Dublin-Worthington News Stories
January 6, 2021 Virtual Club Meeting - Doug Southgate
By Christie BruffyFriday, January 8, 2021
President Jim Miller opened the morning meeting at 7:31. This is the 20th meeting of the 46th rotary year, and the first meeting of the new calendar year. Tim Moats gave the invocation and led the Pledge of Allegiance.
President-Elect Steve Payerle called for any “Happy Dollar” announcements, stating that he was happy that 2020 was over and we’re now into 2021. He also thanked Peggy Murgatroyd for sending him a Santa hat as he didn’t have one for our Christmas party.
Along with Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle, Portland has a large homeless population, much of which suffers from mental illness, substance abuse, or both. Diversion programs, which provide treatment in place of incarceration for lawbreakers, are being shortchanged by a decriminalization agenda embraced by city attorneys up and down the West Coast, including in Portland. The consequences of this approach are detailed in a pair of documentaries produced by the ABC affiliate in Seattle, one from 2019 titled Seattle is Dying and the other titled The Fight for the Soul of Seattle that came out in late 2020.
Southgate faulted Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and Oregon Governor Kate Brown for an ineffective response to Antifa rioting. He also blames local District Attorney Mike Schmidt, who has released hundreds of individuals arrested for vandalism and other crimes since assuming office in August 2020. Wheeler, Southgate added, was reluctant to take effective action prior to the November 3rd election, in which he was opposed by a Marxist who is an avowed supporter of Antifa.
Southgate is not optimistic about his hometown. Skyrocketing insurance costs and continuing tax increases have accelerated an exodus of businesses. On November 3rd, laws against the possession of small amounts of drugs, up to and including heroin, were revoked. Police funding has been cut, and officers are retiring or resigning in record numbers.
The only consolation for Portlanders who yearn for law and order is that Mayor Wheeler finally condemned Antifa on New Year’s Day, a few hours after yet another riot downtown.
Southgate spoke about disturbances that his hometown of Portland, Oregon has suffered since late May. He began with a couple of examples of violent attacks and other crimes perpetrated by individuals self-identifying as Anti-Fascist (or Antifa) and mentioned an interview with an African American policeman who survived uninjured when a commercial-grade firework was thrown at him during an Antifa riot. The interview can be viewed here-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ha-7SETmJD4.
Southgate continued by providing general information about the Rose City: its relatively small African-American population and the impediments that high taxes pose for economic development.
Doug’s presentation led to club discussion about what we as Rotarians can do right here in our own community to make sure that this doesn’t happen, as well as what we can do right now in regards to what is currently happening- homelessness, especially those with drug addiction and/or mental illness.
Click image to play the video
President Jim Miller brought the meeting to a close at 8:35am by leading us through the Four Way Test.
President-Elect Steve Payerle called for any “Happy Dollar” announcements, stating that he was happy that 2020 was over and we’re now into 2021. He also thanked Peggy Murgatroyd for sending him a Santa hat as he didn’t have one for our Christmas party.
- Tom Reis was happy that OSU beat Clemson in the Sugar Bowl.
- Doug Southgate was happy on behalf of Jim Miller now that he is halfway through his term as president during such an unusual time.
- Tim Shear was happy to see the Cleveland Browns make it to the playoffs every 20 years! Ha ha!
- John Butterfield was happy to see George Norris in attendance today as he has gone through yet another surgery- a left knee replacement 2 weeks ago. George reports little pain thanks to oxycodone and hopes he doesn’t become addicted. He has now had both knees and a hip replaced.
- Peggy Murgatroyd informed us that former RI Director (2017-2019) Greg Yank passed from COVID yesterday surrounded by family. He chose not to be put on a ventilator. Greg had been an active Rotarian since 1978, serving as the Regional Membership Plan Project Plan Lead (Membership Chair) for Zones 30 and 31 and chair of district 6510’s Club Visioning Initiative prior to his role as RI Director. He also served as an International Training Leader twice, Membership Coordinator for Zone 29 and Rotary Institute Chair.
Along with Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle, Portland has a large homeless population, much of which suffers from mental illness, substance abuse, or both. Diversion programs, which provide treatment in place of incarceration for lawbreakers, are being shortchanged by a decriminalization agenda embraced by city attorneys up and down the West Coast, including in Portland. The consequences of this approach are detailed in a pair of documentaries produced by the ABC affiliate in Seattle, one from 2019 titled Seattle is Dying and the other titled The Fight for the Soul of Seattle that came out in late 2020.
Southgate faulted Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and Oregon Governor Kate Brown for an ineffective response to Antifa rioting. He also blames local District Attorney Mike Schmidt, who has released hundreds of individuals arrested for vandalism and other crimes since assuming office in August 2020. Wheeler, Southgate added, was reluctant to take effective action prior to the November 3rd election, in which he was opposed by a Marxist who is an avowed supporter of Antifa.
Southgate is not optimistic about his hometown. Skyrocketing insurance costs and continuing tax increases have accelerated an exodus of businesses. On November 3rd, laws against the possession of small amounts of drugs, up to and including heroin, were revoked. Police funding has been cut, and officers are retiring or resigning in record numbers.
The only consolation for Portlanders who yearn for law and order is that Mayor Wheeler finally condemned Antifa on New Year’s Day, a few hours after yet another riot downtown.
Southgate spoke about disturbances that his hometown of Portland, Oregon has suffered since late May. He began with a couple of examples of violent attacks and other crimes perpetrated by individuals self-identifying as Anti-Fascist (or Antifa) and mentioned an interview with an African American policeman who survived uninjured when a commercial-grade firework was thrown at him during an Antifa riot. The interview can be viewed here-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ha-7SETmJD4.
Southgate continued by providing general information about the Rose City: its relatively small African-American population and the impediments that high taxes pose for economic development.
Doug’s presentation led to club discussion about what we as Rotarians can do right here in our own community to make sure that this doesn’t happen, as well as what we can do right now in regards to what is currently happening- homelessness, especially those with drug addiction and/or mental illness.
Click image to play the video
President Jim Miller brought the meeting to a close at 8:35am by leading us through the Four Way Test.