PORTLAND, OR – There’s something to be said about priorities – like when a family pays their rent or mortgage prior to spending on ritzy dinners – in that the more pressing issues deserving of attention should certainly receive attention first.
So, when a city has been under siege by rioters for months, police arresting alleged arsonists while wildfires plague surrounding regions – those might be some areas to prioritize in handling.
But much like a Quentin Tarantino plot twist, here comes Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler out of left field with what Portlanders should really be trying to curb: light pollution.
Tonight, Portlanders are encouraged to dim or turn off their lights for “Lights Out Portland.” Light pollution can be harmful to humans, plants and other animals including the birds who are beginning their migration. Thanks @PortlandAudubon for your advocacy and leadership.
— Mayor Ted Wheeler (@tedwheeler) September 19, 2020
Mayor Wheeler tweeted the following on September 19th:
“Tonight, Portlanders are encouraged to dim or turn off their lights for “Lights Out Portland.” Light pollution can be harmful to humans, plants and other animals including the birds who are beginning their migration.”
To be honest, I had to look up just what the heck “light pollution” was – because that’s one I’ve not heard of.
But apparently, light pollution is defined as:
“[The] excessive, misdirected, or obtrusive artificial (usually outdoor) light.”
Basically, it’s having your lights on at night. Of all the things for Mayor Wheeler to suggest to his 77,000 social media followers in light of everything going on in Portland – he tells them to “dim or turn off their lights”.
Instead of saying things like ‘stop setting stuff on fire’, ‘please stop vandalizing buildings and looting’ or ‘chill the hell out Portland’ – he instead channels his inner Teddy Pendergrass and tells folks to turn off the lights.
Abolish police
AND turn off all lights;
Please also just go ahead & leave all doors wide open.
Also, unplug expensive electronics and put them where thieves can easily access them
~It’s up to every citizen to do their part.
Thank you,
~Mayor Ted— Unsilent Sarah (@Sarah6t) September 20, 2020
Also, there’s the utter irony of noting that “light pollution can be harmful to humans, plants and other animals”.
Aside from light pollution having possible migration effects of certain birds and potential ramifications to nocturnal animals’ predator/prey relations – it’s not really harmful to humans because it’s not an ever-present threat.
Sure, someone could fall asleep in a fully illuminated home and might suffer sleep disturbances and possible melatonin production disruptions – but many people aren’t just turning on all the lights and crashing out.
But you know what is harmful to both humans and animals alike with much more immediate and dire consequences? Molotov cocktails, weaponized commercial-grade fireworks, ball-bearing loaded sling shots, bear mace, baseball bats, rocks…the list goes on.
I seriously thought this was a parody account until I saw it was Wheeler. Let the city burn, police officers be assaulted,small businesses close for good but stand against light pollution! Most crimes are done in the dark anyways, right, Wheeler?! Might as well help the rioters.
— Karen Curnock (@KarenCurnock) September 20, 2020
And these are all tools used by the likes of rioters that have terrorized the city and have essentially exploited and weaponized the freedom to assemble. But sure – turn off the lights because the birds might get lost or you’ll wake up grumpy.
This is like asking your kids if they finished their homework while an earthquake is actively jolting the very foundation of your home. Sure, homework deserves attention – but maybe it can wait until after the house stops shaking.
— Phoenix-Patriot (@Phx_Patriot1) September 21, 2020
Which obviously, this is why I’m not the only person who saw this bizarre call to turn off the lights from Mayor Wheeler as completely silly in light of recent events.
His Twitter account is getting absolutely raked through the coals in the comments section.
Andy Ngo pointed out that there were numerous people in Portland who were without electricity because of recent windstorms – and the mayor is telling people to chill on their porch lights:
“It was just days ago that tens of thousands of Portlanders had no electricity because of the wind storm. For some, it lasted days.”
So what you’re saying is, Teddy might be a tiny bit tone deaf here?
— Serious Trickster (@EvolutionGlobe) September 21, 2020
Others have just been poking fun at Mayor Wheeler talking about light pollution, while the city had spent a myriad of nights ablaze in various areas due to the likes of rioters engaging in what CNN would refer to as a “fiery but mostly peaceful” protest:
“While regular light pollution is harmful to migrating birds, Wheeler believes the arson fires during the riots are actually guiding lights, lighting the way for these winged creatures on their journey to greener pastures.”
While regular light pollution is harmful to migrating birds, Wheeler believes the arson fires during the riots are actually guiding lights, lighting the way for these winged creatures on their journey to greener pastures.
— stumpy044 (@stumpy044) September 20, 2020
But how can anyone be surprised that on the same day that Mayor Wheeler is talking about light pollution – he’s also talking about banning police use of tear gas when people riot.
I’m confirming today that Portland Police abided by my order banning the use of tear gas for crowd control during a protest Friday night in the South Waterfront neighborhood.
— Mayor Ted Wheeler (@tedwheeler) September 19, 2020
“I’m confirming today that Portland Police abided by my order banning the use of tear gas for crowd control during a protest Friday night in the South Waterfront neighborhood.”
Yeah, that “protest” resulted in multiple arrests.
How many you ask? The tally, per Portland Police, was 59 people. Clearly, that’s not exactly a peaceful protest if 59 people can be hemmed up in the act of riotous behavior even when police are stripped of an essential non-lethal means of crowd control.
And then, you’ve got people trying to justify violence from the likes of “Gen Z” because they have “been through so much”.
Gen Z are people born between 1997 and 2012. 8 year olds to 23 year olds. The oldest likely not old enough to remember 9/11 when it happened and some who weren’t even born when Bin Laden was killed. Gen Z violence is a checkout counter tantrum for a Snickers bar.
— Greg Hoyt (@GregHoytLET) September 21, 2020
Exactly what have they been through – puberty?
A disappointing line-up of tween shows for Disney in the mid-aughts?
Their first job?
The realization that toilet paper costs money when they move out of their parents’ homes?
This is the insanity going on. You’ve got a mayor ignoring the proverbial (and at times literal) fire, and the proverbial arsonists being coddled and even emboldened via said ignorance and slogans.
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