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Police Arrest People for Begging
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- Columbia police have arrested two dozen people in the past 18 months for aggressive begging.
Twenty of them were homeless and 16 of them were committing no other offense at the time of their arrest for crossing the line when asking people for money.
Columbia City Council passed an ordinance in 1991 banning begging "with intent to intimidate another person into giving money or goods." Beggars can't block walkways or car traffic. The punishment is up to a $500 fine and 30 days in jail.
Homeless advocates and the American Civil Liberties Union say begging is constitutionally protected speech.
Michael Stoops is acting executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless. He says the intent behind such anti-begging laws is to force homeless people from the downtown area.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- Columbia police have arrested two dozen people in the past 18 months for aggressive begging.
Twenty of them were homeless and 16 of them were committing no other offense at the time of their arrest for crossing the line when asking people for money.
Columbia City Council passed an ordinance in 1991 banning begging "with intent to intimidate another person into giving money or goods." Beggars can't block walkways or car traffic. The punishment is up to a $500 fine and 30 days in jail.
Homeless advocates and the American Civil Liberties Union say begging is constitutionally protected speech.
Michael Stoops is acting executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless. He says the intent behind such anti-begging laws is to force homeless people from the downtown area.
Comments
Ben
I consider that "aggressive". AND some what intimidating as well.
It is a crock!
I used to feel sorry for some of them, but have become very hard after learning the hard way.
The ones that are truly suffering, and want to change their life, know where to go for help.
I don't think that everyday folks have to feel threatened to allow these scums to do what they do.
Back to begging, what has happened to pride?
[}:)][:p]
Some of these folks do this stuff for a job,........they have a place to live, and some even cars.
It is a crock!
I used to feel sorry for some of them, but have become very hard after learning the hard way.
The ones that are truly suffering, and want to change their life, know where to go for help.
I don't think that everyday folks have to feel threatened to allow these scums to do what they do.
Marc1301:
A local television station interviewed a number of the sign holders at the freeway on/off ramps this past month. One guy had been doing it for 13 years, and figured he averaged over $ 35,000 per year working 3 hours per day. His best year he figured at being over $ 90,000, pretty good for tax-free money.
Brad Steele
Two years ago they made panhandling illegal in Asheville. The city has put up ten lockboxes in the downtown area. If a person has the instinct to give money to a panhandler, they just put the money in the "Homeless Special" lockbox, and the money is used to benefit the homeless.
Asheville liberals have also bought into a nationwide program to "Eliminate Homelessness in Ten Years."
The solution? Build apartments for every homeless person. They did a census three years ago, came up with about 400 homeless in this city.
So they are building apartments for 400 people. They have got 25 per cent of these apartments built so far. At first, the rule was that the homeless had to complete a drug/booze rehab course before they could get their free apartment.
The other night the city councilman was on tv, he said, "Winter is coming on, we have got to get housing for these people, we can worry about drug counseling later."
Translation from liberalspeak, there will be no drug/alcohol rehab.
The problem is, that when the word gets out that homeless bums get free apartments in Asheville, bums from Chattanooga, and Columbia, and Nashville, and Raleigh will move on down, and Asheville will have 800 homeless, not 400.
Tough luck for Asheville taxpayers, my girlfriend owns 4 nice rental houses in Asheville, pays a lot of property taxes.
quote:Originally posted by Marc1301
Some of these folks do this stuff for a job,........they have a place to live, and some even cars.
It is a crock!
I used to feel sorry for some of them, but have become very hard after learning the hard way.
The ones that are truly suffering, and want to change their life, know where to go for help.
I don't think that everyday folks have to feel threatened to allow these scums to do what they do.
Marc1301:
A local television station interviewed a number of the sign holders at the freeway on/off ramps this past month. One guy had been doing it for 13 years, and figured he averaged over $ 35,000 per year working 3 hours per day. His best year he figured at being over $ 90,000, pretty good for tax-free money.
This is what I've heard as well. It's quite a rackett, wifey takes old man down town in their fully paid for new automobile. Old man dressed like bum and panhandles all day. Wife picks him up in the evening and takes him home to their new house. They live very comfortable on the money he panhandles.
There has been a bad problem with panhandling up here in Asheville. The panhandlers are very aggressive. In fact two drunk panhandlers approached me very aggressively outside a store in downtown Asheville last spring, I thought I was going to have to get physical with them for a minute, I mean, it seems unfair for me to kick the * of two skinny, wore out drunks, but, they were thirty years younger than me.
