Eugene, Oregon: Poster City for America's Decay
I don't travel much for business, but one or two times a year I need to come to Eugene, Oregon. I wish I didn't have to.
Don't get me wrong, the people I do business with are gracious and most people are kind. But Eugene has the worst crime record for burglary, auto theft ,and car break-ins among cities of its size in the entire United States. There are 3,200 auto break-ins annually. The police chief recently announced a stepped-up awareness campaign and warned that people breaking into homes and cars would now be apprehended and punished.
"Now"?
Just one year ago, I was robbed on one of these trips. The culprit walked away with my wallet just as casually as you please in front of two dozen bystanders while I pleaded for help. The onlookers were unlovely denizens of the Occupy camp across the street who came into a Starbucks store to loiter for hours and stay warm without buying anything. This is Eugene. That sort of thing is tolerated.
A few minutes ago, I got a ride to the train station from a cabbie who, in a journey of one mile, explained to me that he really wanted a bullet train between Eugene and Seattle and the "regulators" and "good ol' boys" were keeping it from him. I suggested that such a train would require an enormous amount of money. The rail is adequate for freight but not high-speed trains. The cost of equipment alone could be hundreds of millions.
He shrugged. He rode a bullet train from London to Amsterdam and it cost him $20. "That's what we need here. But "they" won't allow the infrastructure."
It must be comforting to have a philosophy that dictates you deserve everything you want and if you're not getting it, the Evil Powers That Be are keeping it from you.
Did I mention the homeless?
You can't travel more than a block or two in Central Eugene without beginning to sense the scope of Eugene's homelessness issue. I casually remarked to a companion, "I think if I were homeless and had just a little money, I'd use that to travel to a warmer clime." Winters here are cold and rainy. Why stay?
You've probably guessed. Eugene has an elaborate safety net for indigents. People come here for the benefits, not the liquid sunshine. The city has plans to build a large permanent encampment (euphemistically called "Opportunity Village"). There's no money in the budget for it, but the homeless deserve it.
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Feb '11
Re: Eugene, Oregon: Poster City for America's Decay
And about half the homeless youths have a dog -- or, as Papa Toad and I used to say, a puppy on a string...
Edited on December 9, 2012 at 3:09amSep '12
Re: Eugene, Oregon: Poster City for America's Decay
Things have changed since I was in college there. When I lived in San Francisco, I learned that the homeless populations in CA, OR and WA have a graft system for copying tickets or bus passes? Anyhow, the idea was that large groups of homeless travel up and down the coast looking for free warm housing and free food. When their time runs out in one shelter, they go somewhere else...it could be Eugene has lots of freebee stuff for them, as you say...
Sep '12
Re: Eugene, Oregon: Poster City for America's Decay
The way things are going in Amerika, one day soon you may find yourself entirely expropriated and "relocated" to Opportunity Village, where you can sleep in a barracks at night and during the days make crafts to sell to visiting Chinese dignitaries.
Oct '12
Re: Eugene, Oregon: Poster City for America's Decay
My husband says, "If you put out cat food, you're going to get cats. If you put out bum food, you're going to get bums."
I live in Redwood City, CA. We have virtually no visible homeless. Even our local bum, who makes his living accosting people going into 7-11, has a place to live. The county bought an apartment block and houses homeless families there. Most locals don't even know of its existence, which if you think about it, means the program is working. A safety net for those who need it temporarily, not sops for the professionally indigent.
A few miles to the south is ultraliberal, wealthy Palo Alto. They put out bum food, then wonder why nothing they do ever seems to solve the homeless problem.
Jul '11
Re: Eugene, Oregon: Poster City for America's Decay
Eugene needs to wallow in it's liberalism just bit more. When no one feels safe anymore they will move. Of course then they infect the next town, possibly Corvallis, with their stupidity. My son mentioned that as a possible college and I vetoed it immediately. We're you mugged by knife, gun, or other? Would you like to invest in docjay's fake wallet filled with sulfuric acid designed to fry the face and corneas of any thief?
Jul '11
Re: Eugene, Oregon: Poster City for America's Decay
I first saw UO in 92 and thought it looked like Santa Cruz because of how many bums were around. Cool hip liberals love their bums. They pay them, they feed them, they breed them.
Oct '10
Re: Eugene, Oregon: Poster City for America's Decay
So they're cornering the market on Chia-Bums?
Nov '10
Re: Eugene, Oregon: Poster City for America's Decay
Yes, everyone deserves a high-speed train. And a pony. A friend posted on Facebook something about how evil Walmart is because, "Every worker deserves a living wage and health care and blah blah..."
