Miami Considers Ban on Feeding the Homeless Without Proper Training

[Bluebear]

It's for the homeless people's own good, though. :crazy:

Bonus: the source is FOX News, who must be doing a tarantella over the material.

====

The Miami City Commission is set to consider a proposal next month that would prohibit unauthorized people and groups from feeding the homeless downtown, an ordinance proponents say will cut down on litter and ensure the safety of the food the homeless do eat.

Miami residents may have to think twice before giving up their leftovers to the homeless.

The Miami City Commission is set to consider a proposal next month that would prohibit unauthorized people and groups from feeding the homeless downtown, an ordinance proponents say will cut down on litter and ensure the safety of the food the homeless do eat.

The Miami Downtown Development Authority recently approved the measure, sending it up to the commission.

Though the change could draw objections, David Karsh, spokesman for Development Authority Chairman Marc Sarnoff, said the rule isn't a blanket ban. He said that anybody would be able to feed the homeless, but they would have to go through formal training first -- amateurs couldn't just give up part of their lunch to help someone they meet on the street.

"The ordinance is not by any means meant to discourage people from feeding homeless people," he told FoxNews.com, :eyes: adding that homeless advocacy groups support the measure. "Anybody can do it."

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/02/26/miami-officials-consider-proposal-restrict-feeding-homeless/?test=latestnews

The training would cover two main lessons: how to ensure the food is safe to eat, and how to clean up the mess afterward.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/02/26/miami-officials-consider-proposal-restrict-feeding-homeless/?test=latestnews

[joeybee12]

1. Has there been a rash of the homeless getting poisoned?

If not, then this is phucking stupid!

[Bluebear]

4. Yes, we need training to keep the macaroni salad cool before feeding it to the homeless.

Translation: don't feed them and maybe they will go away or die.

[bobbolink]

31. Your translation is the truth of the matter.

I have been thinking that someone needs to do a good rundown of the ways that poor and homeless people are told to go die.

Given that if they/we actually *try* to die, they would spend THOUSANDS locking us up and "fixing" us so we wouldn't want to die anymore.

Yet, they have NO MONEY to make sure we have a place to live and a life worth living.

THAT is *Crazy*!!

[Cetacea]

32. +1000

[zanana1]

2. That would go along with their "shoot people in the back" law.

I'm afraid I've lost alot of respect for the people of Florida for allowing that insane gun law to pass and now this. We're trying to have a civilization here, people!

[Obamanaut]

5. I'm unfamiliar with the "shoot people in the back" law. What is it? n/t

[Edweird]

11. There is no 'shoot people in the back' law. You should be ashamed of yourself.

[zanana1]

16. Au contraire.

http://www.dailycommercial.com/022410burglar Read it and weep. The gun nuts in the gun forum are making this guy who shot a burglar who was turned away from him, in his back yard, in the back and killed him, a hero. NO charges were leveled against him because of the Florida gun law that states you can shoot somebody who is trespassing on your property. Insane.

[Edweird]

20. I live in Florida. There is no 'shoot people in the back' law.

[zanana1]

22. Did you read the article?

A man saw someone trying to break into a tool shed on his property. Of course, he went out to confront the guy instead of calling the police because he had his big gun with him. With no witnesses, the guy said the intruder "charged him" and that's why he shot him. The problem is, he was shot in the back. The homeowner got off scot free. (I forgot to mention; the intruder was unarmed).

[Edweird]

24. "no evidence to suggest that Canada was not facing the homeowner at the time the shots were fired"

[Lyric]

26. ...you mean other than the fact that he was shot in the back?

Unless the shooter's gun has some insane boomerang capabilities, I'd say that's some pretty good evidence there.

:shrug:

[Edweird]

27. I didn't write the article or the police report or do the autopsy. Hell, I didn't

even post the article. I'm just going by the poster's own article.

[Cetacea]

33. There is a "shoot anybody who you feel threatened by" law

Correct?

[Edweird]

41. No. There is a 'stand your ground' law. You are not required by law to be a victim.

You are not required to 'retreat' from any place you have a legal right to be. It is not a 'shoot people in the back' law. It is not a 'shoot people that make mean faces at you' law.

