tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post1398013121244387864..comments2024-03-28T15:01:21.285-04:00Comments on SleuthSayers: The Surplus PopulationLeigh Lundinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07921276795499571578noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-58210966218298943302014-12-14T00:41:11.790-05:002014-12-14T00:41:11.790-05:00Dallas settles with charities they tried to shut d...Dallas settles with charities they tried to shut down: http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2014/12/11/3602218/dallas-homeless-feeding-resolution/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-31657095662738935282014-12-05T10:39:49.788-05:002014-12-05T10:39:49.788-05:00What a tragically apropos quote from Anatole Franc...What a tragically apropos quote from Anatole France!Eve Fisherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03015761600962360110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-58217398934891743212014-12-04T22:52:18.394-05:002014-12-04T22:52:18.394-05:00G.M. Ford wrote a series of novels about Seattle P...G.M. Ford wrote a series of novels about Seattle PI Leo Waterman whose "staff" was homeless people. He realized that they were the perfect observers because NO ONE EVER NOTICED THEM. <br /><br />And...<br /><br />"In its majestic equality, the law forbids rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges, beg in the streets, and steal loaves of bread." - Anatole FranceRobert Loprestihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08844889305615182897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-89077812729680751992014-12-04T18:21:16.284-05:002014-12-04T18:21:16.284-05:00That's a true story, Herschel. Thanks for pos...That's a true story, Herschel. Thanks for posting it. Eve Fisherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03015761600962360110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-79086078776627468262014-12-04T17:02:21.690-05:002014-12-04T17:02:21.690-05:00You said what needed to be said and I'm glad y...You said what needed to be said and I'm glad you and your colleagues have the fortitude to speak up. Thank you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-478661339433260452014-12-04T14:42:27.334-05:002014-12-04T14:42:27.334-05:00Herschel, that is one touching story.Herschel, that is one touching story.Leigh Lundinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07921276795499571578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-50313689684651103772014-12-04T13:31:36.350-05:002014-12-04T13:31:36.350-05:00Here in Knoxville, the politicians are trying to f...Here in Knoxville, the politicians are trying to figure out what to do with the homeless. Mainly, they talk about where to build more and safer shelters. No one has yet mentioned the bad solutions you describe in your post. I don’t know if the pols are more enlightened or if it is the influence of the pastors of several churches, but homelessness hasn’t been outlawed in the city or county yet.Louis A. Willishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16563842429688123421noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-86838014071301241892014-12-04T12:38:39.903-05:002014-12-04T12:38:39.903-05:00I wrote a story on this subject which may be of in...I wrote a story on this subject which may be of interest. <br /><br />http://www.overmydeadbody.com/cozine5.htmHerschel Cozinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06097703750150309319noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-12612405979065506392014-12-04T12:33:23.299-05:002014-12-04T12:33:23.299-05:00As this top-heavy economy sucks the life out of th...As this top-heavy economy sucks the life out of the indigent classes, where else can they go when kicking them to the curb isn't enough?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-75415102956680021352014-12-04T11:57:43.087-05:002014-12-04T11:57:43.087-05:00Look, let's be honest: homeless people are a p...Look, let's be honest: homeless people are a pain in the ass. They're often dirty, smelly, crusty around the edges. They're generally not pretty. They're often mentally ill. They mutter and they wander and they stare and sometimes they beg. But above all, they're inconvenient. And they're there. Right in your face. But let's face facts: the real reason that all these laws are passed isn't because people don't want to enable them, it's because people - especially businesses - want them out of sight. And they come up with all sorts of reasons why we need to move the homeless along, away, out of town. And they always have. <br /><br />Eve, you nailed it in this paragraph. Great post.Herschel Cozinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06097703750150309319noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-73704252986028206882014-12-04T11:54:47.497-05:002014-12-04T11:54:47.497-05:00Eve, here in the Springs, the city outlawed homele...Eve, here in the Springs, the city outlawed homeless camps and cleaned out the piles of trash and garbage left on the ground. As a possible solution to the homeless problem, they then made arrangements with several low end motels to put up the homeless on special grant funds. At least the city council is trying to find a balance. Naturally, the highly independent and/or the mentally challenged merely moved further back into the tree line and mostly out of sight. Some you can help, others don't want help.<br />The Springs also has programs to set up homeless families and single persons in private living conditions with a job to get them going until they can support themselves, but I don't know how many people can take advantage of this program at a time.<br />Panhandling is against the law in the downtown area, but not in the rest of the city. Unfortunately, a few well-off beggars have been followed back to their Mercedes or upscale houses after their panhandling or else they were cocky enough to brag to news reporters about making $50,00 or more a year from begging on mall corners and/or highway ramps. The resulting publicity then causes all beggars to fall under suspicion.<br />Like you, I've seen the curb-sitters drinking out of paper sack covered bottles in Sioux Falls and Rapid City. They are their own worst image in the public's perception of the homeless.<br />Hopefully, some one will be able to find a workable solution to our nation's homeless problems.R.T. Lawtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15523486296396710227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-84696959084511070302014-12-04T10:27:25.179-05:002014-12-04T10:27:25.179-05:00That is good news, Leigh!
