratifying aspect of this 'stack)...and for visual storytelling and multi-media. They'll never learn.

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