I screwed up: Jim Lee DID respond, and I saw his response—he sent it in on the 21st—but I managed to completely ignore it. So he gets his own post to make up for my stupid mistake.

On racial profiling…

Has Portland seen progress in this area? What can be done to further improve police-community relations?

Jim Lee
Position sought: Mayor
Website: blogmayor.com
Public financing status: Not participating

(Click on that for a bigger version.)

I’m sorry Jim. Thanks for correcting me!

Live from the Rose Garden as the Portland Trail Blazers take on the Houston Rockets, all the way from the Dirty DIrty. It seems like it has been awhile since the Blazers have been at home (and I’ve worn the live blog hat, which is more of a fedora, really), but tonight’s game should be quite exciting. Houston is stacked with talent: Yao Ming, Tracy McGrady, Rafer Alston, Shane Battier, Lil’ Flip, Scarface, Bushwick Bill, Willie D, Chamillionaire, Paul Wall, Slim Thug, Mike Jones…

More sizzurp guzzling live blogging, and Chopped and Screwed references, after the jump.

Pre-Game
After the longest road trip of the year, seven grueling games, the Blazers return to Portland and take on the red hot, and red uniformed, Houston Rockets. The Rocketeers have won 8 of their last 10, and are starting to look like the late round playoff team they are supposed to be.

The game is about to start and the national anthem is being sung by The Oregon Children's Choir. Children on the same court as Dikembe Mutombo? Is this a good idea?

First Quarter:
10:41 - Yao Ming is intimidating in person, you sort of forget that while watching him on television, but the dude is huge. Huge being 7"6. Not as tall, but equally as intimidating, is Brandon Roy, who has a quick 5 points. 5-2 Blazers.

6;37 - Yes, the whistles work just fine. We get it. There have been seven fouls so far, 4 for the home team, 3 for Houston. Looks like one of those games. 13-9 Blazers.

5:01 - Martell Webster, off a Tracy McGrady turnover, takes it coast to coast for the dramatic layup, and the foul. 18-9 Portland.

2:50 - And down goes Yao. Przbilla did the 'ole pull the chair out trick, and Yao lands on his butt, plus takes Joel with him. Foul on Yao. 18-11 Blzrs.

1:06 - Oh that was awesome! Bomzi Wells checks into the game for Houston and gets boed. Seriously booed. He then turns, smiles, and waves to the crowd. 23-16 PDX.

Second Quarter:
15:00 - Ahmad Rashad is in the house, ironically wearing a bright purple Cosby sweater. Hmm, that's odd. I assume he is trying to win back his ex-wife.

10:15 - The usually dependable Blazers bench is a mess. Since Roy has been on the pine, Houston has easily rallied back into the game. Goodbye 12 point lead! 23-23 tie.

9:59 - Sergio Rodriguez the steal, to Jarrett Jack, to Travis Outlaw for a monster D-U-N-K. 27-23 Portland.

5:19 - Tracy McGrady misses a mammoth reversal alley-oop dunk. Maybe it's because he has a girl's name. Yeah, that's probably it. 34-33 Rockets.

3:02 - Roy for three! Boom!! That's a quick 5 in a row for Roy. 42-37 Blazers.

0:00 - Tonight is Brandon Roy's night. When he has been on the court, the team has been fluid, and confident. When he has been sitting, well, not so much. 50-42 Blazers at the halfway point.

Halftime:
Why does Portland get no respect from the national media? Oh yeah, because we have Ultimate Frisbie games as a halftime show. The good news is that I am going to buy some kind bud from that guy with the ponytail. Humboldt eye-bleeder? Fuck yeaaaaahh, broseph.

We have a lot of fun here, but time for a serious discussion on the growing acts of Mascotcide committed by Blaze, the unfortunate Blazers mascot. In the past few weeks he has murdered the Utah Jazz mascot (Crushing him, along with his car, by wrecking ball. Yes, mascots evidentially have their own whips.), and tonight, he helped direct traffic over the fuzzy mascot corpse of the Clutch "the Rockets Bear." Somewhere a Furry sheds a single tear for these senseless acts of mascot-on-mascot violence.

Third Quarter:
10:19 - The Rockets find the hidden seven point basket, and quickly make this a 50-49 game. Timeout Portland.

7:07 - Everyone's got a case of the turnovers. 25 total for both teams so far. 56-51 H-Town.

6:02 - Halfway through this quarter and the Blazers have scored not one, but two whole points.

2:54 - No touching the Yao! Channing Frye finds this out the hard way, with another Blazers foul. Still only eight points for Portland this quarter, yet still it's only a two point game. 60-58 Houston.

2:30 - Who is that chap in the James Jones jersey? It's not the real Jones, because he just airballed a three-point attempt. That ain't right.

0:00 - Sergio stripped of everything but his faux-hawk, and the quarter ends in a 62-62 tie.

Fourth Quarter:
9:57 - Outlaw in the corner. Outlaw for three. Just like that, it's 68-66 Portland.

7:30 - He'll feel it tomorrow. Hell, he'll feel it tonight. But Brandon Roy throws himself at the tree trunk limbs of Yao, and now the Rockets center, who is the size of a planet, has five fouls. 72-71 Rockets.

4:26 - Want to know what happens when you give the Rockets a second chance on offense? Tracy "Girl's Name" McGrady hits a three. That is what happens. 77-73 Houston.

2:49 - It's all slipping away when the Blazers are getting torched by Carl Landry. Ugh. 82-73 Houston.

1:44 - It's over kiddies. It's hack-a-Rocket time, as Houston's late push, and Portland's complete lack of offense in the second half, have sealed this game. Remember, Portland had 50 points at the half. They have had 27 since then. Not good. 87-77 Rockets.

We’ve been asking the same question all week:

On Wednesday night, January 16, Police Chief Rosie Sizer presented a report on the Racial Profiling Task Force, a group charged with working toward the elimination of racial profiling. Has Portland seen progress in this area? What can be done to further improve police-community relations?

And now, our mayoral candidates—some of them, at least; this is either an unusually busy or unusually disinterested set of candidates—respond. (In the original post, I said Jim Lee was out of town and unable to respond. I was wrong—he’s out of town next week, and still plans to respond. He wrote in four days ago with his response to this question, and I’ve given his response it’s own post, here.)

Sam Adams
Position sought: Mayor
Website: samforpdx.com
Public financing status: Not participating, capping contributions

We are all vulnerable to racial stereotyping, unintentional or not. Take just a moment to consider the impact of television programs like “COPS.” They implicitly encourage us to fear each other based on race, income status and other factors. In reality these should have no bearing on what our judgments of each other should be based on.

Have you seen a COPS episode where the cameras have followed police breaking down the office doors of white collar crime suspect like the CEO of Enron or WorldCom? I haven’t.

In this climate the potential for racial stereotyping exists in each of us and in society as a whole, including the Portland Police Bureau and all other city bureaus. The fact the police are charged with helping to keep us safe, and armed with deadly force and the power to use it if necessary is a good reason to prioritize dealing with racial stereotyping in the police bureau.

Last Wednesday, January 16, Police Chief Rosie Sizer and Joann Bowman, co-chairs of the Racial Profiling Task Force, presented a report to the Portland City Council, a group charged with working toward the elimination of racial stereotyping. Has Portland seen progress in this area? What can be done to further improve police-community relations?

The short answers are: (1) slow progress is being made that will serve as a foundation to address the issue of racial profiling, and (2) much more work needs to be done.

