No rest for the apathetic.

I have been involved in may community initiatives, processes, and committees over the last several years, and I have begun to notice something about people. I don't have any links or stats or such - this is just my viewpoint.

Any time there is something done - there are always that camp that must complain. We all know them, the folks that are never happy with any solution. They are more than happy to tell you how the government screwed up, or the government screwed the people, or the government is full of idiots. There is no project too big or too small to draw their ire.

You hear them complain about roads, about Transit, about bicycles, about development, about zoning, about environmental restrictions. Here in Portland we have had some high profile projects that people just love to hate. The Tram. The Streetcar. MAX. South Waterfront or the Pearl.

But if you ask those people "Well, did you attend any of the meetings?" the answer will invariably be "no". (Usually followed by a "but...")

Now, first let me make clear: I am by no means claiming that public process is without flaw. In fact, I know full well based on my own personal experiences that their are many flaws with the system.

It is, however, a functioning system and there are ways to be involved. From the small: writing a letter. All the way to the extreme: run for public office.

But here is the deal. I am just a regular guy with a job and a family, and I try to be involved as much as I can. Anyone can do it. It really is not that hard...

I have had people complain to me that their neighborhood associations don't accurately represent the people who live in the neighborhood. These people whine about decisions the associations make. I then ask "Well, do you go to the neighborhood association meetings?" The answer is "no".

I get people complain about transportation, things such as roads or congestion or transit. Always how this agency or that office is not doing enough or how things cost too much. And I ask, "Did you go to the town hall meetings?" ... "no" is the answer. I pose "Did you send in your statement during the public comment period?" "nope." "Did you volunteer or apply to be on any of the citizen design committees or task forces?" "nope." "Did you ever attend one of the responsible agency meetings where the votes were cast and make a statement?" "Not me..."

And often people will complain to me that government is lopsided, too many environmentalists or planners or too many transit advocates. They will claim that government is stacked against the common man. But when you ask if they ever volunteered or applied or ran for any of those spots = the answer is invariably no. At transportation seminars almost all of the attendees tend to be transit or bicycle advocates, and the car folks just never seem to show. At planning or design meetings you have people who are motivated about the environment or who want to make change get involved, while the apathetic person is not present.

These people are the same people who don't vote and then complain about who gets elected.

Here is the simple fact: the government usually goes way out of their way to involve the public. So much so that it drives the timelines into forever and the costs into the stratosphere. (I did say usually)

In addition, almost every agency has task forces, committees, and panels that citizens can be on. Agencies host seminars and subsidize classes at local colleges to help people get acquainted with things that they deal with - such as planning and transportation. They have public comment periods and public hearings.

If you are apathetic about what happens in your community you have no right to complain. And don't give me that bull about "but I pay taxes" because we all pay taxes and that is just a tired argument. The simple fact is that projects will get built. If you want to shape them and care how your tax dollars are spent, get involved.

Realistically the people who do get involved are the people who really really care. People who are willing to put their time and their life on the table. Those people will tend to be progressive.

If you don't like it, maybe I should see you in the next town hall meeting to voice your side.

Unless you are part of the process stop bitching about the product.

Please use Revolving Door

There is a certain workplace in downtown Portland that anyone who is familiar with it will instantly know what I am talking about. It is a large workplace, and at the entrances there is a revolving door between two regular doors.

There are large signs on the regular doors that say "Please Use Revolving Door". This is because a revolving door does not let in heat or cold the same way a regular door does. When you open a regular door there is a large breeze of air that comes through, and it is very inefficient from a heating or cooling standpoint. A revolving door in contrast, is never really "open". At any point in time two if it's "arms" will be in contact with the walls, allowing it to maintain a "seal".

Well I think a very interesting study in human nature is these doors.

Fully 50% of the people I observe walk through the doors with the big signs on them saying "Please Use Revolving Door".

If I had the time I would sit there with a clicker and count actual numbers. But I am pretty sure that they ALL don't have a revolving door phobia. (If so I think we should start studying that because it would be more common than almost any other phobia that exists!).

