Edited: August 18, 2006
Another law HAS been passed. And another law was passed "by mistake."
According to the today's Las Vegas Review Journal: Asked about the sleeping-near-feces provision on Thursday, Las Vegas City Attorney Brad Jerbic said it got into the ordinance by mistake and will not be enforced.
"We were reviewing all park rules, including sleeping, camping and a number of other things people associate with parks," he said. "The decision, by me, was to take this (provision) out of the defecation/urination bill and look at it with respect to park rules in general. It was my mistake that it didn't come out."
The law has already been signed by Mayor Oscar Goodman. But Jerbic said city officials will contact law enforcement personnel and tell them not to enforce it.
"They don't enforce it until we train them to, anyway," Jerbic said.
The ordinance will be revised to eliminate that provision and appear on the Sept. 6 council agenda, he said.
Jerbic said that provision probably will reappear later, however, as part of new park-related ordinances governing where it is appropriate to sleep or camp.
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Aug-18-Fri-2006/news/9130007.html
Mom's Comment: The following article was printed in today's (August 17, 2006) Las Vegas Review Journal. However, if you go to the City of Las Vegas Official Website, you will notice that there is also ANOTHER law.
For purposes of this section:
(1) "Appropriate sanitary facility" means a urinal, toilet, commode or other facility that accomodates or is designed for the sanitary disposal of human bodily fluids or waste and that is enclosed from public view.
(2) "Public place" means any walkway, street, highway, sidewalk, bridge, overpass, alley or alleyway, plaza, park, driveway, transportation facility, park, recreational area, parking lot, vacant or underdeveloped lot or the stairwells, alcoves, doorways and entrance ways to such places.
Bill No. 2006-40 also states: It is unlawful for any person to knowingly establish, maintain or fail to relocate a temporary, portable or open sleeping quarters within five hundred feet of any deposit of vomit, urine or feces, other than a deposit in an appropriate sanitary facility, in any of the following places: (1) Any public place; or (2) Any private property into or upon which the public is admitted by easement or license.
...misdemeanor...punished by a fine of not more than $1000.000 or by imprisonment for a term of not more than six months, or by any combination of such fine and imprisonment.
http://www5.lasvegasnevada.gov/sirepub/cache/1/1ipmie55i5wuqgrc1dagcmiz/6486108172006080426218.PDF
CITY COUNCIL
Ordinance bans public defecation, urination
The Las Vegas City Council unanimously passed a new ordinance Wednesday that outlaws public urination and defecation.
The ordinance was drawn up after judges ruled a previous ordinance was unconstitutional.
The new law makes it a misdemeanor to go to the bathroom in a public place, unless it's in an "appropriate sanitary facility."
The maximum penalty is six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.
City marshals used to rely on a law banning "immodest, improper or indecent behavior" to crack down on public urination and defecation, but Las Vegas Municipal Judge Abbi Silver ruled the law was too broad and unconstitutional. District Judge Lee Gates agreed, and the ordinance was thrown out.
The new law originally included a ban on public vomiting, but the council removed that provision at Wednesday's meeting.
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Aug-17-Thu-2006/news/9117768.html
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Did Willfully and Unlawfully Provide Food
Did Willfully and Unlawfully Provide Food
by Robert Edmonds
Thursday Aug 17th, 2006 8:10 AM
Sonoma County Food Not Bombs Cited For “Providing Food to Indigent” in Las Vegas during protest to end new City of Las Vegas law.
LAS VEGAS, NV— “The Friendly City”, Sin City, whichever you prefer, Las Vegas on July 19th, 2006, passed the first U.S. ordinance to explicitly make sharing food with the poor a crime. In this city where millions of dollars a year are spent on demolishing perfectly intact lodging, people are now criminalized for sharing food. Although many cities have enacted laws that surreptitiously prevent the “indigent” from congregating in the public eye, this is the first time that a city has blatantly codified and enforced open class discrimination against the poor. Never before has the sharing of basic survival necessities, such as food and water, with human beings of a perceived socioeconomic class been so specifically, legally enshrined as a criminal act.
The new ordinance LVMC 13.36.055 prohibits: providing food or meals to the indigent for free or a nominal fee in city parks. The ordinance defines an indigent as a "person whom a reasonable ordinary person would believe to be entitled to apply for or receive assistance" from the government under state law.
Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, a vocal advocate of cracking down on the homeless in city parks, dismisses questions about how the homeless will be identified in order to enforce the ordinance, which is punishable by six months in jail and $1000 fine. "Certain truths are self-evident," Goodman said. "You know who's homeless." Goodman’s own humanity is self- evident with statements like, “I don’t want them there. They’re not going to be there. I’m not going to let it happen. They think I’m mean now; wait until the homeless try to go over there.” In Nov 2005 he suggested in a televised panel discussion that those guilty of graffiti have their thumbs chopped off on television, as well as caning or whipping teen offenders.
