Trump Protest Turns Violent

When a fellow "protester" is wearing a hoodie and a mask, carrying a baseball bat and rocks, you might want to assume they don't hold your views and are going to hijack your cause ["Portland Anti-Trump Protest Turns to Chaos as Anarchists Smash Cars and Bus Stops," wweek.com, Nov. 10, 2016].

Police yourselves and stand up for the 99 percent. You know, the small-business owner who provides goods, services and jobs. The guy or gal who this morning is going to tell his employees to stay home while he waits for the insurance adjuster and glazier.

You outnumber the anarchists. Stand up to them, because today we don't remember your voices, we remember the damage that was caused.

—John Retzlaff

This is about revolution. Destruction of property and sabotage are legitimate when it is done to the detriment to the bourgeoisie. Those who do not participate in revolution and defend the capitalist status quo are nothing more than traitors to the proletariat.

—Faolan Baldwin

Parking for New Apartments

I'm glad to hear Mayor-elect Ted Wheeler understands we don't need a 1950s-style parking policy, and have more current tools to better match the supply with the demand ["Car Crushers," WW, Nov. 9, 2016].

The market can build parking where it's needed. We don't need to mandate each housing unit have a car-storage space costing $15,000 to $50,000, especially when the future of self-driving cars and shared mobility is soon upon us.

—Evan Manvel

Municipalities are famously bad at guessing how much parking is required for all potential land uses. Regulate where parking is located on the site, and let private property owners take the risk of delivering too much or too little parking.

Unlike many places, Portland is where people have actual options on how they spend their rent and transportation dollars. Cheaper rents are found in Beaverton or Vancouver, but that cheaper rent comes with higher transportation costs.

—R. John Anderson

Corrections

A story on Ammon Bundy's acquittal ("The Prosecution Flops," WW, Nov. 2, 2016) incorrectly stated that prosecutors spent nearly $12 million preparing for the trial. In fact, U.S. Attorney for Oregon Billy Williams told The Oregonian that law enforcement agencies spent that figure responding to the Malheur occupation. WW regrets the error.

Last week's Dr. Know column correctly stated that county and municipal judges are not required to be members of the Oregon State Bar. But judges in the Multnomah County Circuit Court, a state court, must be bar members.

Letters to the editor must include the author's street address and phone number for verification. Letters must be 250 or fewer words. Submit to: 2220 NW Quimby St., Portland, OR 97210. Email: mzusman@wweek.com.