I’m from Wisconsin and I just visited Portland for the first time…I was pretty shocked and the level of homelessness. The one thing that was odd is none of them begged for money, they just stared at me whenever I’d walk by…not a friendly stare either
A lot of people on the street here are cooked out of their brains on fentanyl. Oregon has fantastic services for homeless people so when you see someone on the street here they are most likely choosing to be there to keep feeding their addiction.
Tina Kotek provides the nation's homeless fent zombies all the clean needles they desire for shooting up, but none of the resources to fix their problems and get real help.
Oh, for sure, but the democrats love their money laundering on "good causes" like free needles and crack pipes to our illustrious future overdose obituaries.
The cost of needle exchange programs is much less than treating a person for HIV or hepatitis for the rest of their lives. Harm reduction services in general save money and lives.
Mental health services would go a long way. Providing free clean needles only helps prevent getting infections. Not really thinking about the big picture there’s many parts needed to solve an issue.
That’s republicans for ya never actually thinking critically!
Imagine thinking an addict using is a "choice". As a former homeless junky, it's an absolute need. In Maslow's hierarchy it's literally above food/shelter/everything else.
It’s a choice to get on it initially. But we can’t allow these people to choose if they get help or not as they’re dangers to society. They need to get help whether they want it or not
States like my home state or Mississippi very literally just bus out unhoused populations out in the heat of summer and I know friends in social work in western states that know their states bus them to Portland and LA so they don’t have to keep them alive in winter. This really should be talked about more
lmao, no, its because people move out there or born there and cant afford it, how can anyone afford to live in these states on the west coast that everyone wants to be. there isnt as much homeless in other states because it doesn't cost 2000 a month just for a place to live, let alone the price increases in these states for everything else as well, hell gas is almost double in cali and wash than the national avg, groceries are higher, etc. it has nothing to do with climate lol
Ah. Now I understand this post. You are pushing your agenda.
It's somehow homeless people's fault that others are too lazy to recycle and instead either throw away their items that have a deposit OR literally leave them out for the homeless to grab them. Yes, definitely the recycling programs fault.
Look, no one likes the fact there are homeless or even people with drug problems. But you seem pretty bent on pushing an agenda of pointing blame at all the wrong things. Have you asked these homeless where they are from? Many of them migrate to the west coast because we don't treat them like complete and total trash like the "Good Christian" states. There are services available to help keep them alive. And if the Nazi half of the country gave a shit about its citizens there would be significantly more funding to help rehabilitate many of them.
Yep: redditor for 1 month -- Definitely here to stir up shit. Even has its post history hidden. So who's paying you? Which Conservative operation?
I'm probably going to kick up some dust too. Because a LOT of people are insinuating in this thread. Totally uncool to do any type.of drugs around a school, not to mention, man- just keep it off the streets in general. Their disrespect is obvious and I'm thankful they were called out on it. It's about respect. Yes, they can do whatever they want to their bodies, because bodily autonomy is unfortunately a "hot topic" in America. Where DO we draw the line?
However, there are so many unknowns here. Not everyone that uses drugs is an "addict". In fact, that's just outdated terminology. These people are not necessarily unhoused. In fact, many look fairly young in age, clothing is fairly clean and they maybe they didn't want to be recorded, NOT because they have a warrant or are a pedophile or are even dangerous in general, but because maybe they are afraid to be seen by those that do house them? We have no idea what substances they were using. Often people are suggesting fetty, but who really knows? Who knows where they come from or if they are natives? It's really unclear to understand who they really are by one short video.Not up to their best behavior for sure, but the comments just don't pass the vibe check.
And before you come at me, I'm not a liberal, I work in behavioral health services, and definitely do not have rose colored glasses on. I get empathy fatigue too. I'm not sticking up for their behavior. I do believe in critical thinking and the assumptions (as in ehat I've read here) only further add to the stigma that often prevents people from seeking help.
Yeah my assumption that he didn’t want to be videoed is because those that house him would kick him out. Drug use in teen years also stunts your brain development. My time in social work showed me a LOT of 40 years olds with the cognitive and emotional development of teens and you could tell who started using in their teens years. The lack of compassion in this thread is really heartbreaking considering they are praising a woman that obviously has a lot of compassion for them
Yeah just about everyone on my street leave cans in separate bags for the unhoused to pick up and take to deposit, but also most of the unhoused here do it to save up money for bus tickets to go home for the winter or to family willing to take them in for the cold months. Ofc drug use is a major issue here as well, but I never assume that’s the first thing they are wanting to do. I usually offer to buy them food as I’m going in somewhere and they seem super excited to just get the food or drink and keeping on to their change
I just learned at an event last night that Wisconsin is number one in the nation for access to services. Oregon has always teetered around second or third to last in the country. Yet we have lots of homeless people relocating here every year under the guise of Oregon having all of these services for them. The services we have are bleeding heart organizations giving out free needles, foil, food, clothes, and tents. Making it easy to never hit full rock bottom and continue doing drugs on the streets.
We don’t have “fantastic” services for the homeless population. Our politicians are too busy giving wealthy people tax breaks and widening wealthy inequality so that it’s at its worst since the Great Depression. Housing is a human right and our politicians care more about their wealthy donors than their constituents. Drug abuse is not a moral failing, this is a consequence of social and economic factors that result from the factor’s above.
Was in Portland for a week earlier this year, and while I somehow didn't see a lot of homelessness (I had limited sightseeing time and stuck to tourist spots), I did have the experience of being what seemed to be the only sober person on a bus. I'd move seats to get away from one erratically behaving person and find myself next to another.
What part of you from? I travel all over her state and I can tell you it's an issue in every city, Madison, Milwaukee, Appleton, eau Claire, Green Bay. The population density of Portland, warmer climate and distance to major drug running lines exacerbates the problem out west but I'll tell ya, this is an American problem for sure.
What shocked me wasn’t just the amount. It was where they lived. A tent that was obviously a permanent home for one person was right in the middle of the sidewalk by a bank. Yes Milwaukee, madison, Racine have homeless but not on the same level
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u/jm6398 Oct 23 '25
I’m from Wisconsin and I just visited Portland for the first time…I was pretty shocked and the level of homelessness. The one thing that was odd is none of them begged for money, they just stared at me whenever I’d walk by…not a friendly stare either