The new anti homeless ordinance was prompted by complaints from neighbors of Huntridge Circle Park in Downtown Las Vegas about undesirables gathering and sharing food in the park. They complain that the “soup kitchens” attract the homeless and render the facilities unusable by families. The City’s argument is that feeding people in parks draws them away from social service providers who can meet their other needs, such as treatment for mental health and substance abuse problems.
Advocates argue that services and facilities are often inadequate to meet the needs of Las Vegas 13,000+ homeless and working poor and that outreach is insufficient to connect people with services which are often undignified. Las Vegas Food Not Bombs has been at the park sharing free food, water, clothing and help in locating services every day for the past 14 months.
Food Not Bombs is a national movement started in 1980 with hundreds of autonomous groups whose objective is "sharing free vegetarian food with hungry people and protesting war and poverty." Much of the food that Food Not Bombs shares is food that has been discarded or would otherwise be thrown away.
See http://www.foodnotbombs.net
Several homeless people have recently been arrested in Huntridge Circle Park for violation of park curfew hours. Gail Sacco, of Las Vegas Food Not Bombs, has now been cited twice under a previous ordinance. That ordinance attempts to keep “indigents” from congregating by requiring a permit and insurance for groups larger than 25 individuals to gather in City Parks. Joe Sacco, also of Food Not Bombs, was recently arrested in the park for graffiti while writing “free food” on the sidewalk with big children’s chalk. When Food Not Bombs continued their daily feedings despite this continual harassment, the City quickly enacted the new ordinance to further intimidate the group into leaving the park.
ACLU of Nevada has now filed a Federal lawsuit against Las Vegas City and Police officials charging that the laws violate free speech, free assembly and other rights. The suit was originally filed on behalf of five activists and Las Vegas Food Not Bombs. Local Sonoma County Food Not Bombs members are now joining the lawsuit as plaintiffs. Several members of Northern California’s Sonoma County Food Not Bombs traveled to Las Vegas on August 10th to join in a scheduled protest at Las Vegas City Hall.
During that protest forty to fifty people representing a diverse spectrum of the community gathered at City Hall to openly voice their opposition to the ordinance and share food. The crowd subsequently moved to nearby Frank Wright Park, a city park, to share food in direct defiance of the ordinance. Las Vegas Deputy City Marshals, many of whom refused to identify themselves to observers, ordered participants to cease and desist but did not actively enforce the ordinance at this time.
When it appeared that people in this park had eaten their fill, the food was taken to Huntridge Circle Park. Soon after arriving at the park and food was made available for sharing, City Marshals began enforcement. People gathering to share food were ordered by Marshals to stop eating or face enforcement. Sonoma County Food Not Bombs members Patrick Band and Robert Edmonds were cited under the new ordinance, along with Las Vegas resident Suzie Oliveira. Suzie Oliveira is a Brazilian national who now faces potential Homeland Security visa issues as a result of sharing food.
Those cited have been ordered to appear on October 11th in Las Vegas Municipal Court to answer charges. The summonses read “did willfully or unlawfully provide food or meals to one or more indigent people while within the confines of Huntridge Circle Park as prohibited by LVMC 13.36.055”
Food Not Bombs has been sharing locally in Sonoma County for six years. Hot, free, vegetarian food is offered to all comers every Sunday at 5PM in Santa Rosa’s Courthouse Square. Meals are prepared by volunteers with food that would otherwise go to waste and with donations from individuals. Food Not Bombs calls attention to the inherent contradictions in society's failure to provide food and housing for each of its members. Las Vegas type ordinances can only be stopped from spreading by actively fighting them off now. If you would like more information or to help Sonoma County Food Not Bombs please visit
http://www.scfoodnotbombs.org ,
e-mail fnbsantarosa [at] gmail.com or call 707-292-7642
http://www.scfoodnotbombs.org
Click on Ticket to Enlarge
by Robert Edmonds
Thursday Aug 17th, 2006 8:10 AM
Sonoma County Food Not Bombs Cited For “Providing Food to Indigent” in Las Vegas during protest to end new City of Las Vegas law.
LAS VEGAS, NV— “The Friendly City”, Sin City, whichever you prefer, Las Vegas on July 19th, 2006, passed the first U.S. ordinance to explicitly make sharing food with the poor a crime. In this city where millions of dollars a year are spent on demolishing perfectly intact lodging, people are now criminalized for sharing food. Although many cities have enacted laws that surreptitiously prevent the “indigent” from congregating in the public eye, this is the first time that a city has blatantly codified and enforced open class discrimination against the poor. Never before has the sharing of basic survival necessities, such as food and water, with human beings of a perceived socioeconomic class been so specifically, legally enshrined as a criminal act.
The new ordinance LVMC 13.36.055 prohibits: providing food or meals to the indigent for free or a nominal fee in city parks. The ordinance defines an indigent as a "person whom a reasonable ordinary person would believe to be entitled to apply for or receive assistance" from the government under state law.
Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, a vocal advocate of cracking down on the homeless in city parks, dismisses questions about how the homeless will be identified in order to enforce the ordinance, which is punishable by six months in jail and $1000 fine. "Certain truths are self-evident," Goodman said. "You know who's homeless." Goodman’s own humanity is self- evident with statements like, “I don’t want them there. They’re not going to be there. I’m not going to let it happen. They think I’m mean now; wait until the homeless try to go over there.” In Nov 2005 he suggested in a televised panel discussion that those guilty of graffiti have their thumbs chopped off on television, as well as caning or whipping teen offenders.
