Measure criminalizes the act of being homeless

What next...

The Denver City Council approved a homeless-camping ban Monday night in the face of an angry crowd that taped dollar bills to their mouths, chanted "shame" after the 9-4 vote and staged a sit-in outside the chambers.

Mayor Michael Hancock is expected to sign the bill into law today.

The ordinance, which forbids unauthorized camping on public and private property in Denver, will go into effect May 30, giving police time to learn the procedures on how to deal with homeless people caught illegally sleeping outside.

Advocates for the homeless have fought against the measure, saying it effectively criminalizes the act of being homeless. The four council members who voted against the bill — Paul Lopez, Susan Shepherd, Kniech and Debbie Ortega — didn't want it to be approved without proper services and shelter space available.

"It's been really frustrating for this to turn into class war and a fight when we should be coming together," he said to the jeers of the crowd.

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_20624 ... amping-ban

So... where are they going to sleep? Feeding them will be harder since they will be scattered to various less-evident hideouts around the city proper. How will they get to their jobs... standing on street corners, wiping down windshields, picking up discarded trash full of half eaten food? And what "class" are homeless?

Hancock is a Democrat and he's going to sign this bill today... what gives?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7YFKm9g ... playnext=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdoP66bvMGs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yn8CE5ISUSw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOucksGS10o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JmOmkeizII
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6yaeD-E_MY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTBlTe73 ... 4924026866

Yes, Mr. Thomas stands out.

Ummm, this is not the first step, we are well into the WAR ON THE HOMELESS. We are too busy figuring out how to extend unemployment for the computer programmer that bought more stuff than he could support or to give the TSA more power.

So, should we organize a 285bound van and get down there and do some yelling? or some feeding? Could we on 285bound collect enough money (remember some of us can buy and sell others 50x over, if I remember correctly) to perhaps rent a house or houses and open them to the homeless....what can we do given our govt has failed in this case? Are the people of Denver just going to stand for this?

We will see and ignore most of what happens to the homeless....why because we are getting 4gLITE and we are busy earning money to pay our taxes so that the cops above can get their pensions.

So... where are they going to sleep?

They can sleep in jail.

The weather is getting nice, they could always move up to the mountains and camp there legally in the national forest.

Or build Obamavilles.

I am sure there is plenty of room in the Capitol building for a bunch of large rabbit cages.

I say do nothing. Providing homes, houses, etc. isn't what many want. Ask them. That is why they live on the streets. They will do what they want. Some will probably hop trains to Arizona or other friendlier area. If they wanted your handouts they would have taken them a long time ago as they know they are available.

The "homeless" - that's PC term- what we are really talking bout here- is Bums. Bums usually have an addiction- like booze or drugs.

I worked downtown for 13 years- the bums were discusting. I hear it's gotten worse in the last 5 years.

There are no liquor stores or drug dealers in the woods- so bums usually hang pretty close to the center of big cities. It's easier to support the habit this way- they can spare change just a few blocks from the next bottle of ripple.

Actually I am shocked that Denver didn't already have a law like this on the books- Cities like Denver usually already have a law for just about everything, I like to say that you can't even scratch your butt in Denver without breaking a law.

Now they have a law against camping- sure they can go after the bums and OWS protestors- but as I see it- they can also go after parents who let their kid camp out in the back yard. Remember when we were small kids and mom let us camp out in the back yard? - Not any more without breaking this law in Denver!

The law makes it illegal to camp anywhere on public or private property. Just one more small liberty legislated away by the doo-gooder city government.

And before you go blaming conservatives for this- remember- the Denver city government is chaulked full of lefties!

akilina wrote: I say do nothing. Providing homes, houses, etc. isn't what many want. Ask them. That is why they live on the streets. They will do what they want. Some will probably hop trains to Arizona or other friendlier area. If they wanted your handouts they would have taken them a long time ago as they know they are available.

Please tell us about your experiences being homeless on the streets of Denver. How else would you know so definitely what they want?

Thanks for asking Archer. I volunteer in a 3rd world country with conditions harder than many of the homeless here in the USA. But some of my time has been volunteering with the homeless in Denver and elsewhere. The best way I have found with the homeless is to let them know you accept the way they choose to live, when you cross that hurdle with them, they might listen to what is available to them if they so choose. Many are well aware of the benefits and chose otherwise. Those who want to go to jail, hospital, mission, etc. and have a warm bed and free meals will do so. Most will tell you though they will do want they want and to stick it up your a$$.

My old boss loved the booze but had been sober for years, but he admitted being constantly tempted to chuck his home and career and go back to living on the streets.