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Feiticeira
Joined: 09 Jul 2006
Posts: 1739
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 Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2006 5:30 pm Post subject: Las Vegas illegalises feeding the homeless |
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http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0607250150jul25,1,1326773.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed
| Quote: | By Francisca Ortega
Associated Press
Published July 25, 2006
LAS VEGAS -- In an effort to curb charity that is having unintended consequences, the City Council has made it illegal to give food to homeless people in city parks.
Residents complained that the large numbers of homeless gathering in Las Vegas' parks make it impossible for others to use them, said city spokesman David Riggleman.
"We're trying to empathize with both camps," he said. "We're hoping we can improve their lives and improve the lives of people living around the park, some of whom have people urinating and defecating in front of their door."
The law targets "mobile soup kitchens" and carries a possible $1,000 fine and six months in jail. Riggleman said that by shutting down such soup kitchens, homeless people will be encouraged to go to a center or charity that offer services such as mental health evaluations or job placement.
Gail Sacco, who operates a mobile soup kitchen seven days a week, said the city lacks adequate homeless services.
"There's no way for people to get out to those services in triple-digit weather," she said. "My plan is to do anything I feel is needed to keep these people alive."
The law went into effect last week. It defines a homeless person as an indigent "whom a reasonable ordinary person would believe to be entitled to apply for or receive assistance."
American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada lawyer Allen Lichtenstein said the language makes the law unenforceable.
"The ordinance is clearly unconstitutional and nonsensical," he said. "It means they can discriminate based on the way people look." |
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Feiticeira
Joined: 09 Jul 2006
Posts: 1739
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| Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2006 5:41 pm Post subject: |
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| Why do you do this, America? Why? |
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maniac_wolfman
Joined: 10 Jul 2006
Posts: 628
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| Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2006 5:44 pm Post subject: |
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| I find it interesting the city is taking the same opinion on feeding the homeless as many people do to feeding seagulls. |
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WheelsOfConfusion
Joined: 09 Jul 2006
Posts: 11132
Location: Unknown Kaddath
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| Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2006 7:17 pm Post subject: |
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| Feiticeira wrote: | | Why do you do this, America? Why? |
What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.
The mob don't take kindly to vagrants and hobos shitting in front of patrons' apartments. |
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Amilam
Joined: 09 Jul 2006
Posts: 921
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| Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2006 8:15 pm Post subject: |
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It's like Hunter Thompson said, Las Vegas is the most absolutely cruel and predatory place on earth if you don't have enough money for the slot machine.
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"And then the sea was closed again, above us." |
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Marik
Joined: 10 Jul 2006
Posts: 1233
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| Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2006 8:19 pm Post subject: I can give them liquor though, right? |
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| Quote: | | The law went into effect last week. It defines a homeless person as an indigent "whom a reasonable ordinary person would believe to be entitled to apply for or receive assistance." |
Oh my fucking god.
The people who wrote this bill obviously need help; am I not allowed to feed them in city parks either? |
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Teh Digital Dragon
Joined: 09 Jul 2006
Posts: 1888
Location: THE WORLD OF LARNING.
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| Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 12:25 am Post subject: |
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Christ on a unicycle.
Kicks in the balls all round for the people behind this law.
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"You cannot run away from a weakness; you must sometimes fight it out or perish. And if that be so, why not now, and where you stand?" |
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MsFrisby
Joined: 09 Jul 2006
Posts: 3966
Location: a quiet little corner of crazy
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| Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 12:26 am Post subject: |
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Okay.. so.. it sucks to walk out of your house in the morning and step in a pile of human shit. But good goddamn people!! Arresting someone for giving a homeless guy a sandwich? COLD.
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A person's character is their destiny. |
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Uncle Benny
Joined: 09 Jul 2006
Posts: 8124
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| Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 12:44 am Post subject: |
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I just find it rather inappropriate to be saying "feeding the homeless at the park", like they are a flock of pigeons or something.
homeless are people, damn it, they are people! |
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Jinx
Joined: 09 Jul 2006
Posts: 3522
Location: America, fuck yeah!
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| Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 8:37 am Post subject: |
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Going after the symptom rather than the cause . . .
I can understand why a municipality would want to alleviate a situation in which its citizens didn't feel safe/comfortable using the public parks. I can only guess that the situation must have gotten pretty bad for them to take this action. It would have been better for them to find a way to address the problem of the homeless in general.
Does anyone know, is this a ban providing food to homeless persons anywhere in Las Vegas, or just in the parks? While still a bit harsh, I would more readily accept a restriction on the activity in the parks as opposed to a city-wide ban.
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The universe we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is, at bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil, no good, nothing but blind, pitiless indifference.
- Charles Darwin |
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Natashabi
Joined: 09 Jul 2006
Posts: 390
Location: Tejas
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| Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 8:49 am Post subject: |
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Sounds like it's just in parks.
Here is a longer version of the same article, from the Las Vegas Sun.
Here is an interesting blog about it.
Edit:
Found this too:
| Quote: | | The City Council voted to prohibit serving meals to groups of 25 or more people in parks and other public property within two miles of City Hall without a special permit. |
Oh and I <3 this:
| Quote: | | I guess Vegas needs parks clear of the homeless so the suburban men can have a clean and safe place to take the prostitutes from the strip. |
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Xavyor
Joined: 22 Jul 2006
Posts: 202
Location: UK
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| Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 11:12 am Post subject: |
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So, if the quotes from the parent are accurate, you can still give change or food to the homeless wherever you want...you just can't set up mobile restaurants in those locations. If you want to organize your efforts to serve more than 24 people, you need to find private property or try to get a permit. IMO, this isn't too unreasonable if this is the case.
edited to fix typo
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Morality: That instinctive sense of right and wrong that tells some people how everyone else should live their lives. |
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Sam
Joined: 09 Jul 2006
Posts: 8832
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| Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 1:48 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | IMO, this isn't too unreasonable if this is the case. |
Oh, it's very unreasonable. It's attempting to legally discriminate against the underclass, by curtailing freedoms based on outward appearance, and it creates a different rights environment based on 'looking needy.' If I'm walking around in a suit and tie, you can feed me anything I want. But if I look "assistance-worthy," -- e.g., one of them po' folk -- then it's against the law.
Remember when Ags would talk about 'class warfare?'
In a refreshing twist, here we have an example of what that's really like. |
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Major Tom
Joined: 09 Jul 2006
Posts: 7562
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| Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 2:03 pm Post subject: |
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a randomly related thought...
if they decide it is also illegal, based on this ordinance, to give an indigent a cigarette, i'd like to see some lawyers use that as a common-law push for FDA oversight of tobacco |
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braindrain
Joined: 12 Jul 2006
Posts: 11
Location: on the run...
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| Posted: Sun Jul 30, 2006 2:20 pm Post subject: |
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I have to agree with Sam...
Though it might at the first glance sound okay ( yes I hear with my eyes because I am near-sighted  ) that you must not feed *needy people* in public places if there are more than 25 ... , the moment of paradox is exactly when I may feed 25 CEOs or lawyers, students or whatever... people are people ... so this stinks a little bit imnsho...
P.S.: Personally I am more annoyed by a bunch of lawyers, regardless of whether they are eating, drinking or suffocating, than by a bunch of homeless... needy... whatever you want to call them -to me they are simply people I do not even have a word for *them*-, *because* most homeless have manners lawyers don't ... 
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