Feeding the homeless illegal?

[gunner69]

Apparently its being made illegal to feed homeless in different cities across the US. Activist Post: 70-year-old Charity Told to Stop Feeding Homeless in Seattle

 

[SaintsNSinners]

Its pretty much illegal downtown as well.

 

[VN Vet]

It is very sad, what our nation's society is becoming. What is even more sad, is we continue to allow the cancer to grow.

 

[TTravis]

It is not illegal in Indianapolis.

 

[mrjarrell]

It's a growing trend. Can't have private individuals or NGO's doing the job governments think is theirs or outside their rules.

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...-illegal_to_feed_the_homeless_in_america.html

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo..._help_other_people_the_cops_dont_like_it.html

We've been here before and, no doubt, we'll be here many more times before we swat the petty tyrants down.

 

[IndyDave1776]

It's a growing trend. Can't have private individuals or NGO's doing the job governments think is theirs or outside their rules.

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...-illegal_to_feed_the_homeless_in_america.html

Absolutely! How in the universe is the .gov going to force dependence on itself if we allow these chow vigilantes to take charity into their own hands?

 

[TTravis]

My church sends out a van every Monday to feed homeless in Indy. There are many other outreach groups that do the same. Believe it or not, there is a lot of compassion in Indianapolis. I will be out tomorrow passing out meals. Please think about us as it will be very cold.

 

[actaeon277]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puM1eT15NYw

 

[BogWalker]

So, they're being treated like wild animals now or what?

 

[actaeon277]

So, they're being treated like wild animals now or what?

The "state" wants to be the sole provider.
Otherwise, they can't "control".

 

[IndyDave1776]

So, they're being treated like wild animals now or what?

Why not? They have been in the past. You may recall a few years ago, the city ran a colony of homeless that had been living under one of the downtown bridges out by force with the police in their riot gear, fenced off the area, and a spokesman made the remark that 'we simply cannot allow citizens to live under a bridge like this.' My response: You are real hero buddy. You moved them from sleeping under a bridge to sleeping under the stars. They didn't even supply contact information for these programs the homeless were supposed to miraculously find.

The stated theory from that incident was that the homeless were expected after being forcibly removed from under the bridge to seek help from assorted programs which are far from adequate to address the problem if those people could even find them or wish to find them. The problem is that other who frequent the downtown area didn't like having them there, often for reasons that I understand completely. As with most problems, there are solutions, but they are not easy, especially when given that we are not dealing with stray animals that can simply be rounded up and put in the cage at the shelter. Given that non-government assistance often comes from churches, I will add that Christ said that the poor will always be with us. Accepting this statement as absolutely true, my conclusion is that it is not possible to change that fact, but that does not stand as a reason to refrain from such simple acts of decency as feeding the hungry. Unfortunately, it does not fit with the .gov narrative.

 

[TTravis]

Living under bridges and in camps during the winter is anything but fun. One has to wonder why they choose to stay out in the cold rather than go to a shelter. The answer is something we should all appreciate. They do not want to loose the one of the last things they have, their freedom. I consider it to be a great privilege to be able to help those people, get to know them, to earn their trust and be their friend, and to share our faith.

 

[Liberty1911]

My church sends out a van every Monday to feed homeless in Indy. There are many other outreach groups that do the same. Believe it or not, there is a lot of compassion in Indianapolis. I will be out tomorrow passing out meals. Please think about us as it will be very cold.

It's more like enablement than compassion. 2 Thes 3:10

 

[SaintsNSinners]

They have made it by default illegal to feed them downtown with restrictions and limitations. It was real bad right before the superbowl because the city didnt want people to see our homeless problem.

 

[IndyDave1776]

Living under bridges and in camps during the winter is anything but fun. One has to wonder why they choose to stay out in the cold rather than go to a shelter. The answer is something we should all appreciate. They do not want to loose the one of the last things they have, their freedom. I consider it to be a great privilege to be able to help those people, get to know them, to earn their trust and be their friend, and to share our faith.

It's more like enablement than compassion. 2 Thes 3:10

This is one of those times when my own position pulls in elements of both of your positions. I believe in helping others, but doing so in a way that serves to launch them toward independence rather than fostering dependence. I believe that much good can be done, but it has to be done with the understanding that some will respond in a positive manner and others are happy where they are, or at least acclimated to it sufficiently that they won't leave it. When you make it possible for people to lie flat on the bottom with no incentive to better themselves, you move from helping to enabling destructive choices.

