I am a Born and Raised Oregonian from PDX who moved to Bend in 1990 to pursue a business opportunity and raise my two sons. Boy , what a great decision. Before I left I created the Boy Scout Christmas Tree Recycling Project. In Bend I found a place that was not very accessible . The ADA had just passed and the City Manager was not interested in the issue. I " lit the Fire" along with 3 other advocates and in 2000 filed a very successful complaint with the USDOJ, Civil Rights Division. That is what I did again recently, TA, TA. and it is the only viable way to clear PDX sidewalk's .It could happen in PDX but it takes People, NOT Politicians or DRO to get involved. TA, TA!
Disability Rights Oregon - a more inappropriately named organization you will never find. DRO did not support our lawsuit against the city of Portland to clear sidewalks so that those with mobility and sight disabilities would have access to public right of ways - rights recognized via the ADA. Drink that in for a moment. They opposed Disabled Oregonians suing to uphold their federally recognized Rights. Truth: They are a political organization USING people with disabilities (and now addictions and incarcerations) - by weaponizing our “marginalization” to infect Oregon with their political solution sets long on funding, abhorrent from the perspective of successful or improved outcomes.
Yep the Portland area nonprofits have been corrupted by far left extremism and lots of taxpayer money. Another example is the Oregon Food Bank. They support giving noncitizens the right to vote. (They supported Multnomah County measure 26-231). What does that have to do with ending hunger?
Your skilled reporting and clear writing is refreshing, Pamela. Having left Portland over 40 years ago for eastern Oregon, I have little contact with Portlanders, but saw some on a zoom meeting the other day on a Braver Angels facilitated call about the urban-rural divide in Oregon. To me, the participants from Portland showed Stockholm syndrome like behavior. It was revealing to see how the gradual takeover by malign groups has affected the population. Little wonder that our counties in the east part of the state want to move the state line and join Idaho. Between “affordable housing” and the supposed measure 110 fix, I worry that the Portland metro area will be exporting its homeless/mental health/addiction issue eastward.
Terrific piece--no one in dinosaur media can make this kind of deep dive.
If you pay attention to Kevin Dahlgren's body of work, not one addicted homeless person blames themselves. It's always someone else's fault; a policy that the state of Oregon fully embraces.
This is in keeping with the progressive machine's fascination with finding the oppressed--and their oppressors (who are then taxed to pay for the legions of "lived experience" folks who keep the addicts supplied and comforted).
Jun 14Liked by Richard Cheverton, Pamela Fitzsimmons
Thorough but sad piece. This question continues to haunt me "When Oregon voters were lured into voting for Measure 110 to decriminalize drugs, the selling point was that cannabis revenue would pay for treatment for drug addiction". When will the 'lured' voters in this city/state understand that they are voting for the wrong politicians? Politicians sell votes -- they do not understand nor care about running effective or profitable programs. On a national level, someone promised American voters that monopolizing student debt would pay for ObamaCare, but the consequences are debt of $1.6 trillion and healthcare increases in excess of inflation...
You are right. there is no "recovery" from addiction - drugs, alcohol, etc. Hit bottom and with the right help, family or one of the "non-profit industry" groups, you may get better. But you ill always be an addict. If no getting better, on a day-to-day basis, , you lose your life.
Jun 14Liked by Richard Cheverton, Pamela Fitzsimmons
When the white DA of politically ambivalent Marion County feels comfortable telling a legislative committee she is an "OG" (meaning Original Gangster") you know reality has little to do with what happens in Salem.
After signing on to the TITANTIC of drug laws - Measure 110, all of those "in the know" in Oregon can take full credit for running our ship of state to the number one position amongst states with the worst drug problems. By literally investing a new language, "deflection" the largely Democratic legislators can do two contradictory things at once. Unlike concepts like "diversion" which have an historical-legal meaning,, "deflection" is made up, it might as well be called "Gliboghast." And because it has no historical precedent, "OGs" like Clarkson can interpret it any way they want, while avoiding the hard choices addicts have had to make for decades.
There are no miracle "cures," just long hard work, like that being done at Alan Evan's HOPE program or Kevin Dahlgren's street work. But they get almost none of the many millions the state pours out to unaccountable "non profits." Oregon has been a leader in self-delusion.
And despite the best efforts of the ruling class to deny him his work, to imprison him,. Kevin Dahlgren continues his effective one on one work,
As Yogi Berra said, "It's deja vu, all over again!,"
Another great, well researched and well written article!
It's true that addicts won't agree to change unless they are pushed to. It's always been like that. On another note, can I say how HAPPY I am now that Mike has officially destroyed his political future. The colossal errors that buffoon made during his disastrous years as DA will follow him EVERYWHERE. I personally know one writer who is gathering information to write a BOOK about his time in office and how he was so completely incompetent at even being anything remotely similar to a DA.
I furthermore agree that anyone who calls themselves an OG is a pompous ass who needs to grow the hell up. LOL...
And while it is great there are people like this man Hank Crapser, and while he may be successful in turning people around, there are going to be as many addicts who are going to sneer in his face and tell him to go screw himself. They like using and by golly no one is gonna interfere with that.
Great article. On a side note, you should listen to my latest podcast. I interview Robert Crane and he's a wonderful person. His next book comes out soon and man does he dish the dirt. LOL...