Here is an example:
http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2007/07/marine_subway_robbery_070702/

in some places Mr. Lovell would be charged with a crime. Here, he is not.

[donco6]

57. Oh, I see. An anti "discretion is the better part of valor" law.

Good to know.

[Edweird]

72. I see. Please explain to me how Mr Lovell is at fault.

[Raineyb]

64. In other words the answer is "yes." n/t

[Edweird]

71. Only to people with cognitive disorders.

[Edweird]

21. Here are the Florida state stautes. Please direct me to the 'shoot people in the back' statute.

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/STATUTES/

[zanana1]

23. READ THE ARTICLE.

I'm sure your state doesn't call it the "Shoot People in the Back" law, but that's what happened, and the state of Florida deems it legal.

[Edweird]

25. We are allowed to defend ourselves, and if that bothers you, then YOU are the one with the problem.

[Edweird]

29. By the way, it HAS ALWAYS been against the law to shoot a 'fleeing person'. Still is.

If this man was 'fleeing', it was AGAINST THE LAW. THERE IS NO 'SHOOT PEOPLE IN THE BACK LAW'.

[flvegan]

3. St Petersburg, Florida hassled Food Not Bombs to no end.

Not surprising another shitwit Commission in Florida hampering helpful efforts.

[KingFlorez]

6. Yes, because the homeless need to be treated like stray dogs

"If you stop feeding them, maybe they'll go away or better yet just die."

The attitude toward the homeless is deplorable.

[Bluebear]

7. oooh read #4

Mindlock. And true.

[Enthusiast]

37. They should get a job!

Then they wouldn't be homeless.




















:sarcasm: :hide:

[jemelanson]

8. Translation: They are homeless because they are too

(fill in the blank) to get a job and provide their own housing and therefore we only encourage them to be homeless by feeding them. It is like we encourage women to have more babies when we have safety nets to provide for them. Women only have more babies so they can collect more food stamps and bigger welfare checks. This goes to the same mentality that was spouted by Ben Stein, that it is only the Republicans that have jobs and pay taxes. If you do not believe exactly as they believe and support the things that they support, then you are "others" and do not deserve protections provided by the constitustion that they have. like the sign in the national parks Do Not feed the Bears.

It is a way to discourage people from helping others. It is a way to control who can help those in need.

[bobbolink]

34. You got it exactly right! "No dogs or homeless people allowed".

Many years ago, there was a book called "Knots", about how We, The People are tied up any which way to keep us under control.

The "Knots" surrounding homeless people are tremendous, and some clever person could do some great writing about it!

Is that clever person you? :hi:

[rucky]

9. For shit sake, they're not zoo animals.

can't common sense cover anything?

don't answer that.

[hayu_lol]

10. So no one in Miami knows how to feed people?

Almost anything is healthier than food obtained by dumpster diving. Even college students have survived on that supply.

Probably take 6 months to train people properly to suit the city SOBs.

[muffin1]

12. But they ARE like animals.

Don't you remember the sage advice given to us by that asshat Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina? Give 'em food, and they'll breed!

:evilfrown:

[prolesunited]

47. Or give them food

and they'll stay

I just wish that all these people would be forced to spend a month in the shoes of the people they consistently legislate against.

[blueworld]

13. How much will they conveniently charge for the "lessons"? n/t

[woo me with science]

14. How can you prohibit one person from giving food to another person? nt

[salguine]

15. Now I want to go to Miami for the sole purpose of feeding homeless people on the street.

[zanana1]

17. I've been to Florida. Once. nt

[bobbolink]

36. THANK YOU!!!

:hug: :yourock:

I loves a subversive! :evilgrin:

[Jamastiene]

69. That would make a great organization.

If someone who knows how to set up a nonprofit organization, it would be a good organization to start. There are several places in the country with inhumane laws against homeless people. There is a need for an organization to fight that trend.

[cliffordu]

18. Jesus christ. They aren't Orcas.

[Incitatus]

19. "ensure the safety of the food the homeless do eat". ?

