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AN EYE FOR AN EYE LEAVES US ALL BLIND
Those protesting cruelties being inflicted on the Latino population are absolutely in the right. But it is a legitimate question to ask whether the means being used are actually feeding directly into what Trump and MAGA seek and being used to strengthen the hand of those inflicting cruelty? Every single instance of violence by activists—including anarchists—is being captured on video in order to justify the sending of more troops [“We’re the Bait,” WW, Oct. 1].
Have Portland-area activists learned nothing at all from the horrendous experience five years ago related to protests regarding the death of George Floyd? Again, the cause was noble, but video of the violence inflicted by Portland activists was cynically used to support the Trump presidential campaign. In a tight finish, that imagery came dangerously close to putting Trump over the top.
Now the stakes are frighteningly higher. Trump is dismantling our democracy and consolidating authoritarian rule. Shortsighted activists seem oblivious to the dire consequences of what they are doing to help him once again. When the city refuses to send police to stop activist violence, it does the same. Instigators—also known as “agents provocateurs”—must be rooted out.
The greatest proponent for social change in the last 100 years Martin Luther King said: “An eye for an eye until the whole world is blind.” Shame on the violent activists of Portland and the city government for their blindness! Those who care about a livable future without a climate collapse caused by Trump must speak out for nonviolence!
Gary Houser
Southeast Portland
PORTLAND TARGETED AGAIN, 55 YEARS LATER
Fifty-five years ago, I was part of a Portland State University student group who had in May 1970 shut down our campus for a week and was then violently attacked by Portland’s police as we peacefully demonstrated against Nixon’s Cambodia invasion and the Kent State shootings. We followed that up by organizing a protest against Portland’s summer American Legion National Convention March for Victory in Vietnam through the downtown Portland streets, as well as their keynote speaker, President Nixon (Nixon canceled his Portland appearance at the last moment due to his fears of our protests). At that time we had to deal with Oregon Gov. Tom McCall and Nixon flooding the streets with National Guardsmen and federal agents of all kinds. The result was that we had protest marches through Portland during the Legion convention week with no violence or arrests and gained national publicity all that summer for our Vietnam War protest cause.
Now, according to recent articles, Trump is planning a redux of a martial law situation in Portland he initiated in 2020. I believe the book I wrote about our protests during the late 1960s and early ’70s, Notes From an American Antiwarrior, tells the story of what’s possible, for good and not good. We can only hope Portland doesn’t turn into another May 4, 1970, Kent State tragedy!
As an American, I hope you will become active in opposing the growing tyranny in America. History will judge the people of today for whether they did or did not resist the coming dictatorship of Trump, just as we who resisted Nixon have been judged.
Doug Weiskopf
Burbank, Calif.
EVERYBODY BE COOL
Even though the California Kale Corps will be acting as an occupying military force, the reality is just the same as if they were OARNG troops. Everybody keep your heads cool. You still don’t have to be welcoming (as we would for fellow Oregonians), but let common decency be your guide. Come to Oregon to visit, but please don’t move in here.
If anything, these California NG troops have the plenty of experience with park maintenance as that’s about all they’ve been doing during their L.A. “war zone” deployment. Perhaps they could apply some of that gained expertise to help out with Portland Parks & Recreation’s deferred maintenance backlog. (Operation High and Tight for lawn maintenance? Operation Clean Sweep for leaf removal? The mind boggles at the opportunities.)
Again, above all, don’t take the bait to provoke a forceful response that feeds the false narrative. If they react unprovoked in a violent manner as ICE has been doing regularly to First Amendment protest, they’ll look just as bad as ICE.
Mid County via wweek.com
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