This is a wonderful article, always well researched and sourced. Have a great day.
I am a Born and Raised Oregonian from PDX who moved to Bend in 1990 to pursue a business opportunity and raise my two sons. Boy , what a great decision. Before I left I created the Boy Scout Christmas Tree Recycling Project. In Bend I found a place that was not very accessible . The ADA had just passed and the City Manager was not interested in the issue. I " lit the Fire" along with 3 other advocates and in 2000 filed a very successful complaint with the USDOJ, Civil Rights Division. That is what I did again recently, TA, TA. and it is the only viable way to clear PDX sidewalk's .It could happen in PDX but it takes People, NOT Politicians or DRO to get involved. TA, TA!
Disability Rights Oregon - a more inappropriately named organization you will never find. DRO did not support our lawsuit against the city of Portland to clear sidewalks so that those with mobility and sight disabilities would have access to public right of ways - rights recognized via the ADA. Drink that in for a moment. They opposed Disabled Oregonians suing to uphold their federally recognized Rights. Truth: They are a political organization USING people with disabilities (and now addictions and incarcerations) - by weaponizing our “marginalization” to infect Oregon with their political solution sets long on funding, abhorrent from the perspective of successful or improved outcomes.
Yep the Portland area nonprofits have been corrupted by far left extremism and lots of taxpayer money. Another example is the Oregon Food Bank. They support giving noncitizens the right to vote. (They supported Multnomah County measure 26-231). What does that have to do with ending hunger?
Your skilled reporting and clear writing is refreshing, Pamela. Having left Portland over 40 years ago for eastern Oregon, I have little contact with Portlanders, but saw some on a zoom meeting the other day on a Braver Angels facilitated call about the urban-rural divide in Oregon. To me, the participants from Portland showed Stockholm syndrome like behavior. It was revealing to see how the gradual takeover by malign groups has affected the population. Little wonder that our counties in the east part of the state want to move the state line and join Idaho. Between “affordable housing” and the supposed measure 110 fix, I worry that the Portland metro area will be exporting its homeless/mental health/addiction issue eastward.
Terrific piece--no one in dinosaur media can make this kind of deep dive.
If you pay attention to Kevin Dahlgren's body of work, not one addicted homeless person blames themselves. It's always someone else's fault; a policy that the state of Oregon fully embraces.
This is in keeping with the progressive machine's fascination with finding the oppressed--and their oppressors (who are then taxed to pay for the legions of "lived experience" folks who keep the addicts supplied and comforted).
It's a scam--self-dealing at its finest.
Thorough but sad piece. This question continues to haunt me "When Oregon voters were lured into voting for Measure 110 to decriminalize drugs, the selling point was that cannabis revenue would pay for treatment for drug addiction". When will the 'lured' voters in this city/state understand that they are voting for the wrong politicians? Politicians sell votes -- they do not understand nor care about running effective or profitable programs. On a national level, someone promised American voters that monopolizing student debt would pay for ObamaCare, but the consequences are debt of $1.6 trillion and healthcare increases in excess of inflation...
You are right. there is no "recovery" from addiction - drugs, alcohol, etc. Hit bottom and with the right help, family or one of the "non-profit industry" groups, you may get better. But you ill always be an addict. If no getting better, on a day-to-day basis, , you lose your life.
When the white DA of politically ambivalent Marion County feels comfortable telling a legislative committee she is an "OG" (meaning Original Gangster") you know reality has little to do with what happens in Salem.
After signing on to the TITANTIC of drug laws - Measure 110, all of those "in the know" in Oregon can take full credit for running our ship of state to the number one position amongst states with the worst drug problems. By literally investing a new language, "deflection" the largely Democratic legislators can do two contradictory things at once. Unlike concepts like "diversion" which have an historical-legal meaning,, "deflection" is made up, it might as well be called "Gliboghast." And because it has no historical precedent, "OGs" like Clarkson can interpret it any way they want, while avoiding the hard choices addicts have had to make for decades.
There are no miracle "cures," just long hard work, like that being done at Alan Evan's HOPE program or Kevin Dahlgren's street work. But they get almost none of the many millions the state pours out to unaccountable "non profits." Oregon has been a leader in self-delusion.
And despite the best efforts of the ruling class to deny him his work, to imprison him,. Kevin Dahlgren continues his effective one on one work,
As Yogi Berra said, "It's deja vu, all over again!,"
Another great, well researched and well written article!
It's true that addicts won't agree to change unless they are pushed to. It's always been like that. On another note, can I say how HAPPY I am now that Mike has officially destroyed his political future. The colossal errors that buffoon made during his disastrous years as DA will follow him EVERYWHERE. I personally know one writer who is gathering information to write a BOOK about his time in office and how he was so completely incompetent at even being anything remotely similar to a DA.
I furthermore agree that anyone who calls themselves an OG is a pompous ass who needs to grow the hell up. LOL...
And while it is great there are people like this man Hank Crapser, and while he may be successful in turning people around, there are going to be as many addicts who are going to sneer in his face and tell him to go screw himself. They like using and by golly no one is gonna interfere with that.
Great article. On a side note, you should listen to my latest podcast. I interview Robert Crane and he's a wonderful person. His next book comes out soon and man does he dish the dirt. LOL...
This is a wonderful article, always well researched and sourced. Have a great day.