Racial stereotyping, also known as racial profiling, is any law enforcement practice in which a person is treated as a suspect because of his or her race, ethnicity, nationality, or religion rather than probable cause. Racial profiling has proven to be difficult to document and compiling data that all stakeholders agree to be credible has been difficult to collect as well.

My commitment to public service spans more than two decades now, and my experience educates me to believe we get what we plan and measure for. I always strive to make decisions based on the best available data before me. But with respect to racial profiling, we lack the data that all reasonable parties agree is credible. As a result, it’s not a surprise that we’ve been unable to set tangible goals and measurable milestones to document achievement towards those goals.

Everybody agrees our police bureau has a challenging job. In my experience they do it well under often-difficult circumstances, and we’ve seen continued improvement and increased morale under Chief Sizer’s leadership. We are often exposed to the one thing our police may have done wrong in any given day when thousands of good decisions go unnoticed. And I understand the difficulty of determining probable cause at a moment’s notice.

With racial profiling, however, the anecdotal evidence is so overwhelming that we have to acknowledge it does occur, even if only unintentional. To the credit of the Portland Police Bureau and the police union, they have begun to acknowledge this.

It wasn’t long ago there was a refusal by all stakeholders to even admit its presence. Acknowledgement alone constitutes progress for Portland. And beyond acknowledgement, Ms. Bowman, who is a former state representative, and police accountability advocate, noted before city council that relationships of trust among former adversaries are being formed from a refreshingly frank conversation about this very difficult issue. Bowman urged us not to dictate results now and to give the process underway time to produce results. This is another welcome sign of maturity for Portland and sets the stage for progress on this issue.

The next step is for the candid conversation to yield consensus-driven goals and measurable milestones to document achievement towards those goals.

I’d love for this to be done next week because I want the pain and indignity that racially profiled victims experience to end at once. However, I know the key to progress on this issue is establishing those relationships of trust, and they blossom on their timeline as we work together. I will ensure that we keep at it.

Craig Gier
Position sought: Mayor
Website: myspace.com/craiggierformayor
Public financing status: Not participating

I don't think any of what their doing is helping that much. I think that the best way to improve things would be to get not only the cops out their but the mayor. They both have a duty to perform, thats what we pay them for. Also instead of only working on items when something goes wrong lets try to fix them and keep them fixed. We also need dedicated officers in all areas of portland that are there for the long hall not just to have things smoothed over for good pr then leave. Thank you.

Kyle Burris
Position sought: Mayor
Website: site not up yet
Public financing status: Not participating

There is, of course, going to be talk of "training". This talk will imply that the officers involved were only profiling because they didn't know any better, and that making them sit through a three hour class - where they really don't want to be - is going to somehow make it all better.

There is, of course, going to be talk of "improvement", as if a less
racist police force is somehow an acceptable option. Never mind
standing up and demanding that every person with a badge meets the
highest standards in human behavior.

And there is, of course, always going to be talk of "new reports". A
subtitle implication, by everyone, that this is not how it's always
been. That this is not how it'll always be. That this is not just
the nature of the beast.

The fact is, no amount of training or bureaucracy is going to make
this situation better. You give a guy a gun and a badge; you give him
unrestricted power to harass, arrest, and kill anyone he wants; you
tell him the world is his enemy, and you toss him out onto the streets
where everyone resents his presence; that's really going to do
something to a man.

The real issue here is not, "what offensive thing are the cops doing
this week?". No. The real issue is what can we, as a city, be doing
to insure that we no longer need a standing police force?

As mayor, I will work to fight the real causes of violent crime -
poverty, and poor education. I will work to alter the laws, and
educate the public, so that more citizens can step up, and take care
of problems them selves. And I will work to scale back the size and
scope of our police force. Eliminating what is, on its very best
days, a necessary evil.

Gerhard Watzig has dropped out of the mayor's race. The other candidates—Sho Dozono, Beryl McNair, Jeff Taylor, and Slav Davidson—did not respond by deadline. (Lee was out of town and out of email reach, and Dozono's team expressed interest but didn't send in a response. Fingers crossed for next week!)

I just had a horrible experience riding up to NE 21st and Multnomah to photograph a bus crash. Amy had called me out on assignment, having driven past it, and we thought there might have been a bicycle collision up there. It turns out a middle-aged lady had been struck by the number 10 on its way to NE 33rd, while she was walking her dog. She’s been taken to Emanuel with trauma injuries. But here’s the horrible part—I couldn’t help feeling disappointed it wasn’t a bicyclist. Because right now they have more news value, you know? Pedestrians aren’t such an issue. And here’s the real irony, just look at the side of the bus:
BUS AD: SEE AND BE SEEN…

The woman’s shoes and some of her clothing were still underneath the bus chassis. As I stood there, someone, I think perhaps her husband, ran up to the police line, and started screaming. Then he ran up to a bunch of cops stood on the corner, and started screaming at them, too. Just these big, loud yelps. No words. I felt bad for him. And besides thinking what a shitty human being I am, I thought, “I’m sorry nobody’s going to start an ad campaign for her.”

There’ll be no ghost bike, no petitions, and no soul-searching by alternative weeklies. By Monday, the crash is likely to have been forgotten. I tell you all this because it’s what went through my head. I’m not happy about it, but I wanted you to know how I felt. It’s just what came to me in the moment, and it’s despicable. Right?

I just passes the scene of an awful collision at NE Multnomah and 21st—a TriMet bus versus a pedestrian or cyclist. There’s a backpack and shoes under the bus, but no victim in sight. Matt’s headed over to find out more…

JAN 28, UPDATE: $43,000 refers to Schumacher’s payout to PETA’s attorneys. The figures are: $43,186 in legal fees to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals; $34,735 to In Defense of Animals; and $18,950 to protester Kevin Mieras. $97k in total. In honor of the ruling, you might like to go here. Now, back to the ORIGINAL POST;

FUR PROTESTOR: Can buy some clothes, now…

A federal judge ordered exiled downtown furrier Greg Schumacher to pay $43,185 worth of legal fees to PETA yesterday, saying he filed a frivolous lawsuit against them. From PETA:

Schumacher Furs had sought $6.6 million in damages in the suit, which was dismissed last summer. In his ruling in favor of PETA, Judge Michael Mosman stated that the lawsuit was “an extraordinary abuse of the litigation process” and that it threatened PETA’s free-speech rights. Noting that PETA had made numerous attempts to convince the Schumachers of the baseless nature of their case, the judge went on to add, “I find that awarding fees in this case will properly serve to deter putative plaintiffs from filing multimillion-dollar suits against nonprofit groups and private citizens engaged in First Amendment activities…”

“The court’s decision is a victory for the First Amendment—and for animals, who rely on groups like PETA to convey their pain and protest their slaughter for fur,” says PETA counsel Bonnie Robson.

GREGG SCHUMACHER: Alleged horrible little bastard…

It’s Burns Night tonight. Does anybody know where I can buy a haggis in Portland?
HAGGIS: Hotter than your momma, and more appetizing…

There’s an interesting documentary screening tomorrow night at the Hollywood Theater, 7pm. The National Lawyers Guild will be hosting a screening of Bernadine Mellis’s documentary The Forest for the Trees, about civil rights lawyer Dennis Cunningham, who started out his career representing the Black Panthers. The film focuses on Cunningham’s representation of tree-hugger activist Judi Bari, whose car was bombed in 1990, three hours before she was arrested by the FBI on suspicion of terrorism.

FOREST FOR THE TREES: Frustration of litigation…

Convinced it was a ploy by the FBI to discredit her and the grassroots environmental movement, Bari decided to sue. Lawyer Dennis Cunningham took on Bari’s case and after 12 years, it finally got a court date. One for the conspiracy theorists among you, but also, for those of you interested in what on earth motivates a civil rights lawyer to keep going.