The new anti homeless ordinance was prompted by complaints from neighbors of Huntridge Circle Park in Downtown Las Vegas about undesirables gathering and sharing food in the park. They complain that the “soup kitchens” attract the homeless and render the facilities unusable by families. The City’s argument is that feeding people in parks draws them away from social service providers who can meet their other needs, such as treatment for mental health and substance abuse problems.
Advocates argue that services and facilities are often inadequate to meet the needs of Las Vegas 13,000+ homeless and working poor and that outreach is insufficient to connect people with services which are often undignified. Las Vegas Food Not Bombs has been at the park sharing free food, water, clothing and help in locating services every day for the past 14 months.
Food Not Bombs is a national movement started in 1980 with hundreds of autonomous groups whose objective is "sharing free vegetarian food with hungry people and protesting war and poverty." Much of the food that Food Not Bombs shares is food that has been discarded or would otherwise be thrown away.
See http://www.foodnotbombs.net
Several homeless people have recently been arrested in Huntridge Circle Park for violation of park curfew hours. Gail Sacco, of Las Vegas Food Not Bombs, has now been cited twice under a previous ordinance. That ordinance attempts to keep “indigents” from congregating by requiring a permit and insurance for groups larger than 25 individuals to gather in City Parks. Joe Sacco, also of Food Not Bombs, was recently arrested in the park for graffiti while writing “free food” on the sidewalk with big children’s chalk. When Food Not Bombs continued their daily feedings despite this continual harassment, the City quickly enacted the new ordinance to further intimidate the group into leaving the park.
ACLU of Nevada has now filed a Federal lawsuit against Las Vegas City and Police officials charging that the laws violate free speech, free assembly and other rights. The suit was originally filed on behalf of five activists and Las Vegas Food Not Bombs. Local Sonoma County Food Not Bombs members are now joining the lawsuit as plaintiffs. Several members of Northern California’s Sonoma County Food Not Bombs traveled to Las Vegas on August 10th to join in a scheduled protest at Las Vegas City Hall.
During that protest forty to fifty people representing a diverse spectrum of the community gathered at City Hall to openly voice their opposition to the ordinance and share food. The crowd subsequently moved to nearby Frank Wright Park, a city park, to share food in direct defiance of the ordinance. Las Vegas Deputy City Marshals, many of whom refused to identify themselves to observers, ordered participants to cease and desist but did not actively enforce the ordinance at this time.
When it appeared that people in this park had eaten their fill, the food was taken to Huntridge Circle Park. Soon after arriving at the park and food was made available for sharing, City Marshals began enforcement. People gathering to share food were ordered by Marshals to stop eating or face enforcement. Sonoma County Food Not Bombs members Patrick Band and Robert Edmonds were cited under the new ordinance, along with Las Vegas resident Suzie Oliveira. Suzie Oliveira is a Brazilian national who now faces potential Homeland Security visa issues as a result of sharing food.
Those cited have been ordered to appear on October 11th in Las Vegas Municipal Court to answer charges. The summonses read “did willfully or unlawfully provide food or meals to one or more indigent people while within the confines of Huntridge Circle Park as prohibited by LVMC 13.36.055”
Food Not Bombs has been sharing locally in Sonoma County for six years. Hot, free, vegetarian food is offered to all comers every Sunday at 5PM in Santa Rosa’s Courthouse Square. Meals are prepared by volunteers with food that would otherwise go to waste and with donations from individuals. Food Not Bombs calls attention to the inherent contradictions in society's failure to provide food and housing for each of its members. Las Vegas type ordinances can only be stopped from spreading by actively fighting them off now. If you would like more information or to help Sonoma County Food Not Bombs please visit
http://www.scfoodnotbombs.org ,
e-mail fnbsantarosa [at] gmail.com or call 707-292-7642
http://www.scfoodnotbombs.org
Click on Ticket to Enlarge
Friday, August 11, 2006
Protest August 10, 2006
Photos and Media Coverage
Donald, thanks so much for posting the photos. Great job! And thanks for your help and support yesterday. And thanks to EVERYONE for supporting us all one way or another.
It was also great the Sonoma County Food Not Bombs came out for the protest and willingly and proudly took citations!
Food is a Right, not a privilege. City Parks are PUBLIC parks.
Las Vegas, Nevada is NOT Warsaw, Poland.
"Do everything that such a tragedy will never be repeated!" Gela Seksztajn (1907-1942)
More Photos: http://lasvegas.staughton.indypgh.org/news/2006/08/5445.php
Photo Credit: Donald Rilea
Photo Credit: Donald Rilea
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FEEDING THE HOMELESS: Fed up with protests
Marshals cite three, ignore others giving away food at city park
By LYNNETTE CURTIS, REVIEW-JOURNAL
...Las Vegas city marshals on Thursday cited three people for handing out food at Huntridge Circle Park, providing further evidence that the city is serious about enforcing a new ordinance that bars the public from feeding homeless people in city parks.
