Police Street Sweeps Coming to Mississippi Ave?
The City of Portland is considering passing an ordinance that would prohibit sitting or lying on sidewalks in high-pedestrian areas, such as downtown Portland, around the Lloyd Center, and possibly Mississippi Avenue. This ordinance would prohibit street musicianship, panhandling, and even just hanging out.
Of course, the ordinance would not always be enforced. Instead, it is selectively enforced. Although the United States Constitution promises every U.S. Citizen “equal protection of the laws,” (14th Amendment), it is likely to be enforced exclusively on poor people. Some people will come up with a variety of ways to blame the poor for being poor, but the hierarchical economic system that we live in ensures that there will always be people who are poor, in spite of best efforts and intentions.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled on April 14, 2006, that
punishing homeless people for sleeping, sitting or lying on sidewalks and other public property when other shelter is not available was unconstitutionally cruel and unusual punishment (Edward Jones v. City of Los Angeles, on the internet at http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov). Although this federal court decision should guide the lower courts, many police departments will continue to commit these offenses against society’s most vulnerable people.
COPWATCHING
What can we do to actually defend our neighbors and ourselves against these offenses? One thing is to observe police activity if it appears that they may be harming someone or violating someone’s rights, and record the incident. Important details include time and date, officers involved, accounts of what happened, witness contact information, name of victim, and, if arrested, on what charge. It is important to note that police officers can arrest anyone that they feel is interfering with their actions.
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
Is “Abnormally Fatty Liver of Tortured Geese” coming to Mississippi Avenue?
Is “Abnormally Fatty Liver of Tortured Geese” coming to Mississippi Avenue?
Developers building the Mississippi Avenue Lofts condos on Mississippi Avenue are reportedly going to have an upscale market, “Pastaworks,” in their retail space.
The current Pastaworks at 3735 S.E. Hawthorne St was the site of a Valentine’s Day protest to dissuade people from the consumption of “abnormally fatty liver of tortured geese,” also known as “foie gras.”
Foie gras is the massively enlarged, diseased liver of a duck or goose that can only be made by shoving a metal pipe down his or her throat and pumping food through it daily (SEE PICTURE) until their liver swells to ten times its normal size.
Undercover investigations and open rescues have revealed the disgusting conditions these birds live in tiny, cramped cages filled with feces and vomit where they regularly experience ruptured livers, suffocation from inhaling vomit, and severe infections. These animals grow so large they cannot walk and live in areas so small they cannot spread their wings.
Both veterinarians and the ASPCA have come out against the cruel production of foie gras and California has become the first state to pass a law banning the sale and production of force-fed birds by 2012.
Chicago has also banned its sale. Fifteen nations, including the UK, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland and Israel- previously the fourth-largest producer in the world- outlaw force-feeding birds for foie gras.
If “abnormally fatty liver of tortured geese,” or “foie gras,” is coming to Mississippi Avenue, then the protestors surely will as well. The Valentine’s Day protest included graphic photos of force-fed animals, multiple cop cars with flashing lights, chanting and sign-waving, bullhorns, and one business had to turn out its lights and lock its doors.
Do Boise Neighbors want a business selling such an extraordinarily cruelly-made product in our neighborhood? Do Boise Neighborhood businesses want not-good-for-business protestors making a scene on Mississippi Avenue?
Developers building the Mississippi Avenue Lofts condos on Mississippi Avenue are reportedly going to have an upscale market, “Pastaworks,” in their retail space.
The current Pastaworks at 3735 S.E. Hawthorne St was the site of a Valentine’s Day protest to dissuade people from the consumption of “abnormally fatty liver of tortured geese,” also known as “foie gras.”
Foie gras is the massively enlarged, diseased liver of a duck or goose that can only be made by shoving a metal pipe down his or her throat and pumping food through it daily (SEE PICTURE) until their liver swells to ten times its normal size.
Undercover investigations and open rescues have revealed the disgusting conditions these birds live in tiny, cramped cages filled with feces and vomit where they regularly experience ruptured livers, suffocation from inhaling vomit, and severe infections. These animals grow so large they cannot walk and live in areas so small they cannot spread their wings.
Both veterinarians and the ASPCA have come out against the cruel production of foie gras and California has become the first state to pass a law banning the sale and production of force-fed birds by 2012.
Chicago has also banned its sale. Fifteen nations, including the UK, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland and Israel- previously the fourth-largest producer in the world- outlaw force-feeding birds for foie gras.
If “abnormally fatty liver of tortured geese,” or “foie gras,” is coming to Mississippi Avenue, then the protestors surely will as well. The Valentine’s Day protest included graphic photos of force-fed animals, multiple cop cars with flashing lights, chanting and sign-waving, bullhorns, and one business had to turn out its lights and lock its doors.
Do Boise Neighbors want a business selling such an extraordinarily cruelly-made product in our neighborhood? Do Boise Neighborhood businesses want not-good-for-business protestors making a scene on Mississippi Avenue?
COMMISSIONER SAM ADAMS: “(BLAH BLAH BLAH)”
COMMISSIONER SAM ADAMS: “(BLAH BLAH BLAH)”
In a letter to the Boise Neighborhood Association and the Historic Mississippi Business District, Commissioner Sam Adams phrased the options available to the neighborhood as being for or against widening the sidewalk by narrowing the street, and asked that one of the options be selected by June 1st. No mention was made of how this might affect the safety of pedestrians or bicycle riders, and no mention was made of the Title 17 requirement for the new developments to make room for a wider sidewalk by setting back 2 feet.
Meeting attendees refused to endorse the narrowing of the street and insisted that Mr. Adams be held accountable for his responsibility to the Boise Neighborhood residents.
Clearly, the city bureaucrats that claim to represent the interests of the people of this city choose instead to push the agendas of the big money developers by refusing to even address the issues that challenge the authority of developers to throw their financial weight around in order to maximize their profits at the expense of the community.
In a letter to the Boise Neighborhood Association and the Historic Mississippi Business District, Commissioner Sam Adams phrased the options available to the neighborhood as being for or against widening the sidewalk by narrowing the street, and asked that one of the options be selected by June 1st. No mention was made of how this might affect the safety of pedestrians or bicycle riders, and no mention was made of the Title 17 requirement for the new developments to make room for a wider sidewalk by setting back 2 feet.
Meeting attendees refused to endorse the narrowing of the street and insisted that Mr. Adams be held accountable for his responsibility to the Boise Neighborhood residents.
Clearly, the city bureaucrats that claim to represent the interests of the people of this city choose instead to push the agendas of the big money developers by refusing to even address the issues that challenge the authority of developers to throw their financial weight around in order to maximize their profits at the expense of the community.
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