Because Tupperware parties are so old-hat.

In Arizona, Tupperware-style Taser parties have become all the rage, thanks to the enterprising savvy of saleswoman Dana Shafman, founder of Shieldher Inc.

Shafman’s little soirees aren’t just popular, they’re also highly profitable. Over light conversation and snacks, women are invited to handle the palm-sized C2, the latest (and smallest) civilian version of a Taser stun gun. The C2 is also the most affordable Taser to hit the market, starting at $299.99-with an option to upgrade the C2 with a $50 laser beam to better the chances of debilitating a human target. Because practice makes perfect, the women in attendance are encouraged to grab a C2 and take turns shooting at a cardboard cutout representing a male attacker.

“I felt that we have Tupperware parties and candle parties to protect our food and house, so why not have a Taser party to learn how to protect our lives and bodies?” Shafman told the the Arizona Republic. Shafman projects that the parties will be held in at least a half-dozen other states by March.

More here. Try not to weep too hard for the state of this country.

There’s no way ANYONE will ever write a better headline than that. Ever. From the UK’s Telegraph:

Dwarves zipped in suitcases steal from Swedes

By Lucy Cockcroft
Last Updated: 2:07pm GMT 24/01/2008

Criminal gangs are using dwarves in a ruse to steal from the luggage holds of long-distance coaches, by hiding them inside suitcases, according to police.

The bizarre crime is on the rise in Sweden and officers say thieves have got away with thousands of pounds in cash, jewellery and other valuables in recent months.

Gangs are said to sneak the dwarves into the luggage hold, hidden inside baggage.

Then, once the journey has begun, the stowaways are free to rifle through the bags of other passengers without fear of being apprehended.

Before the coach arrives at its destination the dwarves take their loot back into their suitcase, zip themselves inside and wait to be collected by their partners in crime.

The story continues. On all counts, it is amazing.

Thanks, Nick.

An alert reader just pointed me toward cesarechavezboulevard.com, which has this notice:

César E. Chávez Boulevard Committee Community Work Session

Saturday, February 2, 2008

3pm – 6pm

PCC- Cascade Campus

Room TBA

705 N. Killingsworth St.

Portland, OR

Join us to discuss and plan the next steps in our effort to recognize our American Hero César E. Chávez

I’m looking into it, to see what the committee has planned.

This one really doesn’t need much of an introduction: A bird gets the ultimate revenge on a nosy reporter. (I’m really surprised this hasn’t happened to Matt Davis yet.)

Just watched Coal Miner’s Daughter last night for the first time—the 1980 music biopic about Loretta Lynn. I can never watch films like this (or almost any film, really) without paying attention to the styling and wardrobe. In this case that meant watching Sissy Spacek’s (as Lynn) hair get bigger and more awesome as the film went on, and her style go from naive country bumpkin to… stage outfits that were a crazy, frothy cross between wedding dresses and the special curtains grandma busted out for Easter Sunday—but always grounded with a belted waist. Part of me kind of digs it. (Also, Tommy Lee Jones was a total hunk.)

(More fashion on M.O.D.)

Matt Davis considers moving a full filing cabinet, which is met with skepticism, and a suggestion we ask the burly guys in sales to do our heavy lifting.

“Are you saying I’m not burly? Actually you’re right. I’m more elegant,” Matt says.

How tragic is this? We’ve had a President George W. Bush countdown clock in our newsroom for as long as I can remember (it may have been a gift from Phil Busse when Scott Moore and I took over). I went to snap a photo of it—and the battery is dead! Poor countdown clock… it died before it could see the end of Bush’s reign.

Luckily, there’s a web based countdown:

And check that out! There’s less than a year before Bush is booted out of the Oval Office. Which means this Monday is your last chance to watch the guy attempt to give a State of the Union address—and we’re throwing a party with the Bus Project!

It’s free, it’s all ages, and there’s bingo.

State of the Union Party / Bingo

Hosted by the Bus and the Mercury

Roots Brewing (1520 SE 7th, PDX - just south of Hawthorne)

5:45pm on Monday, Jan. 28

Free admission

Come one, come all—yes really, all ages!— to the State of the Union Watching Party hosted by the Bus Project and the Portland Mercury this Monday, January 28th at Roots Organic Brewing Company.

Join us (and the flat-screens) for the viewing and rebuttal, complete with our saucy version of SotU bingo, snazzy prizes, a full menu of food, and organic beer from Roots. No, you may not hurl any of that stuff at the TV.

The State of the Union Address starts at 6:00 but we’ll get started around 5:45 to explain all the complexities… so get there early to snag a seat and catch a happy hour special before 6.

Senator and presidential hopeful BARACK OBAMA was on David Letterman last night to deliver the “Late Show TOP TEN.” Want to see it? I figured as much.

OK, I know I already blogged about Persepolis this week, but check out Oregonian film critic Mike Russell’s great comics version of his interview with Marjane Satrapi. It really captures how articulate and inspiring Satrapi is; she’s pretty amazing.

Hit tip to Newsarama, from whence I stole that image. My review of the film is here, unfortunately composed entirely of letters.

City Commissioner Erik Sten’s last day is April 4. What happens to his bureaus when he leaves city hall? (And more importantly, what’s the plan for the going away party?)

Mayor Tom Potter’s main power—the thing that sets him apart from the four commissioners—is the ability to reassign bureaus. And he’s reassigning Sten’s bureaus to himself, temporarily.

Sten’s staff will even stick around in Sten’s old office, working on their projects. (With their temporary boss, Potter, stationed one floor up, I bet that’s going to be a fun place to work!)

When the new commissioner comes in—either after the May primary, or the July runoff election—that person will get Sten’s old bureaus, but not his staff, according to the mayor’s spokesperson, John Doussard.

The U.S. is going to try something new in Iraq—asking permission to continue fighting. That request is at the top of the U.S.’s list of demands. Riiight, so we’re going to demand to ask permission to continue fighting a war. That makes perfect fucking sense.

Bill Gates announced a new farm aid plan at the fancy-shmancy billionaire’s salon, the World Economic Forum, in Swizerland. He pledges to donate $306 million to small farms in poor countries.

Barricades have been set up around the funeral home where a private viewing of Heath Ledges’ body will take place today. Police now say that the masseuse called Mary Kate Olsen three times before calling 911.

A new study shows that taking the pill greatly reduces the chance of ovarian cancer—even decades after you stop taking it. Bada-bing!

-Jenny Furniss

Speaking of police oversight! This week, we’re asking the candidates:

On Wednesday night, January 16, Police Chief Rosie Sizer presented a report on the Racial Profiling Task Force, a group charged with working toward the elimination of racial profiling. Has Portland seen progress in this area? What can be done to further improve police-community relations?

With a week left to go before 1,000 $5 contributions are due to the auditor’s office, every candidate in this race participating in the program is looking good (Mike Fahey isn’t participating in the program, and has yet to respond to our questions), as you can see by the status update alongside their responses.

John Branam got back to us first:

John Branam
Position sought: Commissioner #1
Website: john4pdx.org
Public financing status: 1,103 as of last night, Branam says

Chief Rosie Sizer has been Portland’s best police chief in more than a decade. She has been more receptive to community concerns and more willing to adopt better training procedures. Her comments condemning racial profiling and her commitment to ending it within the police force are critical to Portland’s ability to become a city where all citizens feel welcome and respected.