Strange. Maybe it is not for me to understand.

Someone destroys my Bill Richardson sticker

Last night, in Downtown Portland of all places, someone felt the need to destroy one of my Bill Richardson for President stickers.

Sure, I don't expect everyone to agree with me politically. Fair enough.

But what on earth could make you so mad about Bill Richardson? Are you mad because he is a "dark horse" candidate? Are you mad because most people have not even heard of him?

Maybe the person who ripped apart the sticker was from New Mexico and had some personal reason.

In any event I thought it was a strange thing... Now if It had been a Hillary or W sticker I could at least understand the animosity.

To each their own I guess. Just try and keep your mitts off my car.

Calling us racist is an easy way to win - More on Interstate vs. Chavez

After Tuesday's meeting about the proposed change to Interstate Ave, it seems like the default argument is to label anyone who opposes renaming Interstate to Cesar Chavez - is simply a racist.

They call us racist because they know it will win their argument. We can't come back from that.

But I would not support the renaming of Interstate to "John F Kennedy" or any other name. It is INTERSTATE - and it is a part of OUR community.

Portland Blvd. should not have been changed either.

If we want to bring race into it, then how about all of the supporters who say it will bring a positive bit of inspiration to latino youth? Well, I would like to see statistics on how many black on black crimes have been committed on Martin Luther King streets across the nation.

You see, I don't believe that having a street named after someone is a *good* thing. I don't think it is worth a hill of beans. To me it seems like we are just saying we are too lazy to actually live within the person's legacy so we can rename this street and be done with it.

"I don't care where you live in America, if you're on Martin Luther King Boulevard, there's some violence going on."
-Comedian Chris Rock

Why don't we honor great leaders of the past by getting unemployment low, having health care for kids, making our schools the best in the world, and teaching people how to get back to being a part of our communities?

Oh wait, I know the answer to that. It would be too hard.

Lets just change a few road signs and call it a day.

Here are some links.
KATU newscast
Mercury Blogtown
KGW story.

I also found this story, which confuses me a little:
What would Cesar Chavez say?

there were two camps in this battle, and a battle this seems to be. The controversy is over the name of Interstate Avenue. There were the pros and the cons (no surprise there). First, allow me tell you what I heard from the cons.

Does it have to be OUR street (NIMBY)?

Does it have to be our STREET? What about the bridge to Sauvie Island, the new downtown transit mall or a dozen other civic projects that have not yet been named and would cost essentially nothing to name?

But there is one more thing that I must report. It saddens me and I think sets the tone for this debate. One of the last things said before the open-mike session was spoken by a young woman who, in part, represented the committee. I don't remember the exact wording so please forgive me if I misquote slightly, but in effect the statement was: "We will not consider any other option than renaming Interstate" for this monument. Right then and there, the battle line was drawn. From that moment on, it was a case of, you are either for us or you are against us. From that moment on it was not a discussion but a series of confrontations.

And then they follow up with this:

Everyone last night seemed to embrace the civic process of meeting to air their differences, but no one seemed ready to embrace the process of compromise. Who will take the high road in this debate? Who will keep their eye on the higher ground, that of creating a monument to this great man in our great city?

Wait.

I thought that the "cons" had offered all sorts of "compromises"...

Oh well. I guess since the only reason to oppose renaming Interstate is OBVIOUSLY because we are racist that we don't even get to have REALITY on our side. (I wish there were a clear way to indicate sarcasm on a blog).

I am taking a high ground.

I fully support finding some great way to honor Cesar Chavez. I personally think naming the new permanent version of the Saturday Market that is to be built, with a prominent memorial and lots of info as to how Cesar changed the United States - would be an outstanding honor. And I would bet that there would be very little opposition to that. "The Cesar Chavez Market" or such would be seen by everyone, would be advertised and put on Portland fliers and tourism materials. It would be a destination.

Just like I think that naming the new transit mall after Rosa Parks would have been a much more fitting tribute than simply renaming Portland Blvd.

I simply feel that Interstate is a name that is VERY tied with North Portland, and deserves to stay as it is.

How on earth is that racist?