Weirdness IS White
by ZoĂŤ Sandvigen illustrations by Brooke Jones Portland is notorious for its attractions, people,
and one of a kind traditions such as the annual naked bike ride, where thousands of Portlanders take to the streets in the nude. However, along with this renowned reputation, false identities and misleading conceptions about the city can often emerge. At the core, this begins with truth that Portland is predominantly white, which is a reality some are very aware of while others give it little thought. According a 2019 census, the demographic shows that 76.1 percent of Portland residents identify as white. It is safe to say that the city that builds itself up on its unique identity and embrace of diversity is actually, quite frankly, homogenous. Though not the only group involved, it can seem that these white Portlanders make up a disproportionately large part of those who stand at the forefront of protests, riots, and rallies. The
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OPINION
irony is that these protests are usually rooted in an age-old fight against racism and inequality. It is great that this new generation of people is willing to fight for minority groups, but they stand thousands strong crying out about a struggle that many of them have never directly experienced themselves. It begs the question, are those directly experiencing these struggles afforded enough time and space to speak on these issues for themselves. In many protests, the majority of protestors, though not all, are people serving more as performative allies rather than activists; some of them may be participating in the outcry of injustice simply to say that they were there. Before going any further it should be noted that Portland is home to some of the most passionate activists and liberals when it comes toward wanting equality, and that is one of the reasons this city is special. However, could it be
said for some that activism has become less about the cause itself and more about engaging in a cultural activity? Is it too far off to believe there would be more of a public uproar and protest if Powell’s was scheduled to be torn down? Even while groups of passionate protestors aim to take to the streets, in the later half of 2018 Mayor Ted Wheeler proposed laws giving him the power to control the duration and location of protest. These laws are an attempt to limit the violence on the streets of Portland and attempt to prevent that violence from affecting bystanders nearby, but is it right to limit a protest about violence out of fear of violence? Is it right to limit the duration of protest at all? Can Portland say it is really trying to address the concerns of the oppressed if the expression of these concerns are only allowed in controlled, limited bursts? Furthermore, activist groups have been met