That said, there is a need for more decisive and substantive action. Her report arrives nearly two years after a series of community listening sessions hosted by Oregon Action. Further, these sessions arrived a few years after a Blue Ribbon Commission had already found officers are more likely to stop black and Latino drivers than white drivers. There is indeed a pattern. Over the years, there has been a good deal of earnest talk about racial profiling. Today, right now, is the time for action. This is not just an issue that affects blacks and Latinos, but substantively affects the city’s entire population.

First, Portland’s city council must speak out with a strong, unified and unwavering voice. There have been several reports offering substantive suggestions and recommendations about how the police bureau can reduce racial profiling. Portland’s City Council must push for full adoption of these recommendations. By not speaking out strongly against alleged racism, city council implicitly validates such behavior. Racial profiling has been tolerated for too long and needs to be addressed directly. Chief Sizer’s recent report is nothing new; it echoes findings from five years ago. This time, however, Portland’s City Council must speak with a singular voice and must take all necessary steps to end this deplorable behavior.

As a City Council member I would take specific steps towards eliminating racial suspicions and strengthening community policing. Taking a stance is important. But taking action is critical. I believe that to better police a neighborhood, individual officers need to have strong connections to those communities. One way to accomplish this is to set in place a work plan whereby each officer is expected to spend at least four hours each month working with a community organization. This is a great way for community members to know their officers better, and for officers to better understand the specific issues challenging a neighborhood. A deeper understanding of ethnic and racial differences is a big step towards eliminating prejudice and assumptions. I will set an example for this initiative by encouraging my staff members to each spend four hours per month working with a community organization.

A second measure to better integrate the police bureau with the neighborhoods they serve is to reemphasize recruitment efforts on young men and women from North and Northeast Portland. Over the past several years there have been highly publicized recruitment efforts for racial minorities from places as far away as Hawaii. By recruiting in our neighborhoods we will help ensure our officers have a stronger emotional connection to the people (and that the officers literally know our citizens), thus ensuring they are familiar with neighborhood dynamics. Putting in place individual officers who understand our diverse communities is a critical measure towards curbing racial profiling.

Having our city’s top leaders speaking and acting to end racial profiling—and doing so with a unified voice—is key to our success in this issue.

Chris Smith
Position sought: Commissioner #1
Website: citizensmith.us
Public financing status: 1,066 signatures & contributions as of last night, according to Smith

Recently I’ve watched as another “minority” community – cyclists, felt that they were very much disrespected by the Police after the deaths of two cyclists and the serious injury of another in right-turning crashes. Cyclists felt like whatever the law, the Police didn’t actually expect drivers to yield to cyclists. I’ve been encouraged by the response of the Bureau – negotiation of a new Community Policing Agreement, changes in the policy on how the bureau speaks to the press about bike crashes, and some personnel reassignments.

Of course racial profiling is in a completely different league, and I don’t mean to in any way equate these issues. But I think the key idea is the same – respect - and a need to examine the often unconscious biases that we may hold, and to talk through the issues.

I think Mayor Potter hit the nail on the head in his State of the City address:

It is an uncomfortable topic for many, but I believe race will remain an ugly, open sore on the body politic until we start talking honestly with each other...and listening.

We need to keep asking for, indeed demanding, better from the Police Bureau. But I think we all own a piece of this problem. This is part of a larger set of issues including disparity in educational outcomes and disparity in economic opportunity. We must face up to, talk about and listen to these issues as a community – with respect.

Jeff Bissonnette
Position sought: Commissioner #1
Website: portlandersforjeff.com
Public financing status: 832 signatures in hand, according to Bissonnette

In 2006, the Portland Police Bureau released a report on traffic stop data that showed if you were a black or Latino driver in Portland, you were twice as likely to be pulled over. The statistic was even worse in downtown where a black or Latino driver was almost 4 times more likely to be stopped. In March 2007, the city's Racial Profiling Committee also requested information about bicycle and pedestrian stops in addition to traffic stop data and found that throughout all of 2006, 24 percent of bike and pedestrian stops were African-American individuals, even though African-Americans make up 6.6 percent of the overall population. For a city that prides itself on the principles of justice and equity, this information is embarrassing.

As we all know, the first step in changing a situation is admitting that a problem exists. My perception is that there is growing, albeit gradual, recognition by a broad cross-section of city and community leaders, including the police, that many people of color in our community are confronted with racial profiling. As part of that recognition, the Portland Police Bureau, Oregon Action, the Center for Intercultural Organizing and the Northwest Constitutional Rights Center sponsored a series of Listening Sessions in mid-2006 to begin a dialogue between the community and the police about racial profiling. Indeed, the creation of the Racial Profiling Committee was one of the recommendations that came from the report that summarized those sessions.

The Listening Sessions and subsequent meetings of the Racial Profiling Committee have provided a forum for the issue to be addressed. Has there been progress in reducing racial profiling? Yes, in the sense that we can now publicly acknowledge the problem. But much remains to be done in actively addressing the issue. Talking about the issue, even though the conversation can get heated and emotional, is key to developing solutions. Among the solutions that I will promote as a city commissioner:

* ensure sustained support for the newly established Human Rights Commission that, in addition to the Racial Profiling Committee, can serve as an ongoing place to address racial profiling issues among other issues confronted by diverse populations in our city;
* push for increased Police Bureau officer recruitment from all of Portland neighborhoods;
* advocate for improved human resources policies and practices to ensure increased recruitment, hiring, and retention of multi-cultural and multilingual staff throughout all city bureaus;
* require ongoing reporting of traffic stop data and bicycle and pedestrian stop data on a quarterly basis;
* create continued and increased opportunities for the police and community members to interact in neutral, non-threatening environments.

Overall, I will actively seek input and feedback from the community groups who are engaged on this issue and keep open lines of communication and dialogue with members of the Police Bureau in order to be a trusted player by all sides. I intend to play a positive role with a clear goal: eliminating racial profiling.

Amanda Fritz
Position sought: Commissioner #1
Website: amandafritzforcitycouncil.com
Public financing status: Certified as a publicly financed candidate

The Racial Profiling Task Force has not yet completed its work, and the Mercury's own Matt Davis has been asked not to report on its discussions. The very fact that police officers and citizens are sitting in the same room talking about sensitive, important issues shows progress. One thing that can be done to improve police-community relations is for politicians, candidates, and reporters to honor the committee's work by not posturing in the media before their report is completed.

Relationships require mutual respect. In over 20 years of active participation in important Portland issues, I have talked with and listened to many people, both officers and neighborhood folks, all over the city. I have yet to hear anyone say, "Having politicians and candidates make sweeping feel-good or adversarial statements about how to fix society's problems is a really great way to address them". We need only remember the recent controversy over renaming Interstate Avenue to realize that calling people racists is not a good strategy to promote dialogue, understanding, or change in attitudes.

As your City Commissioner, I will respect the work of citizens and staff. I will wait for final reports and public testimony before making decisions, vote to fund and implement actions called for in adopted policies, and demand accountability to make sure the planned improvements are happening. In 2000, when the Council adopted the current structure for processing citizen complaints regarding police performance, an evaluation was promised in one year. That review is only now under way, after repeated reminders by the League of Women Voters and other community groups. If you elect me, I will continue to track pledges made by the Council, and I will be your voice calling for promises to be honored.

Every Portlander deserves basic services, including high levels of public safety for all, provided by adequate numbers of well-trained officers. If elected, I will ensure that the adopted recommendations in the final report of the Racial Profiling Task Force are implemented. Further, I will challenge discrimination and public policies that have led to a decrease in home ownership by African-Americans, inequity in our public schools, and fewer amenities in neighborhoods welcoming minority residents displaced from their homes in "revitalized" Urban Renewal Districts. Racism and prejudices exist in many, even most areas of life in Portland. That is wrong. I will work for real change throughout the system to eliminate all types of discrimination. Justice must be justice for all, for every person in every part of our city.

