Why We Left Portland

[@Uncivilize]

Journalist Andy NGO JUST got awarded 300,000 in his case!!

[@Uncivilize]

I'm in Humboldt County, and you're so right - this part of the country is a mix of hardy loggers and truckers as well as hippies and artists. We probably have more in common with each other in isolated natural Humboldt than with city folk.

[@BrianHill]

These guys underestimate what a large number of middle-of-the-road liberals give cover for the small number of very violent black bloc members, even though the sympathizers wouldn't even consider throwing bricks themselves. Since these two lived there I have to deeply respect their assessment, but I've seen these crowds up close too.

[@benqurayza7872]

You're on point. These moderate liberals are usually office workers who don't understand how shopkeepers and small landlords are vulnerable to street violence and the risk of losing it all.

[@MrsRitchieBlackmore]

YES YES YES. My dad and stepmom live in Hillsboro (a Portland suburb). Very good upstanding "moderates" (radical leftists, by Virginia standards, but middle of the road by Oregon standards) and, to my shock/horror, support ANTIFA! My dad, the same guy who wouldn't even lend me a quarter for gum because I hadn't "worked for it" was supporting these disgusting freeloading criminals. The mindset in that area is really unbelievable.

[@billbadson7598]

I'm constantly blown away hearing people talk about enormous cities as if they are small towns, and speaking of it disdainfully. This is where the real divide is: between people who can only exist in NY and LA, with occasional flights between them, and everybody else on the planet. I can't even put myself in that place mentally.

[@johnstewart7025]

It seems that is the real political divide. However, climate change push us closer together.

[@MrsRitchieBlackmore]

Oh, I totally agree. I remember telling a NYC-er I lived in Virginia and they were like, "oh, do you live on a FARM?" Um, no, there's a little place called Washington DC right next door, and the metro area has sprawled out over as far south as Charlottesville, Va! I live in NoVa and it's (sadly) 95% pavement. The only people who can afford farms are multimillionaire lobbyists and senators! 😂 But to lots of them, it's NYC or LA, and everything else is a vast agricultural nothingness.

[@billbadson7598]

@@MrsRitchieBlackmore cities with hundreds of thousands of people, and "there's nothing to do here." lol

[@unitedstatesofpostamerica7559]

Just now leaving Portland…..

[@benqurayza7872]

Good discussion about Portland culture. Too passive aggressive for this New Yorker. Michael referred to "American Nations", a good book by Colin Woodard.

[@ChollieD]

That's my problem. I'm allergic to passive aggression and liable to respond with aggressive aggression. 'I'll show you oppression!'

[@MrsRitchieBlackmore]

When I lived in Portland, I invited a coworker to attend a concert with me. He said "it sounds like fun!" Crucially, he never said yes or no (WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN MY HINT!) I got two tickets and honestly thought we were good to go until the day before, when he seemed surprised I got two tickets..he had other plans and didn't really like that band, anyway. I asked why he didn't just say so to begin with, and he said I should've gotten his "drift." 🤪

[@jeeed6390]

Thank you, thank you. This spells out the situation much more clearly than we’ve heard yet. Better than Andy NGO’s even.

[@johnstewart7025]

"Homage to Catalonia": George Orwell said late 1930s anarchist Spain was the only place he had ever been where everyone was radically equal. Officers in army were paid the same as the privates. Officers had to convince young soldiers when they wanted something done.

[@johnmacrae2006]

@johnstewart7025 “Officers had to convince young soldiers when they wanted something done” . No wonder they lost 😂

[@Cotictimmy]

Sitting here in Southampton (Southern England) it's great to hear from calm & rational Americans - who don't spout lunatic partisan talking points every time they open their mouths.

[@exbronco]

I'm happy for them, seriously. Portland's a bad place.

[@johndoeboston123]

I love Quillette, but this was kind of boring. Both guests complained about the problems in Portland as one might complain about bad weather. But if you've already seen some video of the Portland riots, then you won't learn anything new. No challenging questions, no discussion about specific mistakes, or suggestions on how other cities can avoid ending up like Portland.

[@ASM881]

Fred and Carrie should do a sketch about them leaving because of all the fentanyl.

[@4fundays]

Ted Wheeler murdered portland, my home town.

[@dale9724]

Jonathan Kay is a terrific interviewer and writer. Great interview. Thanks.

[@zxyatiywariii8]

"Hearing coyotes at night is better than hearing broken windows." I've lived in both paradigms, and I agree. The ONLY things I advise for people hearing coyotes for the first time: 1. Coyotes are shy and generally like to avoid people, so just enjoy their songs, I love falling asleep to coyotes at night 😌 knowing they're keeping mice and rats under control 2. However, if any of your dogs are smaller than the local rabbits (mine is, as you can see) just put a flashing (lighted, NOT just reflective!) collar on him or her at night. That scares both coyotes and birds of prey like owls, who can't carry off small dogs but can kill them 3. Don't leave trash in plastic bags out at night. A hungry coyote may raid it, especially if you have a lot of food scraps. We woke up one morning to see fish bones and dog food cans scattered all over our driveway, lol. No problem now that we use tall plastic bins

[@Brutuscomedy]

Noam Chomsky does a good job elucidating what anarchism actually entails (beyond popular misconceptions). Anarcho-primitivism is not akin to "200 people" railing against any and all structure and organization. At any rate, one can make a good argument Jesus was a proto-anarchist. He certainly wasn't an imperial Nationalist. There certainly is a justice aspect to coffee (unless you don't care about overworked laborers or children sourcing luxury goods). Jokes about social justice reveal just how indifferent a privileged white American is. Or just how devoid of empathy and concern. The world doesn't revolve around materially wealthy Americans. They've done a great job exporting a shortsighted lifestyle driving catastrophic climate change however.

[@Gary-zq3pz]

Never been there, now I know I'll never visit Portland. It's a Plague city.

[@semperfidelis6943]

What a nightmare.

[@velocitor3792]

"The Seeds of Albion" might be the book you're thinking of.

[@mgkos]

Perfidious Albion was what England was called by Europe & indeed Russia’s the biggest country in Europe, so she as well.

[@velocitor3792]

@@mgkos Admiral Nelson was called "The Sword of Albion"

[@mgkos]

@@velocitor3792 indeed The Brits not minding their own business invading other countries, model for US.

[@johnmacrae2006]

@@mgkos Our flag has quite the resemblance to the East India Company’s pre-Revolutionary War ensign. Perhaps there’s a connection.

[@holidaytrout5174]

The party of peace, justice and empathy lol

[@norahjaneeast5450]

I want out too So I was one and a quarter mile from the federal courthouse so I heard all of the rioting which I was also watching so one side would throw a firework mortar as well as when the police would throw a flashbang I would hear it about eight seconds later as well as being near the old Washington High School where a lot of the Organization for these rioting so all the helicopters all the insane Anarchy until they tore down a Washington statue after that they stopped using Washington High School renamed Revolution Hall apparently a very nice place to see a concert or have some other events anyway we were sort of the city that everybody wanted to go to now everyone wants to flee

[@tlockerk]

Portland is older than Santa Fe (1400s)?