Monthly Archives: July 2006

So by now, you’ve probably heard about this ridiculous law in Las Vegas passed by the city council that makes it illegal (yes, $1,000 fine and up to 6 months in jail) for feeding homeless people in the park. The whole thing started when homeowners and residents around the park complained that they can’t even use the park facilities because of the large number of homeless people that congregate and sleep there. Exacerbating the problem (apparently) are mobile soup kitchens that come by the park to feed the homeless people. The residents felt that by bringing food to the homeless population at the park, it discourages them from going to a shelter to receive food and encourages them to stay at the park.

Now… all this makes sense to me. My sister used to work in West Hollywood and on the block where her company was, a mobile needle cart would come by and distribute clean needles to the heroin addicts. She said she pretty much had to step over junkees every time she wanted to walk to her car. And the businesses in the area didn’t appreciate it. I don’t blame them. Of course, these people who aren’t particularly mobile, or have anything better to do, are going to hang around and wait for their free food and free needles. And on some level, I understand that distributing free needles and food does help to minimize the spread of HIV and in some ways “contain” the problem of homeless drug use.

And I also believe that we have a responsibility to help our own people as much as we can. But I don’t think that encouraging them to 1. continue to use drugs, and 2. break the law (drug use is still illegal here), is really helping anyone. And I certainly don’t think that imposing this problem on local residents and businesses who have a vested interest in keeping their neighborhoods clean and safe is the right way to go about this. Aaahhh, you say, but homelessness and the drug epidemic is everyone’s problem. And I don’t disagree… Continue reading →