Charles Lewis
Position sought: Commissioner #1
Website: charleslewis.com
Public financing status: Turned in 1,137 contribution forms on Tuesday

The City Auditor needs to make changes to stop widespread public mistrust of the Independent Police Review process, according to an independent consultant’s report released today.

“There is widespread community dissatisfaction with the Independent Police Review system,” according to the report. “There is a lack of trust that complaints about police misconduct are being seriously addressed.”

“The general conclusion of the consultants is that the system of civilian oversight, as manifested by the IPR and Citizens’ Review Committee (CRC) does not have the confidence of the community,” the report continues. “The question is why.”

It then goes on, directly, to talk about Portland’s choice of an “Auditor Model” of civilian oversight of police. “In this model, there is one person who, depending on their individual ability and characteristics, seeks to address police policy issues and the enhancement of accountability in a systemic way.”

That one person is Gary Blackmer. The report implies that the IPR and CRC have not been aggressive enough under his direction, and goes on to slam Blackmer’s IPR director, Leslie Stevens, for failing to utilize her authority to conduct independent investigations of complaints against individual officers—IPR is yet to do so, after six years—and instead rely on officers from the police bureau’s internal affairs division (IAD):

The IPR Director has the statutory authority to closely monitor IAD and conduct independent investigations in certain circumstances set forth in the ordinance. However, a number of IAD investigations contain admitted acts of misconduct and/or failures to adhere to PPB policies or procedures, and the officer has not been held accountable. Further, the IPR Director has not utilized her authority to conduct independent investigations, even though conditions exist whereby such authority could be used. The result is that little has been done to increase the sustain rate for complaints against the PPB.

The report makes several recommendations for improving the system, including the more aggressive appointment of independent investigators “where the complaint is one of public import.” It recommends empowering the CRC to force the IPR director to order that, too.

The report also recommends granting more authority to the CRC to decide when to hear complainants’ appeals—that authority was taken over from the CRC by Stevens in 2005. It also recommends that the CRC be more aggressive in taking on Portland Police Bureau Policies, and that a staff person be appointed on the IPR under the CRC’s direction. The report points out, for example, that the CRC has only made three changes to PPB policy in six years, on Towing of Vehicles, Detox and Profanity. It’s just not using its teeth.

Police oversight activists will meet with City Council to discuss how to make some of the recommended changes before the author of the report, Eileen Luna-Firebaugh, presents it to council at the end of February.

“Whatever new system we have has to transcend individual personalities,” says Copwatch activist Dan Handelman. “It has to serve the people of Portland who feel they’ve been mistreated by police.”

Blackmer and Stevens are yet to return a call for comment. Let’s hope we hear from them by next Tuesday’s press deadline at 5pm. Although according to the Tribune, Stevens is in the process of applying for another job—leaving reforming the department to a potential successor. Let’s hope it’s somebody competent.

Now, I’m not a political consultant, but if I had to guess, I’d say sending out invitations to your campaign kickoff party just hours before the party began is not the best way to go about things.

This went out about an hour ago:

(The person who forwarded the invite noted the acronym after her name—AICP “means American Institute of Certified Planners.” Hmm… obviously not a party planner.)

I caught Ridder briefly this afternoon—she couldn’t talk long, because she’s rushing to arrange her party.

“I signed up Friday, and they only gave us 21 days to get 1,000 forms for public campaign financing dollars,” she explains. “Even though I offered amending language to appoint somebody” while candidates for the newly vacant seat get more time to solicit contributions. “It makes no sense to have something called public campaign financing when it’s unattainable,” she says. “I’m trying, that’s why I’m doing this. It’s only fair, what’s good for the goose is good for the gander.”

Mayoral candidate Sho Dozono just turned in 2,403 $5 contribution forms at the city auditor’s office. He says he’s got hundreds more “back at the office” and thinks his campaign might ultimately turn in 3,500 by the January 31 deadline (they only need 1,500 valid ones, but every $5 Dozono collects himself—and every seed money contribution of up to $100—is money the taxpayers don’t shell out, he likes to say).

“The citizens of Portland really want choice,” Dozono said in the hall. “Not a coronation.” Until Dozono’s entry into the race, current City Commissioner Sam Adams was the frontrunner, and didn’t have a strong or well funded opponent.

Dozono has been hesitant to call himself a candidate, saying he’d drop out if he didn’t qualify for public funds. While he hasn’t yet qualified—he hasn’t filed his request for certification—turning in so many contributions means “clearly I’m a candidate at this point.” And “now that I’m a candidate, I can talk about the issues that really matter.”

Just before Dozono dropped off his contributions, city council candidate Jim Middaugh was quietly slipping out of the auditor’s office. I didn’t jot down the exact number he said he’d turned in, but it was around 1,075. He’s got more to process, and more trickling in, but he isn’t planning any last push events this weekend—in fact, he’s taking a few days off from the campaign rush.

Welcome to a brand new episode of Easier Than Reading, your weekly music podcast that’s sort of like reading the music section of the Mercury… only easier. Join your host Andrew R. Tonry as he gives you the scoop on what shows you need to check out this week, and hear tunes from No Age, Health, MGMT, Mr. Lif, Langhorne Slim (pictured above), Long Winters, and Yeasayer. Listen to the podcast here.

Rambo opens tomorrow in theaters everywhere. It didn’t screen for press in Portland, but here at the Mercury, we laugh in the face of such trifling obstacles. Check out Andrew Wright’s take on the film right here.

More recommended reading: The hilarious “Rambo Death Chart” by John Mueller at the LA Times. It’s clickable below; thanks to RT for the heads up.

OKAY, so I’m super busy and more than a little emotionally raw today—so all I can say that it’s a good thing I’m not David Banner (the alter-ego of TV’s The Hulk). Now here’s a guy who Hulked Out about practically anything, and there’s a great list right here of every single thing Banner ever Hulked Out about. Here are a few examples from that list, that would definitely make me Hulk Out today, too!

1. Problems with flat tire

3. Thinking about either of his wives

5. Being hit over the head repeatedly with a metal object

8. Being mauled by a bear

15. Having a row of computers fall on him

23. Being trampled by a crowd AND having the hot coffee spilled on his hand while trying to get to the sniper

29. Having two mean football players snap wet towels at him and shove him into the steam room which they have turned on to full blast {ACTUALLY, I’D KIND OF BE INTO THAT.—STEVE}

37. Beaten up and placed on a car going through a car wash, and then being dragged under the car

51. Having Thor the Thunder God push him around

64. Being rear-ended fifteen times in a row by a mean bully with a bigger car than his

106. Being fed poisoned sushi

YOU GET THE IDEA. Collect all 117!

I know we’re only a few weeks into 2008, but can we just crown the Yeasayer/MGMT concert as the best show of the year and get over with it? It’s rare that two up and coming acts not only live up to the hype, but perform together on the same night, and on the same stage.

Lucky you.

Make that luckier you, that is if you win this contest for a pair of tickets to their Wednesday, January 30th show at Holocene.

Free tickets? What’s the catch? All you have to do is listen to my Amway presentation post a comment and explain why you deserve the tickets. That’s it.

The best comment posted before Friday at 5pm wins. Be sure you leave your email address when you post, otherwise I’ll gleefully shred the tickets, or just give them to someone more attractive than you.

Good luck.

