Another call from a friend this morning, wondering if I’m all right here in Portland, or getting ready to get out and protest. It’s embarrassing when your city is in the national spotlight for the wrong reasons. “Get off my lawn,” is the initial reaction, as I shake my cane in anger. Everybody go home – protesters and federal troops. Who will make the first move? 

I’ve become Grandpa Grumps, making political statements that I never thought would come out of my mouth. I reference back to the Boston Tea Party. In that case, demonstrators disguised themselves as Native Americans to destroy an entire shipment of tea. We apparently have criminals bent on destruction disguised as peaceful protesters here in Portland. How do you tell them apart, especially when they are wearing masks? You can’t – and neither can law enforcement. It’s the recipe for disaster.

I thought we were all “in this together,” staying home to fight a virus. Instead, were organizing in mass to spread it. The only winner is the bug. I thought that protesting was an old-fashioned attention-getter. There are so many other outlets these days to spread the word. I recognize the need for positive change in this world. From this old man’s perspective, another protest in Portland is not the answer. We protest anything and everything here and the effectiveness has been lost for some time. Or, am I just being Grandpa Grumps?