 

[Liberty1911]

This is one of those times when my own position pulls in elements of both of your positions. I believe in helping others, but doing so in a way that serves to launch them toward independence rather than fostering dependence. I believe that much good can be done, but it has to be done with the understanding that some will respond in a positive manner and others are happy where they are, or at least acclimated to it sufficiently that they won't leave it. When you make it possible for people to lie flat on the bottom with no incentive to better themselves, you move from helping to enabling destructive choices.

I generally agree with what you've said.

I believe the difference between compassion and enablement is accountability.

The problem is, handing out food and resources to able bodied "homeless" people with no effort to establish some level of accountability has no basis in biblical charity.

What you end up with are things like this:

Police say homeless man was peeping at young boys in library bathroom » Evansville Courier & Press

I'm appalled that christian charities enable people like this.

I really don't think this is rocket science however. The bible offers a clear path in 2 Thes 3:10. Anyone walking into a homeless shelter for assistance should immediately be assigned to a work detail, even if it's nothing more than picking up trash on the streets. If they aren't willing to do that, then they should be told to look elsewhere for assistance.

However, it's so much easier to slop some food on a tray and walk away feeling good about yourself. So, that's where we always end up when we talk about "helping the homeless."

The fact is, 98% of these people are drug/alcohol abusers who have no intention of taking responsibility for their lives and we simply don't want to put the effort into finding the 2% that can truly be helped, so we continue to enable the other 98% and call it compassion.

 

[Big Ram]

I don't see what the point in feeding them your hard earned money is when they are half the time too lazy to just get jobs. I'm all down for helping the needy but not just giving them free handouts

 

[TTravis]

I have been called an enabler many times, however, I do not feel that I am enabling or encouraging anyone to be lazy or worthless. There are people out there who truly down and without hope. It does no good to try to force them off the streets. Each one, in their own time and way, have to decide when they are ready to pick themselves back up. For many, the hardest thing to do is forgive themselves for the bad things they have done that caused them to get into this position. What I try to do is help them find that forgiveness and show them that they are loved and will have support every step of the way if they do decide to seek help. There are wonderful institutions dedicated to helping individuals get off the streets and I commend them for their efforts. The fact is that these institutions cannot reach everyone and some only respond to groups like ours.

There are some who, no matter what, will never make it off the streets. Sometimes they have records, or addictions. Sometimes they are crippled or have mental problems. Sometimes they have legal problems, like child support, and they have no hope of ever having anything. Often, they have tried the missions and other programs with no success and society has no more options for them. No matter what their situation is, they all deserve compassion. They cannot simply be expected to disappear.

I have helped many people get off the streets. Some of those people are productive and even helping others. I have also seen people perish. In the end, I can only hope that I have done my part.

 

[IndyDave1776]

I have been called an enabler many times, however, I do not feel that I am enabling or encouraging anyone to be lazy or worthless. There are people out there who truly down and without hope. It does no good to try to force them off the streets. Each one, in their own time and way, have to decide when they are ready to pick themselves back up. For many, the hardest thing to do is forgive themselves for the bad things they have done that caused them to get into this position. What I try to do is help them find that forgiveness and show them that they are loved and will have support every step of the way if they do decide to seek help. There are wonderful institutions dedicated to helping individuals get off the streets and I commend them for their efforts. The fact is that these institutions cannot reach everyone and some only respond to groups like ours.

There are some who, no matter what, will never make it off the streets. Sometimes they have records, or addictions. Sometimes they are crippled. Sometimes they have legal problems, like child support, and they have no hope of ever having anything. Often, they have tried the missions and other programs with no success and society has no more options for them. No matter what their situation is, they all deserve compassion. They cannot simply be expected to disappear.

I have helped many people get off the streets. Some of those people are productive and even helping others. I have also seen people perish. In the end, I can only hope that I have done my part.

You have clearly established that your goal is to help people better themselves even though some may need patience before they are ready to start the journey if they ever start it. It isn't like dividing high school students between academic and vocational curriculum depending on their expressed aptitudes. It isn't like they have labels about responding to self-improvement now, some day, or never. It really is declaring the Gospel in that you cannot know who will listen and receive now, later, or never. My problem is with the type of responses (as is the case with most every government program) that reward those who are skilled at working the system and provide no incentive for change.

 

[TTravis]

Even those who exist for years, taking advantage of and working the system, eventually reach their turning points. That or they perish because life on the streets takes an extreme tole. Usually old age catches up with them.