MGMT - “Time to Pretend” (live on Letterman)

End Hits, we give away things to buy your love. Next item, this shiny stapler on my desk…

In the paper this week, I laid out my general enthusiasms for the Triple Dare Reading Series, the new joint venture from the IPRC and Reading Frenzy that kicks off tomorrow night at the Someday Lounge. But I want to draw a little extra attention to Apart from That, a fantastic movie from two Mt Vernon filmmakers that will be featured at the event. An indie feature in the truest sense, Apart from That got really great reviews and reactions when it was screened at festivals like SIFF, SXSW, and CineVegas and even prompted Variety film critic Robert Koehler to proclaim it his favorite American film of 2006. But when it didn’t get picked up by a distributor, directors Randy Walker and Jennifer Shainin took matters into their own hands and began a DIY distro campaign that included a seriously handsome book/DVD/soundtrack combo-pack. The buzz is growing, helped, undoubtedly, by repeated praise from Wholphin.

Apart from That shares many concerns with twee cinema standbys like Me & You and Thumbsucker, particularly its cast of eccentric characters and their lives of quiet desperation. But there’s very, very little that’s twee about Apart from That: In a style that many have compared (lazily, perhaps, but not inaccurately) to Cassavettes, Walker and Shainin use non-professional actors, rely heavily on improvised dialogue, and use a camera style that borrows from documentary and Dogma 95. It took me a few minutes to determine that it wasn’t in fact, a documentary; the opening party scene, which features at least a dozen “actors” is perfectly executed and captures moments of startling originality.

At one point in the movie’s early (very documentary-feeling) minutes, the camera zooms in on a man speaking earnestly and softly to an ticked off-looking adolescent boy as the party continues around them. “I’m sorry if what I did upset or angered you. Do you forgive me?” The boy scowls at him. “Do you want to see a picture of my ex-wife?” the man asks. Unimpressed, the kid asks why he’d want to do that. Cackling, the man sweetens the deal: “Because she’s naked.”

Moments like this abound in Apart from That. Characters zig when you expect them to zag; humor is mined from the pathology of ordinary existence in hick outposts like Mt Vernon; the screen is filled with people of all ages and ethnicities and few of them look like the folks in most movies. This is the kind of movie that people who love the PDX Film Fest, Old Joy, or the Criterion Collection should really enjoy.

There are a few moments where the movie gets a little self-aware and ventures into more traditional twee realms, but not many. Unfortunately, the movie trailer and the few official YouTube excerpts spotlight those, probably because they trigger that Pavlovian “Juno” knee jerk. So I’m not going to post those here. The directors did, however, create an odd little film/ad highlighting the Apart from That DVD/book thing that gives a much clearer idea of what the film is like. Check it out:

Clocking in at just over two hours, Apart from That won’t be shown in its entirety tomorrow night, but the filmmakers will present key clips and talk about their experience in making it. And I have a hunch they’ll have a few of those nifty DVDs to sell to anyone who wants to see the entire thing.

Another week, another Mercury music section to read while you fry up some tasty bacon from this succulent creature.

Sorry, but Death Cab for Cutie’s Chris Walla ain’t no Izzy Stradlin and the Ju Ju Hounds.
MP3: Chris Walla - Sing Again

All hail the reigning king of Portland hiphop, Cool Nutz. Phew, an entire sentence about Nutz and I resisted using the word “Deez.”
MP3: Cool Nutz - They Don’t Have to Know (ft. E-40)

Yeah! Sayer! Yeasayer! The Brooklyn band digests it all, and churns out some inventive, and skewed, pop music.
MP3: Yeasayer - 2080

Not a fan of Langhorne Slim? Listen to the song below.
See? Told ya.
MP3: Langhorne Slim - Restless

Come on over to End Hits, where all our bacon is made from processed soy products.

As of this week, my upstairs neighbor has pulled up his stakes and moved, thereby abolishing the sweet deal we had wherein I get to use his wireless internet and I don’t complain that our communal washer and dryer are hooked up to my electric bill. So until a new wifi-havin’ neighbor moves in, I am up poop creek without a paddle as far as internettin’ at home on my weekend nights (partay!).

There are lots of coffee shops in my ‘hood during the days and evenings with wifi, but I’m specifically looking for a place I can go on a Friday night that’s open at least until midnight, and won’t be so cacophonous and crazy that I’ll have to worry about either not having anyplace to sit down, or having some staggering drunk spill beer on my keyboard on their way to the blasting jukebox. (That’s not to say I don’t want to go to a bar, just want to avoid the whole “Friday night, fuck or fight” crowd.)

Is there such a thing in inner SE, specifically? Or have I found something I really want that Portland can’t give me… yet?

Tickets are selling like mad to Third Rail Repertory’s production of Shining City, which we reviewed here.Third Rail is handily one of the best companies in town—but you’ve already seen the show, or aren’t in a position to drop $25 on a ticket, this one’s for you: On Sunday Third Rail presents a free staged reading of David Gieselmann’s Mr. Kolpert, featuring Valerie Stevens and Tim True, two of my favorite local actors. I’m not familiar with the play, so I’ll let their press release do the talking:

Ralf and Sarah invite Edith and Bastian over for dinner and a nice bit
of conversation. When Ralf suddenly announces that Edith and Sarah’s
boss, Mr. Kolpert, is dead and locked in a trunk in the middle of the
living room, their world of pre-packaged assimilation starts showing
VW-sized chinks. Is Ralf telling the truth? Was Edith hiding an affair
with Mr. Kolpert? Why does Sarah have a Post-It note on her forehead?
Will Bastian’s head explode from too many questions? Will the Pizza
Man ever make another delivery?

One part Albee, one part Hitchcock, one part Tarantino, “Mr. Kolpert”
is the blackest of comedies and has been one of Third Rail’s guilty
pleasures since day one.

Variety called the play “a wicked treat for the morbidly inclined — a
bonbon filled with arsenic.” Richard Hornby of The Hudson Review
called “Mr. Kolpert” “one of the most shocking plays I have ever
seen,” but with “a strange poetic force and deep moral insight.”

Sunday, 7 pm, Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center, 5340 N.
Interstate, free (first come, first served!)

• Michelle Obama stands up to those criticizing her husband, saying, “The one thing that is clear is that when power is confronted with real change, they will say anything.” I don’t know about you, but that gets me hot.

• The MacBook Air has been officially deemed a flop—so will all you Mercury employees who want one, please SHUT UP.

• In order to jump start the economy, Democrats and Republicans have reached a tentative agreement with the White House to provide tax rebates to businesses and families with children. Sorry, barren hipsters! Unless you pop out a kid, no iPhone for you!

• An investigation has discovered that Washington, DC city employees have been looking at and downloading a ton of porn, including nudie photos, movies, the Portland Mercury, and… HEY!! WAIT JUST A MINUTE!!

• Who you gonna call if you find Heath Ledger’s lifeless body? Instead of an ambulance, how about Mary-Kate Olsen?

• A new report shows that newspaper websites (like this one!) are saving the ailing newspaper industry. However, it should be noted you will NEVER see the “HomosexuWhales” on the New York Times website!!

Jim Middaugh reports that he’s collected 1,060 $5 contributions in just nine days “with more coming in all the time”—an astonishing feat for a guy who decided to run for city council less than two weeks ago.

(It’s a new record, actually. Only Sho Dozono could possibly say he’s pulled in about 120 contributions a day. In the last election cycle, Middaugh’s boss Erik Sten racked up 1,000 contributions in 2 months.)

Middaugh says he hopes to file for certification as a publicly financed candidate on Monday, five days ahead of the January 31 deadline.

