Letters: Use tolls to make public transportation free

Our readers also think Eudaly's neighborhood group rhetoric is shameful, believe runaway Republicans didn't do their jobs, don't want people to confuse 'antifa' with a nonviolent anti-fascist group

Portland wants us out of our cars. In my opinion, the best method would be to make public transportation free (or provide free passes). This would work. This would also help to combat gentrification, unlike the plan to toll downtown streets and bridges. Tolling is a tool of gentrification. Free public transport is a tool against gentrification.

Portland screams about traffic, environmental impact and gentrification, however the chosen methods to mitigate these negative outcomes seem to maintain the status quo (inequality) rather than introducing something progressive like free public transport.

I own a car and pay relatively high rent. I cannot afford to buy public transportation tickets, too, so I do not ride public transportation. If it was free, I'd be using it. If "free" bothers you, then maybe what we can do is offer a certain number of free tickets a month or annually. Then people who regularly use it will get a discount and those of us who want to learn to use it will have the opportunity.

From what I understand, many riders are not purchasing tickets and are riding free illegally but the (transit operators) have no enforcement for this. Therefore, public transport is already free (albeit illegally) for many.

Tolls will make it even more expensive to live here and will drive out more people on the lower end of the economic structure.

Anna Cutlip

Northeast Portland

Eudaly's neighborhood group rhetoric is shameful

Commissioner Chloe Eudaly and her co-conspirator and subordinate, Office of Community and Civic Life Director Suk Rhee, are using the most toxic form of racial identity politics to eliminate Portland's important Neighborhood Association network via a City Code 3.86 rewrite that was written "in the dark" by a mysterious committee set up by Eudaly.

Spewing rhetoric calling neighborhood associations un-inclusive and unwelcoming to other than white people is no better than Donald Trump's style of propaganda.

Eudaly is clearly using this tactic to enhance the power of her City Hall fiefdom and divide Portland's communities. Her claims are untrue and the methods used by Rhee and Eudaly do not belong in today's Portland.

I confess. I voted for her, mainly to oust Steve Novick. Had I known Eudaly would turn out this bad, I would have changed my vote.

Put this proposed code change on the ballot for all Portlanders to vote their wishes. Failing that, I think it is time to consider a recall election to send a strong message about governing in the darkness.

Frank DiMarco

Southeast Portland

Runaway Republicans didn't do their jobs

Regardless of the comments by Eric Blatter, the actions and mindset of the runaway Republicans in July was appalling, selfish and full of hubris.

They were elected to work together on Oregon issues. Avoiding their duty and concern speaks volumes about their lack of purpose.

As a voting citizen, I am interested in politics. It's up to me to read, listen and discuss matters pertaining to Oregon. I participate in a political group.

Sen. Brian Boquist is a poor and disgusting member of Oregon Legislature.

My love of Oregon is without limits. A daily devotion request, "maybe the politicians will get it right today," is sincere.

Sandra Hulden

Oregon City

Don't confuse 'antifa' with nonviolent group

There seems to be some confusion about what the masked antifa group is.

Two articles in the July 28 Portland Tribune refer to "antifa (anti-fascists)" (letter by Mark Abell on Opinion page); and "Portland's anti-fascist movement — often referred to as antifa" (article by Zane Sparling, Page A3).

Antifa should not be referred to in this way. In reality, there is no mass organization called "antifa," and much of what they do is nonviolent, although it is true that they also do violent protests sometimes.

There is a nonviolent national group called RefuseFascism.org, which has no relationship whatever to antifa. Trump has claimed that the opposing left and right organizations are equally responsible for violence. There is no moral "equivalence" between those who are seeking to impose white supremacy and fascism on society and those who are fighting against this nightmare.

Fascist forces, both within and outside of the government, are seeking to impose an order that not only strengthens white supremacy, misogyny and all forms of bigotry, but actually returns society to the days of open white supremacy and Jim Crow segregation, anti-Semitism and Nazism, violent and repressive misogyny, anti-LGBTQ bigotry, and global destruction through wars and environmental devastation. Their acts and rhetoric correspond to this vision and these goals.

All this is happening in a 21st century context, with the Trump/Pence regime seizing the power to enact and consolidate this vision as quickly as possible. Those standing up against these horrific views and aims and are on the right side of history. One side is right. One side is wrong. There is no equivalency.

We all need to be refusing to cooperate, collaborate or participate in in Trump's American fascism. Many, if not most, of these are already taking place in our country, on our watch, and to our shame.

I urge the Portland Tribune to be careful never to refer to antifa as "the" anti-fascist group. Fascism is dangerous. So is antifa on many occasions.

RefuseFascism.org is nonviolent, and is committed to ending American fascism through massive nonviolent demonstrations.

Marian Drake

Northeast Portland

(Editor's note: "Antifa" is a so-called portmanteau word; a new word made up of parts of others, "anti" and "fascist.")