The citations came after homeless advocates, who had protested the ordinance earlier in the day at Las Vegas City Hall, made their way to the park on Maryland Parkway near Charleston Boulevard and handed out fruit and bread to a handful of about a dozen indigent people there...
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Aug-11-Fri-2006/news/9006813.html
Photo Credit: John Gurzinski, Las Vegas Review Journal
Photo Credit: John Gurzinski, Las Vegas Review Journal
It was also great the Sonoma County Food Not Bombs came out for the protest and willingly and proudly took citations!
Food is a Right, not a privilege. City Parks are PUBLIC parks.
Las Vegas, Nevada is NOT Warsaw, Poland.
"Do everything that such a tragedy will never be repeated!" Gela Seksztajn (1907-1942)
More Photos: http://lasvegas.staughton.indypgh.org/news/2006/08/5445.php
Photo Credit: Donald Rilea
Photo Credit: Donald Rilea
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FEEDING THE HOMELESS: Fed up with protests
Marshals cite three, ignore others giving away food at city park
By LYNNETTE CURTIS, REVIEW-JOURNAL
...Las Vegas city marshals on Thursday cited three people for handing out food at Huntridge Circle Park, providing further evidence that the city is serious about enforcing a new ordinance that bars the public from feeding homeless people in city parks.
The citations came after homeless advocates, who had protested the ordinance earlier in the day at Las Vegas City Hall, made their way to the park on Maryland Parkway near Charleston Boulevard and handed out fruit and bread to a handful of about a dozen indigent people there...
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Aug-11-Fri-2006/news/9006813.html
Photo Credit: John Gurzinski, Las Vegas Review Journal
Photo Credit: John Gurzinski, Las Vegas Review Journal
Monday, August 07, 2006
LINKS to Media Coverage
August 7, 2006
KNPR Today's Edition
We revisit the City of Las Vegas' ban on feeding the Homeless in Public Parks with representatives from the City, neighborhood association, Civil Liberties Union, and homeless advocates.
http://www.knpr.org/son/archive/detail.cfm?programid=827
KOPT, Oregon's Progressive Talk online (Free Registration)
http://www.kopt.com/
click "Listen Online"
click on calendar "August 1"
2006-08-01 - Breakfast with Nancy
click on (Listen to this show!)
Thursday, August 03, 2006
http://www.myspace.com/fnblasvegas
LINKS to Media Coverage of FOOD NOT BOMBS, LV
Category: News and Politics
NY TIMES article- July 28, 2006 -"Ms. Sacco, an advocate for the homeless, scoffed at a city ordinance that goes into effect Friday making it illegal to offer so much as a biscuit to a poor person in a city park."
(Free Registration)
http://tinyurl.com/glsvt
KNPR's State of Nevada -Monday, July 24, 2006: We speak with a City Councilman about the controversial ordinance, unanimously supported by the City Council, to ban the sharing of food with homeless people.
http://www.knpr.org/son/archive/detail.cfm?ProgramID=822
BBC NEWS - "Soup kitchens serving the homeless have been banned in the US city of Las Vegas with fines coming into force for anyone caught giving hand-outs in its parks."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5226490.stm
Salem-News.com -"So I guess the Las Vegas, Nevada city council is anti-veteran too? Thats what it amounts to. They ought to have fun, because there are going to be so many scarred and psychologically damaged veterans from the current war for them to pick on in the future."
http://salem-news.com/articles/july212006/vegas_homeless_72106.php
CBS NEWS -"The suit was filed on behalf of five activists and the local chapter of Food Not Bombs, a national organization that describes its objective as "sharing free vegetarian food with hungry people and protesting war and poverty."
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/08/03/ap/national/mainD8J8M99G0.shtml
USA Religious News - " An official with the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) says he's willing to go to jail, if necessary, to oppose a new city ordinance meant to reduce the number of homeless people congregating on the streets of Las Vegas, Nevada."
http://www.usareligiousnews.com/newsArticle.php?ID=664
KVBC News 3 - "A local radio station pushes the limit and breaks the City of Las Vegas' homeless ordinance. On Monday morning, deejays from the classic rock station KKLZ fed the homeless at Frank Wright Park."
http://www.kvbc.com/Global/story.asp?S=5219932&nav=15MV
KLASTV Eyewitness News - "City marshals rounded up homeless people at a downtown Las Vegas park and issued summonses to a TV news crew during a crackdown minutes before a protest against a ban on "mobile soup kitchens."
http://www.klastv.com/Global/story.asp?S=5219534&nav=168Y
KNPR Today's Edition
We revisit the City of Las Vegas' ban on feeding the Homeless in Public Parks with representatives from the City, neighborhood association, Civil Liberties Union, and homeless advocates.
http://www.knpr.org/son/archive/detail.cfm?programid=827
KOPT, Oregon's Progressive Talk online (Free Registration)
http://www.kopt.com/
click "Listen Online"
click on calendar "August 1"
2006-08-01 - Breakfast with Nancy
click on (Listen to this show!)