I wanted to counter with, "Every worker deserves the wage that they contracted with their employer to receive. Walmart is not the world's nanny and is not obligated to give anyone anything..."
But I digress. Funny how all kinds of people deserve stuff, except "the rich." They don't deserve to keep the money they have earned.
Sep '10
Re: Eugene, Oregon: Poster City for America's Decay
I blame Bush.
There. Problem solved.
Oct '10
Re: Eugene, Oregon: Poster City for America's Decay
As we often say around here; Amerikans will be like the Greeks. They stand in front of their crumbling monuments selling gyros. We will be standing in front of the ruins of the Capitol and Washington Monument selling hot dogs to tourists from China.
Jul '12
Re: Eugene, Oregon: Poster City for America's Decay
Top 10 Employers in Eugene
Nov '10
Re: Eugene, Oregon: Poster City for America's Decay
All the uber/liberal towns are shabby decaying testaments to what happens when peoples minds are so open their brains fall out.
Sep '10
Re: Eugene, Oregon: Poster City for America's Decay
Well, they are indeed traveling to a warmer clime, Charleen. Have you been to Hawaii recently? We have both the balmy trades and the welcoming liberal arms, and those have not gone unnoticed, alas. Some of our prime areas for tourists are taking on a Calcutta-like atmosphere and one of these days an honest travel writer will expose us. Doom.
Aug '10
Re: Eugene, Oregon: Poster City for America's Decay
Benjamin Glaser: Top 10 Employers in Eugene
Well there's your problem right there: eeeeeeeeevil Walmart. Clearly all of Eugene's woes are due to them employing 1100 people.
Just imagine how much better things would be if Walmart fired 1100 people and left town, to be replaced by small stores with higher prices and reduced selection! Everyone would be richer... somehow. The crime would stop, the bums would get jobs, the rise of the oceans would be halted, and equality would break out across the land. Or something.
Oct '12
Re: Eugene, Oregon: Poster City for America's Decay
There was recently a well reported case here in Texas, in which a robber called 911, because he was being held at gunpoint by the homeowner. It's a great recording! The homeowner calls in on another line. I can just see the two of them there on their cell phones! Increasing gun ownership, might slow down the home robberies in Oregon.
Mar '11
Re: Eugene, Oregon: Poster City for America's Decay
BlueAnt
Benjamin Glaser: Top 10 Employers in Eugene
Wellthere'syour problem right there: eeeeeeeeevil Walmart. Clearlyall of Eugene's woes are due to them employing 1100 people.
Just imagine how much better things would be if Walmart fired 1100 people and left town, to be replaced by small stores with higher prices and reduced selection! Everyone would be richer... somehow. The crime would stop, the bums would get jobs, the rise of the oceans would be halted, and equality would break out across the land. Or something. · 32 minutes ago
It is certainly an instructive list, not one generating capital until you arrive at the tenth spot (Apologies docs at PeaceHealth but with ObamaCare you are now an arm of the State) . Reminds me of something, can't quite put my finger on it...
May '11
Re: Eugene, Oregon: Poster City for America's Decay
A permanent encampment for the indigent. What else would liberals call it other than Opportunity Village?
Sep '10
Re: Eugene, Oregon: Poster City for America's Decay
A Palestinian State.
I'm here all week, folks.
Oct '10
Re: Eugene, Oregon: Poster City for America's Decay
Portland has always been a haven for the "Homeless" and outright "Bums".
Social Service organizations from around the U.S. used to ship all manner of these folk to Portland. They cleared their books of bodies by providing them with travel vouchers, bus and one-way plane tickets destined for Stumptown.
Eventually, the Portland agencies set up "Shelters" out of the downtown area due to sheer volumes. For PR reasons, Portland had their own Opportunity Village, which did not end well.
Ride the bus in Portland to got an overview of life there. Crime rate are another thing, Eugene has nothing on Portland. Pardon my grump-
Aug '12
Re: Eugene, Oregon: Poster City for America's Decay
I think about this phenomenon a lot when I see homeless people camped out near my apartment in Manhattan. I guess I can understand that if you are sleeping on the street, it would be nice to have a dog for companionship and also for protection. There is a reason that they usually have pit bulls or some other scrappy dog rather than, say, a Yorkie.
On the other hand, it gets very cold here and I always feel sorry for those dogs. It's not their fault that they're out on the street, cold and hungry, while their owner bums cigarettes off of college students.
Which leads me to wonder... Would they sell me their dog? And for how much?
Mama Toad: And about half the homeless youths have a dog -- or, as Papa Toad and I used to say, a puppy on a string... · 19 hours ago
Edited 19 hours ago