Just a few months ago some Eugene police officers dared to paint "no soliciting" and "no trespassing" signs on curbs there panhandlers stand with their accoutrements and waiting for people with money to freely part with their money. It probably doesn't happen in your city or town, but these scumbags are an eye-sore, leave trash lying around, defecate behind business or residences, are safety concerns for children and vehicles - not to mention the loss of business if you happen to have a store where these lazy people hang out. Want to let your children play in the park? Are you sure there are none of these scumbags laying in the bush watching your child go by? Or hanging out in the public restroom? Mind you I'm NOT talking about the productive that have fallen on hard times that are trying to get back on their feet - just the non-productive by choice.
Accoutrements = the touching signs: "I'm a Vet", "Trying to get leave town", "God Bless", "Starving Family", etc.; the props: a dog, a female, a baby stroller, a crutch laying nearby, etc. Many seem to have money for cigarettes and the ones around here appear to be able-body. There are many unskilled labor jobs around here, but they rather not have to work. You'll find them at the library sometimes too - bathing in the public restrooms and sometimes sleeping off in the corner while children are trying to enjoy and make use of this taxpayer funded facility.
For the most part courts have ruled that panhandling is an expression of free speech and can not be prohibited. Our wise judicial system watching out for the good people? - unreal. Some states have rid themselves in more creative ways like anti-loitering laws. I haven't seen it done yet but since the purpose of these scum-heads is to get money then they should be treated as a business and be made to have a business license like all other businesses are required to.
The safety and security and concerns of those that are productive in the community needs to be the priority in society, not catering to these "helpless" (NOT) low-lifes. Those police officers, like Randy Ellis, are community hero's as far as I'm concerned - they are watching out for the good people and the community! Now, if you think all sorts of liberties should be given to these lazy scums then please be the first to open your home for them to live - use your facilities, use everything they can get their hands on - then please post here how your goodwill was received.
9 comments:
Nice bait and switch.
It is really difficult to not dismiss this entry outright as a waste of bandwidth. Not only do you make unreasonable sweeping generalizations, and exaggerate denegrating stereotypes, but you do so with a clear tone of hostility.
Try as I might to find something redeeming in this, it looks as if you are taking the opportunity presented by the police-graffiti issue to raise false dichotomies and fabricated charges. How about talking about the issue you referenced in the title, the merits/faults in EPD's current position?
Congratulations. You are hereby qualified to serve in the Oregon legislature.
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"Have you seen the funniest joke books the world has ever known?"
Oh - if I ran for office there would surely be sweeping changes, you can count on that. My priorities are the good people - those that work and make the effort. Those that feel hungry while prisoners are well fed. Those that work hard yet find their tax moneys funding pizza cutters costing $1,500 each at some public schools. Yeah - I'd be a representative of the good people. I'd even have the door removed from my office - I don't believe public officials should have closed-door private sessions on their own.
Soooooo - what was your question? How many of these scumbags have you taken in to your home/apartment? If the answer is 0 then please don't ask the taxpayers to invite them into their city if you're not willing to provide the same level at the personal level!
(Why do I even bother responding to anonymous posters? - Silly me.)
Oh LOL and you just LOL at MOI for taking a risky stance in SO. Cal!!! In my obviously NOT so humble opinion, religious organizations should be picking up slack here. Unfortunately, and I will get some slack probably for saying this too, but a great deal of the homeless I have worked with have choices and options to NOT be on the street and CHOOSE to not take them...
Real life example. When we moved (U-Haul) from California to Eugene, OR. we had tons of my technical books that I had in large plasic boxes. These had handles yet were very heavy - maybe 60 pounds - and to lift them would mean having those handles dig into your fingers. It was ok packing - the lifting time was short. I had planned to find some local to help move stuff out of the truck - too much for us to do alone in a day. Found a place in town where you could hire a laborer for an hour, a day - whatever. They gave me a quote for 4 hours - about $60. - cheap, since they take their cut out of that as well.
So within an hour this guy shows up. Found out during that four hours his life story - just full of wrong decisions on his part, including some jail time. However, this guy by himself not only helped with the major items but carried every one of those heavy boxes upstairs to my (big) office - about 35-40 boxes - never complained. He could have decided to just hang on some local corner but he decided to make some better decisions for his life. When he gave me the invoice from the business ($60) I gave him my check I had already made out. Then, I handed him $60 cash. It confused him. I commended him for his steadfast effort (he worked damn hard) and his willingness to keep trying in his life. He thanked me and almost cried. He left and I knew I had one of the good people helping me.
I applaud your opinion. The term is "flagging" regarding making aliving by signs. There is quite an underground of such individuals who claim they can make more flagging then working a job. They don't hit Nebraska until the weather warms up and then they find the "Bible Belt" full of patsies for their trade.
I took this picture last year in Eugene, Oregon. I've never seen so many people begging for money on the streets - getting used to it now. But don't approve.
Last week I spotted a homeless guy sitting on a trash can with his sad sign - 3 blocks down the road a guy dressed up in a gorilla outfit in front of a coffee place - waving at drivers. Not to fun of a job, but he did it instead of sitting and begging for hand-outs.
"Those that work hard yet find their tax moneys funding pizza cutters costing $1,500 each at some public schools."
Cite your source. Or did you just make that up?
"Soooooo - what was your question?"
I showed up from ORblogs. On that site, your blog is listed under these keywords: "brain, thinking, non-confrontational, advice, reason, reasoning, thought, consider, options." I was curious.
My question was, "where's the beef?" You contributed absolutely nothing of value to either the EPD's actions or panhandling in general. I see no evidence of thought, reason, or consideration. You present no options or advice. I would even suggest that the hostility of your post challenges "non-confrontational" as well.
"How many of these scumbags have you taken in to your home/apartment?"
Non-sequiter. I sense a pattern.
FWIW, I encourage you. Please do run for office. Let's see what you can do besides kvetch.
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"Have you seen..."
In many places, panhandling is a better "job" then a "real" job and there are people who take full advantage of it. I've seen it firsthand, and talked with some of the people who make $100 a day panhandling. Key West, for one. I'm not exactly sure how I feel about it. My SO was put off one day upon trying to help out a man who appeared homeless... She tried giving him some food, and was yelled at for not giving money instead.
http://vandora.blogs.com
Thanks to the response from all on this topic. Some are able to grasp the reasoning why these people should be banned from our communities, others just can't figure it out. As far as the pizza reference, it was heard on the local radio from Lars Larson (http://www.larslarson.com). He had already done the research and it was true. The school system that purchased them tried to justify them in a written statement, so I doubt if the story was fabricated.
Again, I support the local police for their action in trying to keep these slimballs from doing what they do. Unfortunately, they have looming over their heads possible graffiti charges - hope that isn't the case.
"Value"? Value is a relative term. My postings are of value to me and apparently to others, but some will find no value in them. Perhaps they will find their manifestation of "value" by purchasing a certain scumbag worthless fathead's DVD of FAHRENHEIT 9/11 so they can watch it over, and over, and over, and over. Yes, we all have our perception of what we deem to be of "value" don't we.
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