Las Vegas Sued Over Homeless Feeding Law

[theHandpuppet]

YESSSSSSS! And this, my friends, is why I'm a supporter of the ACLU!

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/N/NO_FEEDING_HOMELESS?SITE=OHCIN&SECTION=AMERICAS&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Aug 2, 10:50 PM EDT
Las Vegas Sued Over Homeless Feeding Law

By KATHLEEN HENNESSEY
Associated Press Writer

LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Activists sued Wednesday to strike down a new city law that makes it illegal to feed homeless people in parks.

The law violates free speech, free assembly and other rights, says the federal suit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada.

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."

The group and its members regularly served meals to homeless people in a Las Vegas park, angering neighbors and sparking the debate that led to the ordinance, passed July 19.

(snipping)

Violators face a fine up to $1,000 and as many as six months in jail. Seven people have been issued summonses, and three have been arrested...

MORE

[Nevernose]

1. I've SERIOUSLY been considering spending a weekend in jail over this

My kid's going on vacation w/ her mother next week, so no obligations there. And I've spent the weekend in jail before, for much, much less.

So what do you think? Should I go feed homeless people in a park until they arrest me sometime next week? Is there something I haven't thought through?

[LeftyMom]

2. I think it's a good idea

I think I'm going to get off my ass and help out the local FNB this weekend. I've meant to for a while but this has me fired up.

[theHandpuppet]

3. Do you live in the Vegas area?

If so, why don't you contact the activist group involved in this -- "Food Not Bombs". They may have organized protests already planned or can give you advice on how to get involved. Here's their main website: http://www.foodnotbombs.net/

[theHandpuppet]

4. Here's the website of the Las Vegas chapter of Food Not Bombs

http://www.foodnotbombs.net/las_vegas_resists.html

Battle on!

[Nevernose]

5. So far, the only one arrested was a dino-rock traffic DJ

From KKLZ. And a camera crew refused to move while they arrested her, so they got cited for being in the park too early. And a few other people have been cited in connection, though local outlets, to my knowledge, had reported them as individuals and not part of FNB.

Mayor Goodman is the most popular Democrat in America today, insanely so. He polls at 90% with REPUBLICANS. But on this one issue, he so totally, completely wrong it's frightening. You won't find another city in this entire country that treats it's homeless people as badly as Las Vegas.

Thanks for the website. I was going to check with them and the local Unitarian church.

*ON EDIT* A few other were ticketed as well, and Beth from KKLZ also received a ticket. Any more "media protests," though, and the mayor promises arrests. Others, inclusing FNB people, have also recieved tickets during the last month.

[mark414]

6. ohh i disagree

i've been homeless in many cities and there are worse ones than las vegas...

[Nevernose]

I may be guilty of hyperbole, but in essence I'm correct

Local government puts far less into taking care of indigants than most other towns. We do have some strong private charities, but these, IMO, are the only reason that Vegas is not worse than, say, a small town in the South. And even there, most towns at least have the courtesy of not being officially against himeless people. Then again, some of that is regional attitude as well. LA is the rudest city I've ever been to, with Chicago a close second.

Then again, the only time I was actually homeless was In Las Vegas, and that was almost 15 years ago.

[mark414]

8. yeah vegas is pretty bad

although honestly i will say that the WORST place i have been homeless in is san francisco. i never met a cop who knew i was homeless and was still nice to me and the people in that city are cold, mean motherfuckers. yeah there's a lot of services, food kitchens, etc...but i tend to stay away from any place like that, any of those shelter type places...too many rules and they treat you like a little kid.

thankfully i'm (obviously) indoors for now, staying with some family in wisconsin while i recover from a broken collarbone but once i'm healed up i'm back on my own and back out on the road...but it's okay - i found that if i just keep moving from town to town it's more of a traveling adventure than it is just being another homeless bum...

[Nevernose]

9. I may have to reevaluate San Francisco

I've only been there a few times, but my biggest memory is that the people were nice. WIth virtually every stranger I've met in So Cal, I've had negative experiences; quite the opposite in Northern California. Part of that's the Southern accent, since I lay into the East Texas twang pretty heavily when traveliing outside of my comfort zone (there's few things a person in a big city wouldn't do for someone who can accurately say "Well my gosh, who'd a thought anyone'd make buildin's this tall? Sure is a nice city y'all have here!"

Cops are cops, IME, regardless of where they are. Of course, I've also been accused of having a secret "cop speech" to give to them to get them off my back. My secret? There are few situations in life that can't be handled peacefully without offering someone a beer. You want a beer? No? You sure? We've got plenty. No, here, I'll even give you my fancy imported German beer. Too loud? No way, we were just drankin' some beers. Try and get mad at someone after that sppech :).

And for the record, in Las Vegas during the latest feeding-homeless-people incidents, they didn't call the regular police. They called the LV City Marshalls, who work directly for the mayor. Talk about chickenshit.

[theHandpuppet]

10. Keep us updated, will you?

I'm interested in how this battle will go.

[lonestarnot]

7. Excellent!

[theHandpuppet]

11. Homeless and Housing Organizations in Las Vegas ( links! )

http://www.volunteermatch.org/bymsa/m4120/c3/org1.html

Organizations in Las Vegas, NV-AZ
VolunteerMatch has 15 Homeless & Housing related community based organizations in Las Vegas, NV-AZ looking for Volunteers just like you. Click on any organization title to to learn more about how you can get involved now. (List and links to the various organizations are on this page. I didn't post them here because of possible copyright infringement.)