There’s a saying (that I’m about to butcher) about people getting involved in political campaigns because otherwise they’d never get laid. If that’s true, then you’re in luck—because there’s a whole lot of political action this week… you’re bound to get lucky if you head out to all of these events! (Psst: Especially the State of the Union party we’re throwing with the Bus Project on Monday night! It’s ALL AGES, it’s free, and we’ll have SOTU Bingo and drink specials.)

Portland campaigns are especially heated this weekend—it’s the last weekend before contributions for public financing are due, and candidates are working overtime to make sure they qualify.

Tonight, City Council Candidate John Branam’s hosting his second flick in a political film series. His campaign manager—the Mercury’s former managing editor, Phil Busse—has talked up this film before, and I don’t doubt it’s fascinating.

The second in John’s Political Film series, the Academy Award nominated documentary “Street Fight.” An unbelievable (if it weren’t true) story about Cory Booker, a young black man, educated at Stanford, Yale and Oxford, who returns to his desolate hometown, Newark, New Jersey for a gutsy run for mayor. Combating corrupt political machinery, Booker moves into a housing project and knuckles down for an all-out fight for city hall, in an attempt to pull one of America’s most economically-depressed and crime-ridden cities out of despair. An entirely gripping film, considered one of the best movie about the raw nature of democracy—both for its ugly vices and for its inspirational virtues. You won’t forget this (true) story.

Event information: Mississippi Studios, 3939 N. Mississippi Ave., doors at 7:00 p.m., FREE (beer/wine for sale; $5 donation to support Voter Owned Elections invited).

On Sunday, City Council Candidate Chris Smith is having an “over the top” party at Lucky Lab in NW. He turned in 1,050 contributions to the city today, but extra ones help assure that 1,000 of his qualify. Help him out from 6 to 9 pm at the Lucky Lab NW Beer Hall (1945 NW Quimby).

“I’m inviting my supporters to come celebrate our success in raising our $5 contributions, but I am also asking them to bring in additional forms they have collected and invite their friends to come out and meet me, to consider making a contribution. The Auditor has only verified our first 500 submissions and we know we will have some additional rejections. I’d like us to hit 1,100 or 1,150 and we’ll keep working through next week to be sure we have enough valid forms,” said Smith.

There’s lots more—a chance to meet Ed Garren, a campaign office-warming party for Amanda Fritz, a “last chance” fundraiser for Nick Popenuk, Sho Dozono’s final fundraising push, and our aforementioned State of the Union party—after the cut.

On Saturday, City Council Candidate Ed Garren's having "A Cheap Fundraiser for a Priceless Candidate."

Come and meet Ed Garren, and let's talk about Portland's future

Sunday, January 27th, 2008, 1PM

Greek Cusina, Downtown Portland, SW 4th and Washington "Taverna Room" 2nd Floor

Greek Appetizers and "No Host" bar

$5 donation for entry. Portland voters will be asked to complete Public Financing forms

The "Dime" is any additional contribution, up to $100

Please RSVP to info@edforportland.com

If unable to attend, contributions may be sent to: Friends of Ed Garren, 813 SW Alder, #004, Portland, OR 97217

Please include occupational information and phone number with your contribution.

City Council Candidate Nick Popenuk's also hosting a get together on Saturday

Don't miss out on the Last Change Fund Raiser, Saturday, 1/26 from 1:00 to 5:00 at Bogart's Bar and Grill, 701 NE 7th Ave. Invite your friends and family to meet with Nick and contribute to the campaign before time runs out.

On Sunday, City Council Candidate Amanda Fritz—who can relax a bit, as she's qualified for public financing—is having a campaign office warming potluck to thank her volunteers (and possibly sign up new ones). Her new office is at 3525 NE Broadway, and the party is from 5 to 7 pm.

Come and see the improvements, already! I spent a happy half-hour after our head-spinning Campaign Core Team meeting this morning (So much to do! So little time!) working off stress by cleaning up the raised planter bed in front of the window. That makes Grant Park the 86th of Portland's 95 neighborhoods where I've helped with a community improvement project. If the temperatures rise before Sunday, the planter will have native strawberries and non-native-but-pretty flowers installed before the party.

If you are willing to loan any of the following to the campaign, please bring them:

* folding tables
* folding chairs
* coffee mugs
* cutlery
* plates and bowls
* space heater
* power strips

Please bring a dish to share, if you can. Come anyway if that doesn't work for you, as Portland potlucks always have lots of goodies. We will celebrate our shared achievement in qualifying for Public Campaign Financing, and share next steps. Meet the core team of staff and volunteers! Sign up to help a little, or a lot!

Then there's mayoral candidate Sho Dozono, who's asking his supporters to bring any contribution forms they've filled out to the Multnomah County Elections building (1040 SE Morrison), on Saturday from 11:30 to 2 pm.

And, if you're still standing after all that political action this weekend, head to Roots Brewing in SE Portland on Monday night to watch the LAST State of the Union speech George W. Bush will EVER deliver.

From the Bus Project, who's throwing the party with us:

State of the Union Party / Bingo

Hosted by the Bus and the Mercury

Roots Brewing (1520 SE 7th, PDX - just south of Hawthorne)

5:45pm on Monday, Jan. 28

Free admission

Come one, come all--yes really, all ages!-- to the State of the Union Watching Party hosted by the Bus Project and the Portland Mercury this Monday, January 28th at Roots Organic Brewing Company.

Join us (and the flat-screens) for the viewing and rebuttal, complete with our saucy version of SotU bingo, snazzy prizes, a full menu of food, and organic beer from Roots. No, you may not hurl any of that stuff at the TV.

The State of the Union Address starts at 6:00 but we'll get started around 5:45 to explain all the complexities... so get there early to snag a seat and catch a happy hour special before 6.

We’re checking with the race for council seat #2 again—the one current Commissioner Erik Sten is vacating. It’s a new race, and we’ve got new candidates this week.

Their question:

On Wednesday night, January 16, Police Chief Rosie Sizer presented a report on the Racial Profiling Task Force, a group charged with working toward the elimination of racial profiling. Has Portland seen progress in this area? What can be done to further improve police-community relations?

Jim Middaugh
Position sought: Commissioner #2
Website: middaughforportland.com
Public financing status: Turned in 781 contributions to the city on January 22

The key to community policing is trust, something that no major urban area has truly built between its police force and minority communities. The fact that the Police Bureau and union are fully taking part in the task force shows a desire to build that trust.

Many, if not most, minority people believe they have been racially profiled at some point, and virtually all police officers believe they are not guilty of that behavior. I think this task force is slowly building a forum where this enormous disconnect can be talked about, and for that I am thankful and somewhat hopeful. Only that type of blunt communication can lead to the trust that will keep Portland safer through real community policing.

The fact that we have a task force on racial profiling is testimony to the fact that the Police Bureau, under the able leadership of Rosie Sizer, and the police union, under the leadership of Robert King, knows we need to make progress. But the fact that many people fear the police proves that more needs to be done.

My own experience being on the receiving end of dozens of explicitly racist calls during the debate about Interstate Avenue gave me a small taste of what minorities in Portland deal with on a regular basis. But it doesn’t end with overt racism. We also must deal with the less overt but more insidious forms of racism that exist in our city.

I strongly believe that everyone has the ability and the responsibility to fight for justice for people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds.

Despite being one of the whitest cities in the nation, good things are happening in Portland to advance racial justice. The fast-growing Latino community in Portland is coalescing in an effort to claim its rightful political voice.

Portland’s African-American community, with its traditional base in North and Northeast Portland, is determined to thrive in the face of the powerful forces of gentrification, and hold together a sense of community.

