Charity is illegal in Florida

Written By: - Date published: 11:21 am, February 1st, 2015 - 26 comments
Categories: class war, human rights, us politics - Tags: , ,

https://twitter.com/thereaIbanksy/status/561338976888299520

Background to this bizarre story can be found here:

90-year-old among Florida activists arrested for feeding the homeless

Arnold Abott and pastors from two local churches preparing for second confrontation with Fort Lauderdale officials who have restricted food sharing

Church leaders in Florida were preparing for a second confrontation with Fort Lauderdale police on Wednesday over a controversial new ordinance than bans them from feeding the city’s homeless.

Pastors from two local churches and the 90-year-old leader of a long-established food kitchen were arrested at a park on Sunday, two days after the law took effect, for attempting to serve meals to homeless residents. Each received a citation threatening 60 days in prison and a $500 fine.

Dwayne Black, pastor of the downtown Sanctuary Church, said he and church members would set up their regular feeding station at Fort Lauderdale beach on Wednesday in defiance of the ordinance. He said he expected to be arrested again and to spend the night in jail.

“We have been feeding the homeless for a long time. It is our calling and our duty to not let another human being go hungry. But now it’s a crime to feed a hungry person,” Black told the Guardian.

“The city says that it creates an eyesore; they are saying that human beings being fed is an eyesore. What they are doing is wrong. It lacks all compassion.” …

26 comments on “Charity is illegal in Florida ”

  1. coaster 1

    This must be a joke, surely this wouldnt happen in any democracy.

    Didnt this happen in nz during the 50s warfies strike.

    totaly despicable,

    • Colonial Rawshark 1.1

      In some other cities in the west (and in NZ), they make it illegal for homeless people to be seen in public places.

      This is simply the logical extension.

      Real resistance will be when city officials and police refuse to enforce the inhuman ordinances.

      • Murray Rawshark 1.1.1

        Real resistance will begin when organised workers refuse to let police and city officials enforce the inhumane ordinances. If we wait for cops to develop a social conscience, we’ll be iceskating with the devil.

    • adam 1.2

      It was a lockout – not a strike.

  2. Macro 2

    I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. The USA is a very, very, sick society. This is the society that John Key and his worshipers wish NZ to become. We are on the way, and the TPPA, joining the “club” in the middle East, the “hobbit” law, and continuous spying on all citizens, are all just steps along the way

    • johnm 2.1

      Hi Macro 100% right. The U$ is certifiably insane and a danger to World Peace as well as treating their own people like shit ( Really ) that’s why I didn’t blip out the 3rd syllable. their Rethugs and Demorats disgust and revolt me their corruption reeks to high heaven. It’s a tottering corrupt shithole that’ll collapse any day now.

      • Johnm 2.1.1

        ” The U$ is certifiably insane and a danger to World Peace ”

        http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2015/02/03/pers-f03.html

        ” The World Socialist Web Site unequivocally condemns plans being worked out by the Obama administration to arm the right-wing regime in Ukraine with billions of dollars in advanced weaponry. These moves threaten to spark a direct conflict between the US and Russia, two nuclear-armed powers, and ignite a Third World War.

        Discussions over arming the Western-backed government in Kiev come amidst setbacks to the offensive against eastern Ukraine launched by Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko last month. According to Monday’s New York Times, “after a series of striking reversals that Ukraine’s forces have suffered in recent weeks, the Obama administration is taking a fresh look at the question of military aid.”

        Washington has already sent military trainers to Ukraine and pledged $350 million in “nonlethal” military aid to Kiev. Now, the Times writes, top Obama administration officials are increasingly unified around “an independent report…by eight former senior American officials, who urge the United States to send $3 billion in defense arms and equipment to Ukraine.” These funds would provide the Kiev regime with “anti-armor missiles, reconnaissance drones, armored Humvees, and radars that can determine the location of enemy rocket and artillery fire.” “

    • Clemgeopin 2.2

      +1

  3. greywarshark 3

    Pigeons proliferate in public spaces and sometimes have to be culled (killed). People now in Florida? What is it with these settlements in hot places. Does morality and humanity grow destructive fungus and mould like clothes in a cupboard in such humid and/or hot areas?

    Just looking at Queensland and its recent election results and remembering the various machiavellian things that have happened there. Another hot place. Am I making a simple-minded correlation?
    I think there has been some scientific study on the matter though.

    Tom Lehrer’s song about Poisoning Pigeons in the Park may be a suitable theme as a banner song for a protest against this inhumane approach to a public nuisance in Florida.
    People, we are such a nuisance to each other. Perhaps Florida would like to adopt the Nastie solution.

    and perhaps include National Brotherhood Day

    And not to forget. Jeb Bush a young scion of the high-stepping Bush oil baronacy and USA political aristocracy, is top banana in Florida, the Governor, and is thinking of standing for the Pres-i-dent of the old USA as a Democratic candidate. (Just fooling he is a Republican down to his last pipe-organ.)

    • greywarshark 3.1

      It can be seen who reads others comments!

    • Clemgeopin 3.2

      Thanks for those two links. Very nice!

      I just watched his ‘Tom Lehrer Full Copenhagen Performance’, a series of many small songs about the ‘great’ USA! 50 minutes in all. I watched for about 15 minutes so far. Will watch the rest later. Very entertaining, philosophical and astute poetry!