Thank you for all your...That is good news, Leigh! <br />Thank you for all your comments: Fran, thank you for doing what you did, and I will check out "W is for Wasted". Amen, Melodie. <br />Dixon, that story is exactly the type of thing that ticks me off to no end. I remember Sam Levinson, the comedian, who once said that he was raised as one of the "privileged poor" - he had family and honor, and the fact that they lived in a 5th floor cold water flat was irrelevant. Not any more. <br /><br />Eve Fisherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03015761600962360110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-77074933501872143252014-12-04T10:16:36.708-05:002014-12-04T10:16:36.708-05:00Good news!A judge has temporarily suspended Fort L...<a href="http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/fort-lauderdale/fl-homelees-feeding-ruling-20141202-story.html" rel="nofollow">Good news!</a><br><br>A judge has temporarily <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/florida-judge-suspends-city-homeless-feeding-ban-article-1.2030864" rel="nofollow">suspended Fort Lauderdale's ban on feeding the homeless</a>.<br><br>Although 90yo Arnold Abbott was booked and fingerprinted, local radio reports FtL's mayor Fat Jack Seiler claims Abbott wasn't truly 'arrested' because he didn't actually spend a night in jail. Yet.<br>Leigh Lundinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07921276795499571578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-87040254342069872642014-12-04T10:16:00.400-05:002014-12-04T10:16:00.400-05:00Good points, Dixon and Melodie, and bless you, Fra...Good points, Dixon and Melodie, and bless you, Fran.Leigh Lundinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07921276795499571578noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-75125041618875836092014-12-04T09:08:20.554-05:002014-12-04T09:08:20.554-05:00They say a civilization will be judged by how they...They say a civilization will be judged by how they treated their most vulnerable.<br />We must - everywhere - strive to do better.Melodie Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07870938103759179132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-7111429540421179312014-12-04T08:18:57.014-05:002014-12-04T08:18:57.014-05:00I'd afraid that selfishness, like the poor, wi...I'd afraid that selfishness, like the poor, will be with us always.janice Lawnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-77792813890424146862014-12-04T07:44:58.160-05:002014-12-04T07:44:58.160-05:00Eve, local government here fights all the time abo...Eve, local government here fights all the time about homeless shelters--when and where to put them, but they do acknowledge that the homeless need help.<br />When my grandson was pre-school age, I was "Grandmama Daycare," and he stayed with me while his dad worked. As part of a community project, every Wednesday, he and I made a hundred sandwiches that were picked up by the coordinator of "Feed the Homeless." The idea was that if many different people provided food one day a week, the program could give out food every day. The sandwiches I made were on wheat bread with mayo, cheese, bologna, and mustard. '<br />One day I took him shopping with me and then to lunch. When the server came for our order, my grandson asked for "a homeless sandwich." He still likes bologna and cheese on wheat, and he still works with charities.<br />I realize that your column is very serious, but to read a good mystery with several homeless protagonists, read Sue Grafton's W IS FOR WASTED. Fran Rizerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08655783035179620991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-76141675904836530542014-12-04T03:01:00.277-05:002014-12-04T03:01:00.277-05:00Who knew that homeless people choose the lifestyle...<i>Who knew that homeless people choose the lifestyle for the food?</i><br /><br />A brilliant question, Eve. And a great post. <br /><br />Of a similar nature: I was pretty bent when -- a few years ago -- a family discovered to have been living in a storage room at some low-cost U-store-it type place in The Valley, was not only evicted, and the parents jailed for violating zoning laws (the U-store place being zoned commercially, and not for residential use), the kids were taken by the state and the parents also charged with neglect or abuse because they'd been found "living in unsuitable housing" (or similar wording). This last part was dependent on the idea that there was no running water or electricity in the store room. <br /><br />The thought that came to me was: "So, Abe Lincoln, raised without running water in that log cabin of his childhood, I suppose -- he was a victim of neglect and abuse by his parents. Right? Because they couldn't find a better place to live?"Dixon Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11220791609338404147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-34637690289859647092014-12-04T00:59:43.774-05:002014-12-04T00:59:43.774-05:00Eve, I'd just read about Manteca. And about se...Eve, I'd just read about Manteca. And about seizures of shopping carts.<br>And about a West Virginia officer who threw a homeless man's backpack<br>into the river. And about the severe beatings and shootings of the<br>homeless. And about the arrest of a homeless man in south Florida for<br>charging his cell phone in a public park.<br><br>So much comes back to Florida. Orlando was one of the early adapters of<br>criminalizing homelessness and feeding the homeless. You mentioned Ft.<br>Lauderdale banning feeding. As a meeting to 'honor the homeless', their fat-ass <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2014/11/21/3595255/ft-lauderdale-homeless-arrest/" rel="nofollow">mayor ordered the arrest of a homeless man</a> who asked to speak.<br><br>I didn't think it was possible to be further outraged or disgusted by<br> elected officials, but they keep finding new lows exercising their 'Christian' duties.<br><br>Our long-time readers know our mandate is to write about crime, and Eve's done exactly that.Leigh Lundinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07921276795499571578noreply@blogger.com