Madness near the Magic Kingdom
[Image by Vasili Nesterenko]
What's fascinating about this story is how it completely rips off the veil of hypocrisy that covers the Christian right in 21st century America. Politicians get elected as "good Christians," because of their opposition to comprehensive healthcare services at Planned Parenthood for women and their families. These same politicians then fight to criminalize feeding the hungry in public spaces. That's right, people who claim it is immoral to force taxpayers to contribute a single nickel to help the poor, don't want private citizens helping out either. Can't have any of that creeping socialism that a troublemaker from Galilee talked about a couple of thousand years ago!
Three arrested, accused of illegally feeding homeless
Members of Orlando Food Not Bombs were arrested Wednesday when police said they violated a city ordinance by feeding the homeless in Lake Eola Park....
The group lost a court battle in April, clearing the way for the city to enforce the ordinance. It requires groups to obtain a permit and limits each group to two permits per year for each park within a 2-mile radius of City Hall.
Arrest papers state that Cross, Markeson and McHenry helped feed 40 people Wednesday night. The ordinance applies to feedings of more than 25 people.
They were arrested for providing much-needed food to too many people, too often.
Did your head just explode, like mine did? As Orlando Food Not Bombs spokesperson Douglas Coleman told the Orlando Sentinel, "They basically carted them off to jail for feeding hungry people. For them to regulate a time and place for free speech and to share food, that is unacceptable."
The group "has been feeding the homeless breakfast on Mondays for several years and dinner on Wednesdays for five years." Local police did not enforce the ordinance while the group fought the absurd law in court. Now that the city has prevailed, the three Food Not Bombs staffers who were arrested -- Jessica Cross, Benjamin Markeson, and Jonathan "Keith" McHenry -- face 60 days in jail and/or a $500 fine.
Orlando is already famous for Mickey Mouse. Maybe now, this central Florida town will be associated more with Ebeneezer Scrooge.
4 comments:
My brain exploded. It's unbelievable that helping the poor in this country is turning into a taboo.
These good people should dress up like the accepted images of Jesus and his disciples and hire a professional to video themselves being hauled off to jail. The poor are sooooooo tedious. Ulysses, I get more pissed by the day. Ahs is coming back Monday. Also, did you get my e-mail about Stumpy and Patrice?
My brain exploded too. I am about to go all "Biblical Prophet"-like on them. When lawmakers make laws that hurt the people who have nothing to begin with, it is terrible. When they enforce laws that are meant to protect others so that they can hurt the vulnerable, it is unthinkable. These are the people, that Jesus would be with. These are the people, we are mandated to help. I found this abhorrent.
I would dearly love to see Motivated go "all Biblical Prophet!" Somebody post the video when it happens!
Post a Comment