Thursday, August 03, 2006
http://www.myspace.com/fnblasvegas
LINKS to Media Coverage of FOOD NOT BOMBS, LV
Category: News and Politics
NY TIMES article- July 28, 2006 -"Ms. Sacco, an advocate for the homeless, scoffed at a city ordinance that goes into effect Friday making it illegal to offer so much as a biscuit to a poor person in a city park."
(Free Registration)
http://tinyurl.com/glsvt
KNPR's State of Nevada -Monday, July 24, 2006: We speak with a City Councilman about the controversial ordinance, unanimously supported by the City Council, to ban the sharing of food with homeless people.
http://www.knpr.org/son/archive/detail.cfm?ProgramID=822
BBC NEWS - "Soup kitchens serving the homeless have been banned in the US city of Las Vegas with fines coming into force for anyone caught giving hand-outs in its parks."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5226490.stm
Salem-News.com -"So I guess the Las Vegas, Nevada city council is anti-veteran too? Thats what it amounts to. They ought to have fun, because there are going to be so many scarred and psychologically damaged veterans from the current war for them to pick on in the future."
http://salem-news.com/articles/july212006/vegas_homeless_72106.php
CBS NEWS -"The suit was filed on behalf of five activists and the local chapter of Food Not Bombs, a national organization that describes its objective as "sharing free vegetarian food with hungry people and protesting war and poverty."
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/08/03/ap/national/mainD8J8M99G0.shtml
USA Religious News - " An official with the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) says he's willing to go to jail, if necessary, to oppose a new city ordinance meant to reduce the number of homeless people congregating on the streets of Las Vegas, Nevada."
http://www.usareligiousnews.com/newsArticle.php?ID=664
KVBC News 3 - "A local radio station pushes the limit and breaks the City of Las Vegas' homeless ordinance. On Monday morning, deejays from the classic rock station KKLZ fed the homeless at Frank Wright Park."
http://www.kvbc.com/Global/story.asp?S=5219932&nav=15MV
KLASTV Eyewitness News - "City marshals rounded up homeless people at a downtown Las Vegas park and issued summonses to a TV news crew during a crackdown minutes before a protest against a ban on "mobile soup kitchens."
http://www.klastv.com/Global/story.asp?S=5219534&nav=168Y
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Friend of the Homeless and Needy
I am posting this in full without permission because of the time sensitive subject. But I think Tim King will aprove. Thanks so much to Tim and the Salem-News.com
Aug-05-2006 12:07
Food Not Bombs Protests Las Vegas Law Banning Feeding Homeless in City Parks
LAS VEGAS, Nv.
Homeless advocates are a light in this desert town run by a mob lawyer who has a beef with the poor.
(LAS VEGAS, Nv.) - Been to Sin City lately? Do you care about homeless people?
Homeless advocates are inviting the nation to join them for a special demonstration against the city of Las Vegas, Nevada, August 10th, it happens in the wake of a city decision that makes feeding a homeless person in a park against the law.
Advocates for humanity say they have had enough.
Las Vegas homeless advocates Gail Sacco, Lyla Barholomae, and members of the international organization Food Not Bombs will peacefully assemble at Las Vegas City Hall located at 400 Stewart Ave. to assert their Constitutionally-protected rights to help the poor, giving life-sustaining food and water. The demonstration happens August 10th at noon.
Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman and the Las Vegas City Council unanimously passed an ordinance July 19th, which makes it illegal to share food with poverty-stricken people in any city park.
Despite the new law, many have continued to give food to the poor. Gail Sacco has continued her daily vegetarian picnics with the hungry at Huntridge Circle Park in downtown Las Vegas despite harassment from both police and park marshals.
On July 31st, Beth Monk- a local radio personality of 96.3 KKLZ- became the first person to be cited under the newest anti-homeless ordinance. Six other people were issued citations and three arrests were made when the radio station and other individuals attempted to serve free donuts and water at Frank Wright Plaza, a city park which is located next to Las Vegas City Hall.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada has now filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Las Vegas. According to Lee Rowland of the ACLU, the ordinance violates an individual's constitutional rights to free speech, assembly, exercise of religion, due process of law and equal protection under the law.
Food Not Bombs is one of the fastest growing revolutionary movements and is gaining momentum throughout the world. There are hundreds of autonomous chapters sharing free vegetarian food with hungry people and protesting war and poverty.
This energetic grassroots movement is active throughout the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Australia.
Food Not Bombs is organizing for peace and an end to the occupations of Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine. For over 25 years the movement has worked to end hunger and has supported actions to stop the globalization of the economy, restrictions to the movements of people, end exploitation and the destruction of the earth.
For years, homeless people in Las Vegas have had to watch their backs. Many of the homeless men served in a war called Vietnam, and in recent years the vets have become favored targets of "bum rolling" which is often a very slow. pre-meditated murder, committed through the use of pipes, clubs and shopping carts heaved onto people, generally by Las Vegas teens.