Two years ago they made panhandling illegal in Asheville. The city has put up ten lockboxes in the downtown area. If a person has the instinct to give money to a panhandler, they just put the money in the "Homeless Special" lockbox, and the money is used to benefit the homeless.
Asheville liberals have also bought into a nationwide program to "Eliminate Homelessness in Ten Years."
The solution? Build apartments for every homeless person. They did a census three years ago, came up with about 400 homeless in this city.
So they are building apartments for 400 people. They have got 25 per cent of these apartments built so far. At first, the rule was that the homeless had to complete a drug/booze rehab course before they could get their free apartment.
The other night the city councilman was on tv, he said, "Winter is coming on, we have got to get housing for these people, we can worry about drug counseling later."
Translation from liberalspeak, there will be no drug/alcohol rehab.
The problem is, that when the word gets out that homeless bums get free apartments in Asheville, bums from Chattanooga, and Columbia, and Nashville, and Raleigh will move on down, and Asheville will have 800 homeless, not 400.
Tough luck for Asheville taxpayers, my girlfriend owns 4 nice rental houses in Asheville, pays a lot of property taxes.
They have done a similar small "experiment" not too far north of me.
Apartments for drunks! Oh, BTW, they allow them to drink there if they want to, it is their right according to the politicos.
What a crock of garbage that the liberals thrust down our throats, with all of the feel good programs.
The "conservatives" pretty much suck too, at this point.
They are all leading us down the path to a third world nation,........but of course, "THEY", intend to be the ruling "elite".
We all need some help,..............very badly!
Verbal begging is one thing, ANYTHING physical and ALL bets are off. [:(!]
I used to offer them a free meal. Told them I would not give them money, but I would take them someplace to eat. NOT ONE ever took me up on the offer.
Verbal begging is one thing, ANYTHING physical and ALL bets are off. [:(!]
Very similar to my experiences.
One winter evening, I passed a very filthy looking guy pushing a cart, with not many clothes meant for the teens that we were expecting that night. He had a Vietnam vet flag on the cart.
I went to the house, and drug out a couple of my old heavy hunting jackets, and went back out in search of the guy.
Found him in about 30 minutes, and walked up to him with the jackets.
He looked at me, and said,......I don't need any d**n clothes, give me some money.
That was the biggest thing that changed how I felt about them.
I also tried the offer of simple work a few times years ago,.......they laughed!
There has been a bad problem with panhandling up here in Asheville. The panhandlers are very aggressive. In fact two drunk panhandlers approached me very aggressively outside a store in downtown Asheville last spring, I thought I was going to have to get physical with them for a minute, I mean, it seems unfair for me to kick the * of two skinny, wore out drunks, but, they were thirty years younger than me.
Two years ago they made panhandling illegal in Asheville. The city has put up ten lockboxes in the downtown area. If a person has the instinct to give money to a panhandler, they just put the money in the "Homeless Special" lockbox, and the money is used to benefit the homeless.
Asheville liberals have also bought into a nationwide program to "Eliminate Homelessness in Ten Years."
The solution? Build apartments for every homeless person. They did a census three years ago, came up with about 400 homeless in this city.
So they are building apartments for 400 people. They have got 25 per cent of these apartments built so far. At first, the rule was that the homeless had to complete a drug/booze rehab course before they could get their free apartment.
The other night the city councilman was on tv, he said, "Winter is coming on, we have got to get housing for these people, we can worry about drug counseling later."
Translation from liberalspeak, there will be no drug/alcohol rehab.
The problem is, that when the word gets out that homeless bums get free apartments in Asheville, bums from Chattanooga, and Columbia, and Nashville, and Raleigh will move on down, and Asheville will have 800 homeless, not 400.
Tough luck for Asheville taxpayers, my girlfriend owns 4 nice rental houses in Asheville, pays a lot of property taxes.
Can we send our beggars to Ashville too?
no exuse ! [;)]
I don't have a problem with the arrest under these circumstances.
maybe our people here in the US should stop and think before sending money over seas or going over ther to help those people. what is wrong with helping our people here especially our homeless veterns
JWB,..........guess you missed my post just above yours.
I went out of my way to try and help a "Vet",.......he laughed at me basically, and I would have had more admiration for him if he had simply said,.........I want money for booze, or drugs!
I give money to several organizations that benefit Veterans,.......unfortunately, the biggest beneficiaries are the CEO's of the charities.