The very large Native American community in Portland is demanding that it be recognized, counted, and included in public policy decisions including housing, schools and parks. It is past time that this recognition and respect be given to the original residents of this land.

I believe that life in Portland only gets better from an increasingly diverse population. I support efforts to ensure that employment opportunities are representative of Portland’s population, and that opportunities for home ownership are equal across racial lines.

I believe we should celebrate our racial and ethnic diversity in our daily lives, with a conscious goal of making Portland a place where everyone feels welcome and able to thrive.

I will work with others on the Council and in the community to implement the recommendations that arise from Mayor Tom Potter’s Racial Profiling Task Force and the pending review of the city’s Independent Police Review program.

His challengers are after the cut!

Ed Garren
Position sought: Commissioner #2
Website: edforportland.com
Public financing status: Participating, contributions not yet reported

Racial Profiling and other abuses by law enforcement continue to plague our city. Doing a Google search brought up efforts for at least the last decade, yet far too many persons of color, and others of difference, feel targeted and are filled with fear.

In 1984 I began participation in a revamping of the Human Relations training at the Los Angeles Police Academy, which continued for about six years. I was a volunteer instructor during that time, and later, a paid consultant for the Long Beach Police Department to conduct similar training within that department after some officers were video taped shoving an African American man through a store front window. The man was an off duty law enforcement officer from another jurisdiction, who was "routinely stopped."

This issue is significant because it not only destroys confidence in law enforcement in our city, but it costs tax payers significant amounts of money when law suits for abusive behavior are settled.

From my experience working with law enforcement officers, and having one cousin who is a law enforcement officer out of state, I can attest that it is a very difficult and lonely job. Officers quickly find that the only people who they can relate to are "brother" officers. This creates a "siege mentality" in some departments. The siege mentality then fuels a "code of silence" in which officers "cover" for each other, even when they see things they don't agree with. The punishment for breaking the code of silence is being ostracized by fellow officers, and sometimes being left in a life threatening situation.

Although there is no simple or easy fix, some things have helped.

Hiring significant numbers of "minority" officers is the first step. Most people forget that the reason so many Irish were hired as police officers a century ago was that they were the only officers that the Irish American community could relate to and respect. San Francisco found the same thing with the Gay & Lesbian Community. When the department opened up to Gay & Lesbian officers, the number of complaints and law suits went down, and the quality of law enforcement went up.

Our country has had a dark history of excluding groups of people from full participation, and has discovered that the more inclusive any community, or sub community, becomes, the better it is for all.

Law enforcement officers have a VERY difficult job. The city needs to create situations which encourage the concept of "Community Policing" and discourage the siege mentality that currently exists. The more that partnerships can be encouraged between the department and all communities, the faster healing can occur.

Appropriate Employee Assistance (mental health and substance abuse) programs that target officer's needs are also vital to creating change.

This process needs more than a task force, it needs systematic policies and training, as well as targeted recruitment among all of the diverse communities in Portland.

None of this has to be expensive, and it is less expensive than settling one or two law suits, which will keep happening if meaningful change does not occur.

Nick Popenuk
Position sought: Commissioner #2
Website: popenukisportland.com
Public financing status: Participating, contributions not yet reported

Regardless of whether Portland has seen progress in racial profiling, the Portland Police Bureau has room for improvement.

Traffic stop data for 2005 (the most current data available) shows that 13% of traffic stops in Portland involved African-American drivers. Yet, only 6% of Portland’s population is African-American. Hispanics and Latinos were also involved in a disproportionate number of traffic stops.

Some might contend that the use of racial profiling is justified, because ethnic minorities are more likely to be involved in criminal activity. However, there is data to contradict this argument. This data relies on “hit rates” – the rate at which police apprehend criminals. Law enforcement agencies using racial profiling had lower hit rates for African-Americans and Latinos than they did for Whites. That indicates that traffic stops where racial profiling was used are less likely to result in arrests.

So, if Portland is continuing to use racial profiling, and if data suggests racial profiling is not an effective law enforcement tool, then what should we do about it?

We should continue to diversify our police force.

We should encourage officers to become more involved in the communities they are policing, and forge connections with community members.

We should educate our officers on racial profiling, stressing the data that demonstrates it does not work, and is not an effective law enforcement tool.

Finally, we should routinely collect data from each precinct on the ethnicity of suspects stopped by police. We should analyze the data, and identify areas where high numbers of minorities are being stopped, but a low number of arrests are being made. We should work with police officers in these areas to find out what’s going on, and ensure that racial profiling is not being used.

For more information on my campaign, check out my website at www.PopenukIsPortland.com, or stop by Bogart’s Bar and Grill (701 NE 7th Ave) on Saturday from 1:00 to 5:00. Bogart’s will be hosting a Last Chance Contribution Party to help me raise $5 contributions to qualify for public financing. I hope to see you there.

Harold C. Williams Two
Position sought: Commissioner #2
Website: none
Public financing status: Not participating in program

-I want to thank Chief Sizer for leading this effort. To acknowledge that racial profiling is an issue that needed to be addressed is a very big step not only for the Portland Police department but for the community as a whole.

-Respect is the key, the police and the community must continue to communicate with each other. Both sides must be willing to put forth the effort in striving for a better today and tomorrow. For what we do today our children will hold us responsible tomorrow. We must remove the things that divide and embrace the things that unite.

-Harold C. Williams Two
Candidate for Portland City Commissioner position (2)

Finally, Brendan Finn introduces himself (he was out of town attending to family during our last round). He's currently the chief-of-staff for Commissioner Dan Saltzman.

Brendan Finn
Position sought: Commissioner #2
Website: none yet
Public financing status: Not participating in program

As a community, we here in Portland have created a city that is the envy of the nation. It has been an honor to have worked in public service for the past nine years and assist in guiding our city in a direction that will serve the future well. From authoring our green building policy to protecting our citizens from predatory lending practices, my focus has been to seize the opportunities that provide Portlanders the ability to thrive and represent our shared values. We have been able to accomplish a good deal the past decade, but I am fearful of the current rhetoric on the direction of our city. The tendency has been to compartmentalize on certain issues to appease the concerns of few, doing little to move us forward collectively. I am not afraid to curb this disturbing trend and make difficult, progressive decisions that guide our city into a prosperous, and yes sustainable, future that represents the values of all Portlanders. It is what drives me to serve our community as a leader.

First, this just isn’t fucking natural, alright?

Second, thanks to WWTDD? for pointing out this excerpt from Kathleen Turner’s new tell-all autobiography. In reference to Cage, she writes:

He caused so many problems. He was arrested twice for drunk-driving and, I think, once for stealing a dog. He’d come across a chihuahua he liked and stuck it in his jacket.

Okay, actually, that’s amazing. Props, Nic. But then things get depressing. Kathleen continues:

For years, whenever I saw him, he’d apologise for his behaviour. I’d say: “Look, I’m way over it.” But I haven’t pursued the idea of working with him again.

When did Kathleen Turner start spelling everything like she was from 1857 London? And also: C’mon, Kathleen. You are fooling no one. Sure, Cage might be in nothing but crap at this point, but it’s ludicrously successful crap. Meanwhile, I’m pretty sure Turner’s just sitting at home, desperately trying to get another Romancing the Stone flick into production. (Michael Douglas won’t return her calls.) But you can be damn sure if Nicolas Cage stopped jamming Botox needles into his weird-ass robot face for five minutes and asked her to be in Ghost Rider 2: Still Ghostin’!, she’d be all over it.

But yeah. Anyway. Back to the point: Does Nicolas Cage look creepy now or what?

Marjane Satrapi’s excellent Persepolis (check the website! It