Town uses Patriot Act against Homeless

[Ron 10]

They should not have used the PA here.

But the train station is not a homeless shelter.

It is not permissible to live there.

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[Salsa_John 0]

I do think we should something for the homeless. We should give them good jobs so they can take control of their lives.

But....

A terrorist could use the guise of a homeless person to case, monitor, and carry out an attack against us Anywhere.

for the record. I do not agree with this use of the Patriot act

"You did what?!?!"

MUFF #3722, TDSM #72, Orfun #26, Nachos Rodriguez

[JohnRich 4]

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Out of site, out of mind. Once you don't have to see them anymore they are no longer a problem, huh? Effective social reform

Then in that case, maybe we should empty the prisons and asylums into the train stations too.

Oh, by the way, how does letting bums hang out at train stations cause social reform?

[billvon 3,119]

>maybe we should empty the prisons and asylums into the train stations too.

Despite the beliefs of some right wingers, all poor people are not criminals, nor insane.

>Oh, by the way, how does letting bums hang out at train
>stations cause social reform?

It makes it impossible for people to pretend the problem does not exist. No one in NYC has any trouble believing there is a homeless problem, but a lot of people in Beverly Hills do.

[JohnRich 4]

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I'm sorry the homeless are so offensive to you but that really wasn't the point of the original post. It was yet another example of the Patriot Act being abused. Big surprise there!

Please note that I prefaced my comments by speaking as a "devil's advocate". That means I'm voicing the contrary opinion, because no one else was providing it, but don't necessarily agree with it.

And there are two discussions going on now:
1) Abuse of the Patriot Act. I think everyone agrees this usage is improper.
2) A general discussion on homeless people hanging out in public places, irrespective of the Patriot Act.

[JohnRich 4]

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maybe we should empty the prisons and asylums into the train stations too.

Despite the beliefs of some right wingers, all poor people are not criminals, nor insane.

I didn't say they were. I was responding to the comment that somehow allowing homeless people in train stations is going to cause social reform to cure the problem of homeless people. Based upon that theory, then we should also dump all the criminals and insane people there, and solve their problems too. Of course, that was sarcasm to show that letting people hang out at train stations really doesn't accomplish anything.

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Oh, by the way, how does letting bums hang out at train
stations cause social reform?

It makes it impossible for people to pretend the problem does not exist. No one in NYC has any trouble believing there is a homeless problem, but a lot of people in Beverly Hills do.

So we should bus all the homeless people to Beverly Hills? And that is somehow going to make all those wealthy people adopt these poor folks and take them into their homes and care for them?

[billvon 3,119]

>So we should bus all the homeless people to Beverly Hills?

No.

>And that is somehow going to make all those wealthy people adopt
>these poor folks and take them into their homes and care for them?

No, but excellent straw man there. Look how easily he fell down!

[popsjumper 2]

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Would you want homeless people camping out in your DZ's indoor packing area?

Lots of homeless people live at dz's. Some live in tents some are more fortunate to live in trailers but some sleep on the floor of the packing area and live out of their car.

Judy

Good point...I am currently studying how to become a DZ bum. While I am now practicing the "packing area floor" method, I want to do it correctly and with aplomb. Which method is the "coolest"?

Seriously....

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[Lindsey 0]

I don't think I'm particularly warm-hearted about issues of people sucking off the system and things like that. But I just don't understand why people care if homeless people sleep in a place like a train station. What is so wrong with that?

It's not a homeless shelter...that's right. It doesn't cost the rest of us a penny to let them sleep in the train station. Homeless shelters require funding. And, at least around here, there's not nearly enough space in homeless shelters for people who need shelter.

It's difficult for me to grasp how people can be so mean-spirited as to kick people out of a place like the train station when all they're seeking is shelter. Are people routinely being robbed and murdered there??? Somehow I don't think so.

I'm sure it's nothing more than people wanting to pretend that other part of society doesn't exist.... If we treat certain people like they're subhuman, we'll come to believe they are, and then maybe in our own minds we can justify these kinds of actions.... I can't.

--
A conservative is just a liberal who's been mugged. A liberal is just a conservative who's been to jail

[shropshire 0]

Cracking answer - nice post and I 100% aggree.

Regards,

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[StreetScooby 5]

If they're staying in the train station, where do they wee-wee and poop?

We are all engines of karma

[bodypilot90 0]

how about they get a job...day labour would take them. Church missions will help at no tax payer cost.

[billvon 3,119]

>If they're staying in the train station, where do they wee-wee and poop?

If you're in a train station and you have to wee-wee, where do you go?

[StreetScooby 5]

At home, before I go to the train station.

We are all engines of karma

[billvon 3,119]

>At home, before I go to the train station.

Often when I have to go, I use the train station bathroom.

[Remster 30]

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>At home, before I go to the train station.

Often when I have to go, I use the train station bathroom.

You must be a terrorist then.

Remster

[SkyDekker 1,465]

plus he has working knowledge of guided weapons sytems and satellite tracking...I am surprised he hasn't been arrested yet.....

[billvon 3,119]

>You must be a terrorist then.

True. I even had suspicious foreigners staying in my house recently.

[JohnRich 4]

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I just don't understand why people care if homeless people sleep in a place like a train station. What is so wrong with that?

Because that is not what the train station is for, and it makes it an unpleasant experience for those that are there to actually catch a train.

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It doesn't cost the rest of us a penny to let them sleep in the train station.

Extra police. Extra cleaning. Extra maintenance.

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If we treat certain people like they're subhuman, we'll come to believe they are.

Most of them do have serious life issues. That's why they're homeless. They have mental problems, and/or severe drinking problems, and/or they can't or don't want to work, and so on. There's a reason they are in that situation.

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It's difficult for me to grasp how people can be so mean-spirited as to kick people out of a place like the train station when all they're seeking is shelter.

Would you be so charitable if a dozen of them set up a permanent camp in your own front yard?

[billvon 3,119]

>Most of them do have serious life issues.

A great many people would refer to 'suicidal skydivers' the same way. The fact that you don't understand why they do what they do does not make them insane or problems (other than to you.) Many of them are clinically mentally ill, but others simply don't want a home.

There is nothing inherently wrong with being homeless provided you don't break any laws. If you want to kick them out of all public places, you have an obligation (in my opinion) to give them a place they _can_ go. If you don't want to pay for such a place, then you also don't get to tell them where to go.

[StreetScooby 5]

If it's wee-wee, then I don't mind using the train station's bathroom. No way for poopies.

We are all engines of karma

[billvon 3,119]

>No way for poopies.

I fully support your right to make poopies in a bathroom of your own choosing!

[Kerr 0]

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I fully support your right to make poopies in a bathroom of your own choosing!

This is the single best post in Speakers Corner, ever!

--
Kerr

[Gravitymaster 0]

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>maybe we should empty the prisons and asylums into the train stations too.

Despite the beliefs of some right wingers, all poor people are not criminals, nor insane.

>Oh, by the way, how does letting bums hang out at train
>stations cause social reform?

It makes it impossible for people to pretend the problem does not exist. No one in NYC has any trouble believing there is a homeless problem, but a lot of people in Beverly Hills do.

Hmmm... So is it your contention that it's mostly Right Wingers who live in Beverley Hills?

[billvon 3,119]

>So is it your contention that it's mostly Right Wingers who live in Beverley Hills?

No; it's my observation that they keep Beverly Hills free of homeless people with exceptional vigor. NYC, not so much.