      Here is the link:

  4. Northsider 4

    And Jeb Bush, the recent Florida Govenor wants to be President.

    • nadis 4.1

      More correctly, I think your headline should read “Charity is illegal in Fort Lauderdale”

      and this:

      The new rules say that feeding sites cannot be within 500 feet of each other, that only one is allowed in any given city block and that any site would have to be at least 500 feet away from residential properties.

      Commissioners agreed to permit most churches to have indoor feeding programs, even those close to residential neighborhoods.

      But the exception did not apply to outdoor programs. Organizations distributing food outdoors would also need the permission of the property owner and would have to provide portable toilets for use by workers and those being fed.”

      and this

      In January, the city became part of a grant to provide permanent housing to 22 people identified as chronically homeless. It also runs an outreach program through its police department and supports the homeless assistance center run by the Broward Partnership.

      Not quite as dramatic as you are making out.

      • North 4.1.1

        So there’s pretty much nothing to worry about then Nadis @ 4.1 ? Right you are !

        Damn……..If only people wouldn’t get so hoha about powerful people treating poor people like they’re not people. Anyway it’s not the powerful people it’s the powerful peoples’ rules. As clearly divisible as The Prime Minister and The Prime Minister’s Office here in NZ.

        Sure you’re not Gooseman or SSLands there Nadis ?

        “……and would have to provide portable toilets……” – FFS !

      • Paul 4.1.2

        What obscenities of neoliberal capitalism would you not defend so that you can maintain your comfortable way of living?

        • nadis 4.1.2.1

          No. I’m not defending anything.

          All I’m saying is that the standard breathless over the top sensationalism of posts like this doesn’t do you any favours. Interested people click on the links provided and find the reality is nowhere near whats claimed.

          If you are fine with exaggeration, hyperbole and lies then fine. But it damages your credibility.

          • adam 4.1.2.1.1

            So arresting a 90 year old for running a soup Kitchen is something we should not get upset by nadis? Very interesting, so charities should follow the law and go broke to follow unjust laws their nadis? This was not a fox news response – the reality is charities run on the smell of an oily rag, and you show your ignorance, and arrogance by saying this law is justified, fair and just nadis. Sorry for you nadis, sorry for you.

            • nadis 4.1.2.1.1.1

              Please point out where I said the law is “justified, fair and just”

              I’m pretty sure you can’t because I didn’t say that. Read what I said you moron.

      • Richard McGrath 4.1.3

        The headline, to be charitable, is misleading; the problem is not that charity is being outlawed, but that petty over-regulation has stopped people from helping each other.

      • Colonial Rawshark 4.2.1

        If you’re one of the super-rich aristocracy in the USA, you’ll get many chances to fuck up, go AWOL from National Guard duty, be a pot head and still make it as President.

        If you’re poor and black, you’ll get ten years or shot.

        • alwyn 4.2.1.1

          If you change AWOL to “avoid completely military service” that sounds just like Bill Clinton doesn’t it?
          He promised to join the National Guard to avoid the draft. Then when he got a draft number, based on his birthday, which meant that he had no chance on being called up, he reneged on that commitment.
          He also admitted that he used pot, although he did claim that “I never inhaled”.

          Mind you, if I had been in the United States at that time I would have done just the same as regards the draft situation. Never did try pot though.

  5. alwyn 5

    I think your definition of “recent” may be pushing things just a little.
    Bush ceased to be Governor just over eight years ago on 2 January 2007.

    There have been two governors since then, Charlie Crist and Rick Scott.

    I suppose that if we are going to blame Bush for things going on in Florida it would be completely reasonable to blame Helen Clark for every single thing that goes wrong in New Zealand. After all she was Prime Minister here much more recently than Jeb Bush was the Florida Governor.

    • alwyn 5.1

      ps
      “your” in the comment above refers to Northsider in comment 4.
      I’m not sure what I did to not get it as a reply.

  6. joe90 6

    Rogue state.

    Teachers would be able to use deadly force against students, and would be safe from prosecution, under legislation filed last week in the state House.

    The Teacher’s Protection Act by Rep. Dan Flynn, R-Van, would allow educators to use force or deadly force if they feel they need to protect themselves against a student or anyone else on school grounds. It also allows teachers to use deadly force to protect school property, and to avoid prosecution “for injury or death that results from the educator’s use of deadly force.”

    http://blog.chron.com/texaspolitics/2015/01/bill-would-allow-texas-teachers-to-use-deadly-force-against-students/

  7. Clemgeopin 7

    First they came for the poor and I did not speak out because I wasn’t poor,

    Then they punished the hungry and I said nothing because I wasn’t hungry,

    Then they made criminals of homeless and I stayed silent as I had a good home,

    Then they came for the state house tenants and I ignored them as I didn’t live in one,

    Then they hit the low waged workers and I said nothing as my wage was good,

    Finally when they came for me and I looked around for support, but I was all alone.

    ————

    Rephrasing the great Martin Niemöller (1892–1984), the prominent Protestant pastor who emerged as an outspoken public foe of Adolf Hitler and spent the last seven years of Nazi rule in concentration camps.
    ———–
    http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007392

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