The New Crime of Eating While Homeless (Hard Times, USA)

[xchrom]

http://www.alternet.org/food/new-crime-eating-while-homeless-hard-times-usa



Whenever one of our cities gets a star turn as host of some super-sparkly event, such as a national political gathering or the Super Bowl, its first move is to tidy up — by having the police sweep homeless people into jail, out of town, or under some rug.

But Houston’s tidy-uppers aren’t waiting for a world-class event to rationalize going after homeless down-and-outers. They’ve preemptively outlawed the “crime” of dumpster diving in the Texan city.

“I was just basically looking for something to eat,” he told the Houston Chronicle. But, unbeknownst to both this indigent tourist and the great majority of Houston’s generally generous citizens, an ordinance dating way back to 1942 says that “molesting garbage containers” is illegal. In March, James Kelly, a 44-year-old Navy veteran, was passing through Houston on his way to connect with family in California. Homeless, destitute, and hungry, he chose to check out the dining delicacies in a trash bin near City Hall. Spotted by police, Kelly was promptly charged with “disturbing the contents of a garbage can in the [central] business district.” Seriously.

Also, in 2012, city officials made it a crime for any group to hand out food to the needy in the downtown area without first getting a permit. It’s a cold use of legal authority to chase the homeless away to…well, anywhere else.

[liberal N proud]

1. Meanwhile, oil companies continue to rip of those who still have a little money

Once they have it all, we will be arrested for dumpster diving as well.


There are some fine offerings in dumpsters.

[Laelth]

2. k&r for exposure. How heartless can we get? n/t

-Laelth

[avebury]

3. K&R nt

[East Coast Pirate]

4. Why should people with money have homeless people spoil their good mood?

Bums are icky.

[MNBrewer]

5. Food and shelter are a privilege in this country

and are not seen as the rights they should be viewed as.

[unhappycamper]

6. Yes, but we need to pay for our new $40 billion dollar Ford-class aircraft carrier.

And our $7 billion dollar Virginia-class submarines, $5 billion dollar Zumwalt-class destroyers, $243 million dollar F-35s, $250 grand Hummer replacements, $160 grand Hellfire missiles, $100+ million dollar Ospreys, $1.8 billion dollars Aegis destroyers.........

What I'm seeing from the DoD/MIC is: Let them eat cake.

[xchrom]

8. +1

[kmlisle]

7. Our town tried to outlaw giving out food and local ministers started publicly handing out pie

They backed off but we still have restrictive ordinances about feeding the homeless.

[Newest Reality]

9. Even garbage has

value in this culture and it can be argued that much of the culture is garbage.

Of what value is a homeless person today? The sinners of capitalism are those who can't produce or work for the benefit of those who are wealthy.

As far as abject poverty goes, being homeless can be the ultimate form of it.

Oh, the homeless do have a value as an incentive to do whatever you are told to do at work and avoid complaining or standing-up against abuse and injustice, lest you end-up on the streets where the Affluent Inquisition has its modern tribunals.

[bunnies]

10. "New" crime?

I spent 6 months in a NC jail for this 20 years ago when I was living on the street. Nothing new about it, sadly.

[geomon666]

11. Damn

6 months for trying survive. I'm sorry.

[bunnies]

12. Thanks.

Yeah. The 6 months was how long I had to until for my court date. They wouldnt let me out of jail because I was homeless & they worried I would flee. Seriously. Even more messed up was the fact that the restaurant manager (the dumpster belonged to a restaurant) actually showed up at my court date and tried to get the judge to make me pay him for "a meal". I shit you not. The judge figured that 6 months in jail was punishment enough. Ya think?

[Dragonfli]

14. I have been in that position, but never arrested for it, few understand

how much it sucks just to be cold, hungry and having to survive on refuse, perhaps if they understood they wouldn't also wish to punish us for daring to "steal" their "dumpster property".

Such folks should be required to eat for a week from refuse before legislating it a crime, doubt many could even keep it down.

[Canuckistanian]

13. Welcome to the new reality for so many

http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nbcnews.com/24882115#24882115