Nashville needs to crack down on homelessness around here (child raped in Centennial Park) (Memphis: buy)

[scottv]

It's ridiculous...they allow homeless vagrants to run rampant in our streets causing trouble to others, while the police force is out cracking down on the real criminals: Speeders on West End

Boy testifies against 62-year-old accused of raping him in park | www.tennessean.com | The Tennessean

Channel 5 new story (can't find it now) said the 62 year old was a homeless guy...time to clean up the city of this trash, Nashville!

[Steve_TN]

One weekday when I was off of work, I decided to take my baby daighter to Centennial Park just as something new for us to explore. This was a few years back. After arriving, I could not get out of there quicker. In our one walk around the park, there were a number of homeless men who muttered something or another to me an the baby. They could have been completely harmless for all I know, but maybe not. We never went back, needless to say.

[ben52284]

I'm ok with the police taking care of speeders. I only wish they would ticket a few more people for failure to use a turn signal. It's a little scary bringing a child into a city where people are given two ton missiles and not required to obey proper safety protocols.

On the topic of people talking to you on the street, would you believe that I've been subjected to a drive-by proselytization? I was walking to Vandy a few weeks ago when someone pulled over their car to offer me some 'reading material.' Now tell me, is that really so different from a homeless guy asking you if you are christian enough to spare a dollar?

[Steve_TN]

Originally Posted by ben52284

I'm ok with the police taking care of speeders. I only wish they would ticket a few more people for failure to use a turn signal. It's a little scary bringing a child into a city where people are given two ton missiles and not required to obey proper safety protocols.

On the topic of people talking to you on the street, would you believe that I've been subjected to a drive-by proselytization? I was walking to Vandy a few weeks ago when someone pulled over their car to offer me some 'reading material.' Now tell me, is that really so different from a homeless guy asking you if you are christian enough to spare a dollar?

Yes, very few people use turn signals down here. I guess you are just supposed to read their minds. I'm originally from NJ and they were strict on signal use. I had to signal when I turned into my driveway and I still do out of habit.

That "reading material" incident is CREEPY!

[crescentia]

People are homeless becuse of the lack of local mental helthcare, drug problems and various other issues. Many of these people don't need to be run out of town or arrested, they need help. Calling homeless people trash is really ignorant.

EDIT: I have no doubt that some have criminal records, just like people who aren't homeless, but lumping all of the homeless together and calling them trash really irks me.

[scottv]

I've been around enough homeless people to know that most of them are being offered help by charities, etc but MANY of them CHOOSE to live this way-mainly because they are drug addicts or alcoholics and they beg for money to feed their drug habit-they'll turn down offers of food, rather have cash so they can buy drugs/alcohol,mouthwash whatever to get high-they've made really poor decisions in life and now have to live with that...call me ignorant, but at least I've made responsible decisions with my life whereas I'm not a drain on society. As for the crazy ones, they should be institutionalized, not wondering around with the general population. My point of this post is that of the many cities I've visited, Nashville has the most aggressive, openly homeless population that I've seen-even MEMPHIS of all places isn't as bad as I've seen here-THAT is saying something about Nashville in my opinion.

[artemis]

The police worked hard last year to get them out of the Downtown area. They're going to move somewhere.

When I lived in Fort Myers, FL, they used to sleep in the lobby of the Post Office. I haven't seen that here yet.