"Falling asleep while poor"

[The Straight Story]

Robert Norse: City can save thousands of dollars by ending sleeping ban
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I've offered to settle a costly lawsuit. I'll drop my financial demands for tens of thousands of dollars in the "two-second mock-Nazi lawsuit" if the city of Santa Cruz will stop wasting money on ticketing homeless people for sleeping where they must at night. But Mayor Ryan Coonerty and his Council say no.

They don't mind spending scarce city money paying police to harass people for sitting down within 14 feet of a vacant building, playing a musical instrument for donation within 10 feet of a penguin sculpture or holding up a sign silently after dark asking for food. Such confrontations can and do prompt arrests and more costs.

In the last year the city spent more money on police, hosts and private "security." For what? To bust the poor for sitting on a public bench for more than an hour? For smoking a cigarette outside the library after it's closed? For holding up an "End the Sleeping Ban" sign at City Hall at 10:30 at night? Cops spent public money to take all these "crimes" to court last year.

It's illegal to be in any park after dark, including the huge Pogonip area, where hundreds of homeless sleepers hide. Sleepers without options are busted in front of churches, even those that have given their permission. "Falling asleep while poor" in liberal Santa Cruz is still a crime. Meanwhile Los Angeles, San Diego, Laguna Beach and other more conservative cities have abolished their sleeping bans.

http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/opinion/ci_18067570

[bobbolink]

1. There is ACTION requested. If DUers would do this all over the country,

the persecution would END.

"If the Council won't listen, let's make them bite the fiscal bullet by ballot initiative.

Sign the on-line petition at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/761/petition-to-settle-the-lawsuit-with-robert-norse/

For more background see http://beckyjohnsononewomantalking.blogspot.com/search/label/Nazi%20Salute .

Robert Norse is a longtime activist for the homeless and homeless issues."

[AlecBGreen]

2. done, K&R

this is ludicrous! Is that America's only solution to a problem? Arrest everyone!? :crazy: I feel like Im taking crazy pills

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. Glad to hear someone has some common sense!

[maryf]

4. K&R

thanks.

[Odin2005]

5. K&R

[Liberal_in_LA]

6. k&r