So eating out of trash cans and dumpsters would be better? Or do they want to put special locks on those so they won't even have that option?

[Bluebear]

30. Don't give them any ideas.

[Sheepshank]

28. Miami Considers Ban on Feeding the Homeless Without Proper Training

I think they are trying to teach the homeless to raise their pinkie fingers and sip the soup without making a slurping noise. Once they have that down, we can feed them.

[Pharlo]

35. Well, I would think that the same common sense

rules would apply to feeding the homeless as does to feeding your family. It sounds to me like this law needs an amendment to it stating that before you can feed your spouse, children, or other family and friends, you need to go through formal training. I mean, as it is now, just anybody in the city of Miami can just feed their family exposing them to unsafe foods and not cleaning up properly afterwards. I think that is a terrible oversight on the part of the city of Miami - showing more concern for the homeless in the city than for the families of tax paying citizens.

[bobbolink]

39. That would be so funny if it wasn't so damned true!

Thank you... that is a great perspective.

:applause:

[pipi_k]

49. That's exactly what I was thinking...

the "concern" over feeding homeless people "properly" is duly noted, but where the hell is the same "concern" over people feeding their own families?


And do McDonalds or Burger King workers have to go to Hamburger College before they can put bun to burger?

French Fry University for whipping those little strings of cooked tater out of the boiling oil and into the holding pen?

"Look Mom!!! I got a degree in cheese slices with a minor in pickles!"


Ooooh...some places are way too stupid to exist....

[Blue-Jay]

38. How much training do you need to give someone a sandwich?

[bobbolink]

40. Just enough to prevent the giving.

Not one jot more.

[Donnachaidh]

42. translation - communities getting creative in the way they surreptitiously chase away the homeless

let's make it more difficult to help the poor.

[bobbolink]

43. But, chase away where? Where are we to go?

Really, where do you all want us to go?

Off a cliff?

Out on an ice floe?

Where?

[Donnachaidh]

44. that never gets answered properly

Atlanta has written laws to get the homeless to move out of the area, because it embarrasses them in front of the tourists.

These communities are filled with shallow, self-involved yuppies and Gen Xers who don't give a shit for anyone other than themselves. Oh yeah, they do espouse some political views, but only the sort that makes them seem *cool* at cocktail parties. Otherwise it's back to the all important mantra of *ME ME - it's all about ME*.

Our country is screwed, with this sort of nonsense going on.

[bobbolink]

45. They NEED to be embarrassed! We ALL need to be embarrassed.

If Thom Hartmann and many others are correct, there is going to be a big crash, and many of you ill be joining me in the street.

Maybe then there will be some awareness, and then some ACTION.

[Donnachaidh]

50. I know hun! I'm with ya!

I watch with amazement as people just drive by the homeless that are literally showing up on EVERY intersection suitable for panhandling. I watch as these people act as if those HUMAN BEINGS don't exist.

And I'm appalled.

We've gotten so we give back to the foodbanks that helped us, and we're working towards getting some real donations of cash to the shelters. We were unemployed for over a year, and just now starting to see some daylight.

I'm embarrassed by my country.

[bobbolink]

53. I'm glad to hear you're doing better!

The shame is on the wrong foot, isn't it?!

The real answer, though, is HOUSING, not shelters. We must work for that. Just like the answer for hunger is Real Food, not some nutritionless simulation!

Be good to yourself! :hi:

[Iggo]

52. You're supposed to go "away", as far as I can tell.

Nice, huh.

[OhioChick]

46. "Proper Training???"

:eyes:

[Odin2005]

48. This is SOOO wrong! Anti-poor BS!

:grr:

[SallyMander]

51. a.k.a. "if you don't feed them maybe they'll go away"

Treating people like stray cats or something... both the sentiment of the proposal and the way the article is written make me want to :puke:

:(

[bobbolink]

54. "Dogs and Irish Not Welcome"

[Greyhound]

55. How can you stand to live in that cesspool of evil and prideful ignorance? n/t

[Bluebear]

58. New Hampshire?

[Greyhound]

61. D'oh! I thoguht this was another report from the "mad one".

typing too fast to read...:blush:

[Bluebear]

62. :)

[AngryOldDem]

56. I know this opinion means jack, but....

...you do have to have some kind of regulation and control about food preparation and distribution. Some kind of oversight is needed to make sure that 1) the food is fit to eat; and 2) it is prepared properly.

