Cities set limits on serving food to homeless people

[rodeodance]

Source: USAToday




Cities set limits on serving food to homeless people
Updated 1h 54m ago

By Emily Bazar, USA TODAY
Cities are cracking down on charities that feed the homeless, adopting rules that restrict food giveaways to certain locations, require charities to get permits or limit the number of free meals they can provide.

Orlando, Dallas, Las Vegas and Wilmington, N.C., began enforcing such laws last year. Some are being challenged.

Last November, a federal judge blocked the Las Vegas law banning food giveaways to the poor in city parks. In Dallas, two ministries are suing, arguing that the law violates religious freedom.

DALLAS HOMLESS: The 'Lord's table' deemed illegal

"Going after the volunteers is new," says Michael Stoops of the National Coalition for the Homeless. "They think that by not feeding people, it will make the homeless people leave."........

Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-03-26-homeless-laws_N.htm?csp=1

[acmavm]

1. No doubt being pushed by the Compassionate Christian crowd.

[seriousstan]

8. No, the Compassionate Christian crowd are the ones fighting this.

I guess the numerous atheist charities will have to step in.

[LeftyMom]

12. One of the biggest targets of these laws is Food Not Bombs, which isn't in any way a religious group

Churches are much less impacted because they have political clout and can distribute on their own premises (although they often don't want to.)

[Donnachaidh]

2. so they want to push the problem onto other cities?

Nice. Bet it's that conservative christian organization behind all this.

[Megahurtz]

13. Yep.

Those Wolves in innocent looking Sheep's clothing.

[Giant Robot]

3. And this is how revolution begins n/t

[fidgeting wildly]

4. Where are they supposed to go?

I lived in Dallas for six years. There is massive wealth in that city, but the greedy bastards with real estate interests in the downtown area have been pulling cruel tricks like this with more and more frequency. I remember families who would package their extra food on Thanksgiving and Christmas and take it downtown to give to the homeless. Those acts of kindness are now illegal without the proper permits.

The twisted logic is that if there's no food, the homeless will simply go somewhere else. But where are they supposed to go? I know Mayor Laura Miller is/was a great fan of Rudy Giuliani, so frankly I'm surprised that she hasn't tried to bus them to another city.

[EFerrari]

6. The rousts are often done quietly so as to not attract attention.

That's how Gavin Newsom does them here, any way. :(

[saigon68]

10. Maybe they can chase "the darker ones" out of town

</sarcasm>

Nothing like "whitening up" the place

Check out Clorox Community

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=clorox+community

[Der Blaue Engel]

14. Where are they supposed to go? I believe they'd like them to just die.

"Are there no prisons?" asked Scrooge.

"Plenty of prisons," said the gentleman, laying down the pen again.

"And the Union workhouses?" demanded Scrooge. "Are they still in operation?"

"They are. Still," returned the gentleman, "I wish I could say they were not."

"The Treadmill and the Poor Law are in full vigour, then?" said Scrooge.

"Both very busy, sir."

"Oh! I was afraid, from what you said at first, that something had occurred to stop them in their useful course," said Scrooge. "I'm very glad to hear it."

"Under the impression that they scarcely furnish Christian cheer of mind or body to the multitude," returned the gentleman, "a few of us are endeavouring to raise a fund to buy the Poor some meat and drink, and means of warmth. We choose this time, because it is a time, of all others, when Want is keenly felt, and Abundance rejoices. What shall I put you down for?"

"Nothing!" Scrooge replied.

"You wish to be anonymous?"

"I wish to be left alone," said Scrooge. "Since you ask me what I wish, gentlemen, that is my answer. I don't make merry myself at Christmas and I can't afford to make idle people merry. I help to support the establishments I have mentioned: they cost enough: and those who are badly off must go there."

"Many can't go there; and many would rather die."

"If they would rather die," said Scrooge, "they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population."

[partylessinOhio]

5. Scratching head...

WHY?

[raccoon]

7. "Let 'em eat cake!" :sarcasm: nt

[Acadia Blue]

9. They could care less as long none of the bloated rich greed pigs is in trouble.

They are above helping the destitute and weak.

[otherlander]

18. The rich are far weaker.

If you took them away from their money and put them out on the streets, where the homeless have had to survive for years, they would be dead within weeks.

[melm00se]

11. part of this i can understand

for example this requirement:
Those distributing food must take a food-handling course

makes sense, especially if restaurants and other food serving establishments have to meet this requirement as well...

but an attempt to ghettoize them and keep them out of the "tourist" areas by legistlation? why not try something a bit more effective? like helping fund a program that addresses the underlying cause?

[ShortnFiery]

15. What we need is more community centers and folks who are retired

OR able to volunteer their time to counsel these folks. Far too many of the people we see on the street are either Mentally Challenged, Mentally Ill or both.

Who would CHOOSE to be homeless? We must help these folks, but not by rounding them up ... through guidance and a step-up. Our family donates non-perishable foods to our local homeless shelter each week.

Anything we can do for the love of our fellow human beings. :grouphug:

[melm00se]

16. the retired people

part won't be a problem shortly....with the millions of boomers retiring there'll be plenty of those

[melody]

17. Just keep defying the law

Once they make criminals out of compassionate people trying to feed the homeless, TPTB won't be able to sleep from the music to "Les Miserables" playing in their heads.

[WorldResident]

19. This is a 1st Amendment Freedom of Religion issue

n/t

[Bolshy]

20. Capitalism at its finest n/t

[NuttyFluffers]

21. lessons i learned in USA: it is better to throw food away than feed the hungry

but why you ask? well:

legal liability in case the homeless and hungry sue.

keeps out undesirables. beautifies the city and raises property values.

more profitable. the effort to give excess away costs more than letting it rot in a dump.

keeps away potential health hazards which could lead to epidemics. (read: poor starving people)
------------------------------------------------------------------------

please, add your own reasons you've encountered while living here!
:D

i think, from visiting other countries, particularly non-industrialized countries, this nation has a very fascinating dichotomy in relation to its needy. we have institutions working hard to help, with equally powerful (actually more powerful) institutions trying to undo the help, if not actively hurt. far more noticeable national schizophrenia in relation to its needy.

[HuffleClaw]

22. how can this be remotely legal?

'life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness'?