Don't Feed the Homeless
I did not blog about this yesterday because like an ostrich I wanted to bury my head in Nevada's ample desert sands and see if this went away. It did not. Here is the Review-Journal's succinct summary:
"If someone looks like he could use a meal, be warned: Giving him a sandwich in a Las Vegas park could land you in jail."
The inspiration behind this new law is that some feel parks are being ruined by the presence of homeless people who come to get free food from the sympathetic. Of course, there is a chicken and egg deal here. Is free food bringing homeless people to the park or do people give food there because that is where the homeless already are?
If you are reading this, you probably have a home. But imagine you don't have a home and the temperature is more than 100 degrees; day after day. Where might you go? Anyway, I try to stay clear of politics and don't have a solution to the problem of homelessness in Las Vegas, but this new law seems so mean, pointless and unenforceable. Shame on us. People in a park should never be treated like animals in a zoo.
I hear you. The same thing happened here in Austin, Tx. There is a new law that makes it illegal for anyone to lay down anywhere downtown. So where else will they lay? somewhere farther away from whatever system they may have that has kept them alive thus far and into other neighborhoods? Just moving these people around will solve nothing.
Posted by: J. Forest | July 21, 2006 at 10:12 PM
What many people do not realize is that the mayor of Las Vegas represents fewer than one-third of the residents of the Las Vegas Valley.
Clark County – which is the jurisdiction holding sway over much of the area, including all of the Las Vegas Strip, the airport, the convention center, the university (those areas where the vast majority of tourists frequent) – has no intention of entertaining similar proposals banning the feeding of the homeless.
For those of you who take exception to the mayor’s new law, please understand that many of us in the Las Vegas Valley also disagree with the mayor’s position.
Addressing homelessness in a meaningful way requires a multifaceted and sustained approach since the needs of homeless individuals are varied. The mayor’s anti-feeding ordinance is not part of Clark County’s or the region’s approach to this complex challenge.
Posted by: Erik Pappa | July 24, 2006 at 10:33 AM
"some feel parks are being ruined by the presence of homeless people." RUINED by the presence of people? Graffiti, yes, but PEOPLE?!? C'mon Las Vegas, have a heart.
Posted by: The Sarcasticynic | July 24, 2006 at 05:04 PM
I think the Mayor's logic is something like this: if you don't feed them, they will die and be gone.
Posted by: Gump | July 26, 2006 at 10:33 AM
As a person who spent almost her entire childhood homeless I will tell you exactly why homeless people go to parks: THERE FREE!!! Most shelters kick you out during the day because your supposed to be looking for a job or going to school (the biggest problem with that is that they don't give you any bus tickets to go to school/work or a phone number so potential employers can call you, or job clothes) and if you don't have a job or school to go to you end up not having anywhere to go as you can't afford anything, and plus most places (malls, public liabaries, cafe's, etc) will kick you out. Besides the few drop ins the park is one of the only places a homeless person can go without getting harrassed.
I hope that answered your question.
Posted by: Wendy | August 21, 2006 at 04:03 PM