Cleanup is also an issue.

I can think of nothing worse than widespread food poisoning among the homeless population. Most hospitals do not provide adequate care to homeless people in the first place, and if a whole slew of them showed up at the ER with food-related illness, I can almost guarantee that no one will get the care they need.

I'm sure there are plenty of places that serve safely prepared food to those who need it. I don't see this as a jihad against the homeless -- rather, I see it as a way to protect them from well-meaning but clueless food preparers, or worse -- some sick bastards who might get off on seeing a bunch of people become ill. And believe me, there is a lot of animosity toward homeless people in some parts of this country. YMMV.

After having worked at a shelter for several years, having thrown out several well-meant food donations because of spoilage or near spoilage, as well as telling food prep volunteers that their food was not prepared correctly and therefore could not be served, I speak from some experience, for what it's worth.

[Bluebear]

59. 'I'm sure there are plenty of places that serve safely prepared food to those who need it.'

Are you sure?

[AngryOldDem]

66. Pretty certain.

Most cities to have places that offer meals to the needy. Churches, community organizations, action agencies, etc. I would guess that Miami is no different.

And, are **you** sure that the food that any Tom, Dick, or Harry serves to a vulnerable population is safe to consume? Like any hot dog vendor on the street who, I assume, needs some kind of food license to serve his stuff, I don't think it's asking much of groups that want to serve in this way to have the same kind of authorization.

[bobbolink]

60. You can't think of anything worse? Really?

How about mass starvation?

I know it is stooooppid of me to give a personal experience, because what I'm likely to get rather than compassion and concern is one more putdown, but here it is:

I went for THREE FUCKING DAYS without one bit of food to eat, and NOBODY gave a rip.

Try living with that.

Try absorbing emotionally just how it feels to know that people literally don't care if you starve, of if you freeze to death, or if you die of heat stroke.

Those of us who have experienced this have a whole different view of this nation, believe me.

[pipi_k]

70. Two issues...

if clueless but well-meaning people are going to give bad food to the homeless, then that means someone is thinking they're too stupid to even serve safe/palatable food to their own families. If that's the case, there should be hundreds, if not thousands, of food poisoning cases each month in Miami from clueless people unintentionally poisoning their families.

second...the people with bad intent...no amount of teaching is going to stop them from giving bad food to the homeless if that's what they're set on doing. That would take mental health counseling, not proper food handling techniques.


The disposal part...OK, I can see where that would be a problem. But wouldn't it be better for everyone to have lots of trash receptacles around the city? Maybe even give some of the homeless jobs maintaining them...

just a thought...

[tammywammy]

63. I don't think they should ban people from feeding without the training

Having training on safe food prep available and encouraged is a good thing, especially when they're feeding masses of people (homeless or not).

[Cleita]

65. So I guess fishing half eaten pizza out of a dumpster is better and

more sanitary and makes less trash?

[Canuckistanian]

67. Yes, it's MUCH safer letting them eat from dumpsters

Than to let any stranger feed them.

[Jamastiene]

68. Citizens should fight back by feeding the homeless anyhow.

Fuck their anti homeless people law. How can any decent human being look into the eyes of another human being who is hungry and still throw the food away? That's just sick.

[lib2DaBone]

73. This is Dog Whistle... listen..... you can hear...

Miami has a horrible problem with homeless. If you were homeless.. where would you want to spend the winter? On the streets of New York or in Miami?

I cant blame the homeless.. I would go to Miami.

However... people shitting and sleeping on the sidealks and under every bridge has a negative effect on tourism.

Also, remember that Jeb Bush and his Real Estate Empire cronies control most of the property downtown Miami.

Once again... the wealthy privledged bankers ask themselves how they can control the nasty middle class misfits who happen to exist in our society.