Livability and Protest in Portland: An Interview with Me

Protest against the Vietnam war in March 1970. Bonus points for knowing not just where this photo was taken, but also what the giant neon sign at the end of this street said.

Oregon Public Broadcasting has posted an interview with me about how Portland’s reputation for livability is related to its reputation for protest.  OPB’s Geoff Norcross is a great interviewer, and it was a fun conversation.  The audio and transcription are here.

“Through our livability, through the way we’ve built the city, we’ve created the stage on which those protests can express themselves effectively, but also attracted the kinds of people who are inclined to protest, who already see themselves to be as rejected by the system and want to stand up to it.”

2 Responses to Livability and Protest in Portland: An Interview with Me

  1. Nathan November 5, 2020 at 9:12 am #

    The photo was taken looking north on SW 6th Avenue at Morrison. The neon sign at the end of the view was, I think, the one on top of the Apostolic Church at 6th and Burnside that read “Jesus. The Light of the World.”

  2. Thomas Newell November 29, 2020 at 7:33 am #

    Great interview! Thank you!