Skip to main contentThanks, WW, for the great coverage of the exciting Multnomah County chair race featuring Deborah Kafoury and Jim Francesconi ["The Great Race," WW, March 26, 2014].
While they both have formidable experience, I nearly choke on the idea that Francesconi will be a champion of the disenfranchised. Many a Portlander will not forget the day he cast the lone City Council vote against Dignity Village.
On the matter of his indecisiveness, I would certainly agree about that, unless it concerned a citizen initiative. In that case, he often knew his mind well enough to close the lid right away.
Francesconi ran as the business-friendly candidate for mayor and flopped. Now he's running to the left. Kafoury represented my district, and every email from her touted what she had done for the homeless. Yet in my 11 years in Portland, homelessness has gotten worse.
It doesn't look like anyone in government here has a clue what to do, except throw money at the problem. I don't think either candidate is a friend of Multnomah County's taxpayers.
—"Stuart"
It's a shame that the author of this article doesn't seem to be able to look further than the past. The cynical, below-the-belt comments do not serve any purpose but to increase political apathy. If we let the past be the past, and look at what is happening right now, we can see that Francesconi is the only one equipped and truly fired up to make positive change in Multnomah County.
—"Mirabai Peart"
SAME-SEX MARRIAGE
Considering WW was not able to get any of these church leaders to endorse marriage equality or oppose the anti-gay discrimination initiative, it doesn't appear much has changed in 10 years ["Onward Christian Voters," WW, March 26, 2014]. Not wanting to be known for being anti-gay isn't the same as actually not being anti-gay.
It's great that some Oregon conservative church leaders are not politically hostile to LGBTs. However, I suspect their position is more nuanced in wanting to sound progressive and modern, but maintaining the same old religious fundamentalism.
—"nojam75"
That sound you hear is the dying gasps of the modern evangelical church. Currently, all the church stands for is money and the right to discriminate against gays.
—"Justin Morton"
I have no patience for people who discriminate against other human beings because "God told them to do it," then claim to harbor no ill will toward gay people.
Discrimination is discrimination. Hate is hate. Just because you pick and choose parts of the Bible to follow doesn't make your belief system any less childish, or cowardly.
—"Melissa"
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