Forcing people into a camp patrolled by military personnel, unarmed or otherwise, doesn’t end or address homelessness, it simply contains it in a carceral complex
Mayoral aide Sam Adams’ proposal to build mass camps for unhoused Portlanders and staff them with unarmed military personnel, as with his attempts on social media to launder the idea as a casual step in finding a solution to homelessness, has all the tact and aplomb as one suggesting they feed their leg through a woodchipper when they stub their toe.
Adams’ Jan. 31 memo reads like the unabridged version of unserious comments on Street Roots’ stories, though there’s the preface that he imagines “it will startle some.” Perhaps with an air of unintentional profundity, Adams reveals the core division at the heart of proposed steps to address homelessness.
Is the problem with homelessness that people lack access to the basic security of a door to lock and the stability to sleep without fear? Or, is the problem that those of us with a place to live can see those without a place to live as they’re largely free to move around the city? It’s clear which philosophy is foundational to Adams’ proposal.
Forcing people into a camp patrolled by military personnel, unarmed or otherwise, doesn’t end or address homelessness, it simply contains it in a carceral complex.
It is with the knowledge that someone with such regressive, dehumanizing and reprehensible ideas is so close to people with the power to enact policies, we say: You’re startling us, Sam.
Fortunately for our unhoused neighbors, there seems to be enough resistance to the idea that it won’t leave the runway. Commissioner Carmen Rubio told Willamette Week the idea “would never fly” with her office. Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty shared Rubio’s Tweet in agreement with her, adding, “this half-baked plan is a non-starter.”
Jose Coll, dean of the PSU School of Social Work, where Adams suggested fielding students from to assist in staffing, said the proposal “contravenes social work values and is not being considered by the (School of Social Work).”
Coll was quoted by the school’s official Twitter account Sunday in response to a Twitter user asking if the school was consulted by Adams.
Since Willamette Week reported on the memo Friday and other outlets followed, Adams has made hay on Twitter, attempting to flippantly portray the proposal as just another idea (and retweeting a few commenters who agree with his idea).
Is the problem with homelessness that people lack access to the basic security of a door to lock and the stability to sleep without fear? Or, is the problem that those of us with a place to live can see those without a place to live as they’re largely free to move around the city? “Thankful I have another mayoral boss that encourages staff to constantly look at (Portland’s) toughest problems with new ideas and options,” Adams said Saturday on Twitter when sharing Willamette Week’s initial story.
The subtext here is alarming — apparently, Mayor Ted Wheeler is welcoming of such ideas. Additionally, the attempt to downplay the proposal as simply throwing things at the wall to see what sticks underlines another issue: it seems at least a couple of city leaders have entirely lost the plot. Perhaps most importantly, Adams should be well aware using military or police to round up people that the wealthy and powerful don’t like is anything but a ‘new idea.’
“Portland-based DHM Research firm found that 83% of Portland voters strongly or somewhat support to ‘Require people currently living outside to sleep in shelters or designated camping locations.’ Your ideas to do this? Mine:” Adams said on Twitter Monday morning with a link to the memo.
Never mind the poll question is poorly written, vague and would likely field a different result if presented as ‘camps patrolled by military personnel,’ as Adams is proposing. His and Wheeler’s recent reliance on polls funded by special interest groups People for Portland and the Portland Business Alliance highlights the lack of understanding of what these polls are, and who must be involved in solving homelessness.
The poll cited by Adams, funded by PBA and conducted by DHM, polled only voters, with 250 of the 500 respondents not living in Portland, but rather the broader tri-county area, so Adams whiffed on the description. It’s also worth mentioning that a poll conducted by a special interest group is now being treated by some leaders as a referendum on forcing people into shelters, and a mandate to do that however they see fit.
Not once has Adams said unhoused Portlanders support the idea, or that he even bothered to speak with people on the streets or social workers with expertise before concocting the plan. No worthwhile step can be taken toward addressing homelessness without bringing unhoused Portlanders to the table.
It is in recognition of this egregious lack of awareness, we say, again: You’re startling us, Sam.
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