I was reminded of the late Elijah Cummings’ words in Congress, “We’re better than this,” when I read the front-page article about the homeless encampment at City Hall breaking up (“Some at City Hall begin breaking camp,” Aug. 7).
I’ve found that many of us in Portland think of us as an enlightened, caring community, and I think to a degree that is true. But the response of the city to the homeless protest has been disheartening. Except for the mayor and, I believe, two City Council members, the attitude has been to ignore them and just hope they go away – which seems to be what has been driving the general policy toward the homeless. Look the other way and hope they all go away.
Particularly distressing was the letter that City Manager Jon Jennings sent to Jess Falero (an organizer of the encampment) in which he did not offer any ideas on where these people with no place to go should go. He chose instead to lecture them on the need for a permit before they demonstrate.
I suppose we should be used to Jennings’ dismissive attitude toward the poor by now, but coupled with the two photos on the front page, it was heartbreaking and depressing. Maybe, in fact, we are not “better than this.”
Janice Bailey
Portland
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