I read this book while getting away for the weekend because you spell my middle name "N E R D" and this is the type of stuff I long to read when I have free time.Portland got it's very own chapter in this book. The chapter on Portland was interesting and I felt it was pretty honest but I have also not lived a lot of this history. While we have a lot to be proud of we still have a very long way to go dealing with the unintended consequences that all of this civic-mindedness has wrought. There was some backstory on why East County feels left out of Portland civic life and also a touch on the issues of the poor and minorities being under represented.
Overall though it was nice to read about what works/doesn't work in Portland from this author's perspective in order to capture some of this for the communities I feel an affinity too and bring the disenfranchised together on the same side of the boulder. Fighting amongst ourselves is not working anymore and the majority community is feeling the heat of poverty and loss now as well so perhaps this is a time to come together vs. split even further apart.
2 comments:
Thanks for writing your blog and pouring so much of your soul into your mission. I caught you from some Cheating in class site which I couldn't figure out how to LIKE or join. I was involved with the Save Marshall High School group. Am a senior citizen who still cares about the public school system. Bless you for your time and involvement. I'm going to read this book, hadn't heard of it, but had heard of Bowling Alone. Thanks again.
Well thank you so much Marla! I thought of Marshall when the book talked about how East County felt shut out of inner Portland politics. I am very passionate about Jefferson remaining my neighborhood school and would love to see our two communities find a way to join forces. Beyond the school issues it is long past time for the disenfranchised in Portland to take a stand.
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