Now, homeless people have to watch their backs just to accept a gift of food and it is pathetic. Can Las Vegas cops with such a jaded departmental history, really feel good about this?
Mob lawyer-turned-Sin City Mayor Oscar Goodman, advocated for the coldest blooded killers who ever walked the face of the earth during his career, mrderers like Tony "the Ant" Spilotro, who doubled as mob burglars, real proud suff, eh?
Metro cops should remember that there were plenty of German SS troops who said no to killing Jewish people in the 30's and 40's. Many if not most were taken out, literally, and their choice to accept death rather than handing it out, was correct.
It seems that our greedy society, typified by the gambling of Vegas, needless war against other nations, and a continuing spiral into poverty, may be nearing the point where people take the power back. Good luck Gail, Beth and everyone else who is fighting this un-American, non-Christian law. I think you are going to have a big turnout August 10th.
Tim King contributed to this report.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.salem-news.com/articles/august052006/vegas_protest_8506.php
"Just being emotional and not thinking rationally"
[QUOTE=jmichael] Those who condemn the Mayor for the "homeless" ordinance are just being emotional. They are not thinking rationally. The Mayor is arguing that there are better places, with more extensive services, where the (homeless) can be served more than just a meal.
Mom: This is more than an "emotional" issue. The homeless have been at the park for many years now, with or without food. The mayor's argument "that there are better places" has nothing to do with the new unconstitutional, unfair, discriminatory ordinance. The new ordinance is saying that one can share food with someone who has money but not with anyone who is poor based on how one looks.
The homeless who do not go to the social service center in the Corridor will still not go to the social service center because of this new ordinance. Chronic homeless need daily outreach which the city, county, and state either cannot or will not provide.
[quote] Probably 90 to 99 percent of the subjects are not homeless. 90 to 99 percent are vagrants. They contribute nothing to the community and are not entitled, constitutionally or otherwise, to any services other than that which the city is generously willing to provide.
Mom: These are absolutely false statements. There are plenty of websites available for you to educate yourself on the statistics of homelessness. One-third of our homeless are veterans. And one-third of our homeless are made up of families with children.
[quote] If these kind souls who wish to feed the vagrants of this city really wanted to help they should open their homes to these individuals and allow them to bathe before receiving a free meal. Going to a city park and throwing crumbs to these people is no different than just feeding the pigeons. It just makes you feel good. But it masks the problem that these souls need more than just food.
Mom: We DO open up our homes to these individuals and "allow" them to bathe. We do not just go and "throw crumbs" to these people. We share food, water, clothing, and hope along with many other things. We provide transportation to social services, DMV, social security, medical clinics, detox, etc. We get them into housing as best we can with the housing crisis that we have. We help them to obtain identification and jobs for those who are not already working.
Forty percent of the homeless DO have jobs. We help the best we can with soap, toothpaste, deodorant, etc. We do this without taxpayers' money or government grants.
Many of the folks we help at the park are NOT homeless but desperately needy. We help as many as possible into government services, those who qualify for assistance.
Some are alcohol or drug dependent. Most are not. Some have mental health problems. Many have cancer, arthritis, and seizures. Most who do get a check of some sort, get under $500 a month and do not qualify for any rent assistance.
Panhandlers make up about two percent.
This new ordinance proposed by the city attorney and endorsed by the mayor and the city council (minus Lois T. who was not present for the vote) is meant as a distraction from the fact that the City of Las Vegas does NOT have adequate social services. And, they are trying to put the blame for the huge Las Vegas homeless problem on good samaritans.
What's the Difference, BY CHIP MOSHER
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal..."
-- Declaration of Independence, 1776
"Certain truths are self-evident. You know who's homeless."
-- Las Vegas Mayor Oscar B. Goodman, 2006
http://www.lasvegascitylife.com/articles/2006/08/03/opinion/socrates_in_sodom/socrates.txt
JOHN L. SMITH: Failure to keep mouth in check on homelessness turns mayor into clown
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Aug-01-Tue-2006/news/8812275.html
Above conversation posted at: http://eforum.reviewjournal.com/lv/showthread.php?p=154725#post154725
Mom: This is more than an "emotional" issue. The homeless have been at the park for many years now, with or without food. The mayor's argument "that there are better places" has nothing to do with the new unconstitutional, unfair, discriminatory ordinance. The new ordinance is saying that one can share food with someone who has money but not with anyone who is poor based on how one looks.
The homeless who do not go to the social service center in the Corridor will still not go to the social service center because of this new ordinance. Chronic homeless need daily outreach which the city, county, and state either cannot or will not provide.
[quote] Probably 90 to 99 percent of the subjects are not homeless. 90 to 99 percent are vagrants. They contribute nothing to the community and are not entitled, constitutionally or otherwise, to any services other than that which the city is generously willing to provide.
Mom: These are absolutely false statements. There are plenty of websites available for you to educate yourself on the statistics of homelessness. One-third of our homeless are veterans. And one-third of our homeless are made up of families with children.
