[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
No comments:
Post a Comment