[quote] If these kind souls who wish to feed the vagrants of this city really wanted to help they should open their homes to these individuals and allow them to bathe before receiving a free meal. Going to a city park and throwing crumbs to these people is no different than just feeding the pigeons. It just makes you feel good. But it masks the problem that these souls need more than just food.
Mom: We DO open up our homes to these individuals and "allow" them to bathe. We do not just go and "throw crumbs" to these people. We share food, water, clothing, and hope along with many other things. We provide transportation to social services, DMV, social security, medical clinics, detox, etc. We get them into housing as best we can with the housing crisis that we have. We help them to obtain identification and jobs for those who are not already working.
Forty percent of the homeless DO have jobs. We help the best we can with soap, toothpaste, deodorant, etc. We do this without taxpayers' money or government grants.
Many of the folks we help at the park are NOT homeless but desperately needy. We help as many as possible into government services, those who qualify for assistance.
Some are alcohol or drug dependent. Most are not. Some have mental health problems. Many have cancer, arthritis, and seizures. Most who do get a check of some sort, get under $500 a month and do not qualify for any rent assistance.
Panhandlers make up about two percent.
This new ordinance proposed by the city attorney and endorsed by the mayor and the city council (minus Lois T. who was not present for the vote) is meant as a distraction from the fact that the City of Las Vegas does NOT have adequate social services. And, they are trying to put the blame for the huge Las Vegas homeless problem on good samaritans.
What's the Difference, BY CHIP MOSHER
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal..."
-- Declaration of Independence, 1776
"Certain truths are self-evident. You know who's homeless."
-- Las Vegas Mayor Oscar B. Goodman, 2006
http://www.lasvegascitylife.com/articles/2006/08/03/opinion/socrates_in_sodom/socrates.txt
JOHN L. SMITH: Failure to keep mouth in check on homelessness turns mayor into clown
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Aug-01-Tue-2006/news/8812275.html
Above conversation posted at: http://eforum.reviewjournal.com/lv/showthread.php?p=154725#post154725
Friday, August 04, 2006
2006 African Conference on Formal Consensus
and Nonviolent Social Change
2006 African Conference on Formal Consensus and Nonviolent Social
Change
November 24 - December 1, 2006 - Lagos, Nigeria
http://www.foodnotbombs.net/2006_conference.html
The G-8 and international business interests have made very little headway towards ending hunger and poverty in Africa. We believe a grassroots effort is the most effective way to improve conditions for the people of Africa. Volunteers with Food Not Bombs and Indymedia will host the 2006 African Conference on Formal Consensus and Nonviolent Social Change.
Community activists from all across Africa are invited to Lagos, Nigeria to study the democratic decision making process of Formal Consensus and share strategies and techniques for nonviolent solutions to Africa's social problems. Africa is on the verge of an exciting new era of social transformation. Nonviolent horizontal structures of grassroots community development have caught the attention of Africans of every social class. The conference will have workshops on many subjects like Formal Consensus, women's empowerment, vegetarian cooking, bicycle powered water pumping and electric generation, community healthcare, FM radio broadcasting and web-based community organizing.
The week long conference has the support of many African organizations and prominent people including the National Association of Nigerian Students, The Nigerian Network of NGOs, the Association For Women's Rights in Development, Alesa Eleme's Elder Igwe Ejireyi, the musician Charly Boy, Nigerian Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe and The Special Assistant to the President On Food Security Mrs. M. Oluwatoyin Adtunji. Food Not Bombs cofounders C.T. Lawrence Butler and Keith McHenry will be among the facilitators at the conference. Mr. Butler will teach a comprehensive workshop on Formal Consensus based on his book On Conflict and Consensus. Bikes Not Bombs, Hesperian Books and many other communy groups will also provide information at this conference. Food Not Bombs chapters from Ibadan, Owerri, Jos, Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Calabar are eager to help coordinate the logistics for food, housing and West African outreach.
On Nigerian Independence Day there will be a large concert celebrating the power of Africans to build a better future. West African musician Charly Boy and many other local artists will perform live at one of the large stadiums in Lagos to close the conference. After that Keith McHenry will join local activist on a tour of West Africa visiting local Food Not Bombs chapters and assisting those starting Indymedia collectives. This conference was proposed in March 2006 by Food Not
Bombs organizers in Nigeria and some Indymedia activists from Africa and the US. West Africans are on the threshold of an exciting new era and your support of this groundbreaking event can make a difference. The 2006 African Conference on Formal Consensus and Nonviolent Social Change will set a solid foundation for this bright future for Africa.
To help us organize the 2006 African Conference on Formal Consensus and Nonviolent Social Change please make a donation. It is very expensive to organize this important conference so please make as large a donation as possible.
PARTICIPATE Get updates and offer your ideas by joining list serv for this conference.
http://lists.riseup.net/www/info/africanconsensus
http://www.foodnotbombs.net/2006_conference.html
The West African Organizing Collective and Lagos office:
No. 10 Ayodele Ojo Street
Off Coker Road
Ilupeju Estate in Ilupeju, Lagos, Nigeria
Yinka Dada +234-803-487-0077
Idowu Israel +234-802-833-0270
yinkadada77@yahoo.co.uk
israelfnbo6@yahoo.co.uk
http://www.foodnotbombs.net/2006_conference.html
Food Not Bombs
P.O. Box 744
Tucson, AZ 85702
2006_africa@foodnotbombs.net
www.foodnotbombs.net
Change
November 24 - December 1, 2006 - Lagos, Nigeria
http://www.foodnotbombs.net/2006_conference.html
The G-8 and international business interests have made very little headway towards ending hunger and poverty in Africa. We believe a grassroots effort is the most effective way to improve conditions for the people of Africa. Volunteers with Food Not Bombs and Indymedia will host the 2006 African Conference on Formal Consensus and Nonviolent Social Change.
Community activists from all across Africa are invited to Lagos, Nigeria to study the democratic decision making process of Formal Consensus and share strategies and techniques for nonviolent solutions to Africa's social problems. Africa is on the verge of an exciting new era of social transformation. Nonviolent horizontal structures of grassroots community development have caught the attention of Africans of every social class. The conference will have workshops on many subjects like Formal Consensus, women's empowerment, vegetarian cooking, bicycle powered water pumping and electric generation, community healthcare, FM radio broadcasting and web-based community organizing.
The week long conference has the support of many African organizations and prominent people including the National Association of Nigerian Students, The Nigerian Network of NGOs, the Association For Women's Rights in Development, Alesa Eleme's Elder Igwe Ejireyi, the musician Charly Boy, Nigerian Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe and The Special Assistant to the President On Food Security Mrs. M. Oluwatoyin Adtunji. Food Not Bombs cofounders C.T. Lawrence Butler and Keith McHenry will be among the facilitators at the conference. Mr. Butler will teach a comprehensive workshop on Formal Consensus based on his book On Conflict and Consensus. Bikes Not Bombs, Hesperian Books and many other communy groups will also provide information at this conference. Food Not Bombs chapters from Ibadan, Owerri, Jos, Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Calabar are eager to help coordinate the logistics for food, housing and West African outreach.
On Nigerian Independence Day there will be a large concert celebrating the power of Africans to build a better future. West African musician Charly Boy and many other local artists will perform live at one of the large stadiums in Lagos to close the conference. After that Keith McHenry will join local activist on a tour of West Africa visiting local Food Not Bombs chapters and assisting those starting Indymedia collectives. This conference was proposed in March 2006 by Food Not
Bombs organizers in Nigeria and some Indymedia activists from Africa and the US. West Africans are on the threshold of an exciting new era and your support of this groundbreaking event can make a difference. The 2006 African Conference on Formal Consensus and Nonviolent Social Change will set a solid foundation for this bright future for Africa.
To help us organize the 2006 African Conference on Formal Consensus and Nonviolent Social Change please make a donation. It is very expensive to organize this important conference so please make as large a donation as possible.
PARTICIPATE Get updates and offer your ideas by joining list serv for this conference.
http://lists.riseup.net/www/info/africanconsensus
http://www.foodnotbombs.net/2006_conference.html
The West African Organizing Collective and Lagos office:
No. 10 Ayodele Ojo Street
Off Coker Road
Ilupeju Estate in Ilupeju, Lagos, Nigeria
Yinka Dada +234-803-487-0077
Idowu Israel +234-802-833-0270
yinkadada77@yahoo.co.uk
israelfnbo6@yahoo.co.uk
http://www.foodnotbombs.net/2006_conference.html
Food Not Bombs
P.O. Box 744
Tucson, AZ 85702
2006_africa@foodnotbombs.net
www.foodnotbombs.net
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Chip was pulling my leg-
Fantastic Writing!
Las Vegas City Life, What's the difference?
by Chip Mosher
Here is one of the BEST writings I have ever read. Not because it is about me. But this had me so interested right from the beginning.
I was being pulled to keep reading, sentence by sentence. The facts were great!
Chip, you were pulling my leg, right? (Private conversation, this will be a private joke from now on.)
Steve would be proud of you! :)
http://www.lasvegascitylife.com/articles/2006/08/03/opinion/socrates_in_sodom/socrates.txt
I was being pulled to keep reading, sentence by sentence. The facts were great!
Chip, you were pulling my leg, right? (Private conversation, this will be a private joke from now on.)
Steve would be proud of you! :)
http://www.lasvegascitylife.com/articles/2006/08/03/opinion/socrates_in_sodom/socrates.txt
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Protest August 10, 2006
Food is a Right, Not a Privilege
Thursday, August 10, 2006 at NOON at Las Vegas
City Hall, 400 Stewart Ave., Las Vegas, Nevada.
The people of Las Vegas demand Food Not Bombs for our 13,000 + homeless and poverty stricken folks.
A newly passed city ordinance, Bill No. 2006-37 prohibits sharing food with the homeless in OUR public parks.
Not only does this ordinance prohibit sharing food with the homeless, it prohibits sharing with ANY person "whom a reasonable ordinary person would believe to be entitled to apply for or receive assistance" from the government under state law.
Stand in solidarity! This is not only a homeless issue. This is a human rights issue which affects us ALL.
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