Tampa Bay Criminalizes Homelessness (Jacksonville, Clearwater: sales, construction jobs, purchase)

[things and stuff]

Originally Posted by floridagirl777

There's another man we've been helping out in Clearwater. He stands on the corner each Sunday when we get out of church. He has no teeth, and there is obviously

You're good people. We need more like your family.

Many homeless folks are just lazy, but many are also just completely defeated by life. They couldn't find a way to fit in and join the daily grind so they're homeless.

Many mentally deficient or disabled or ex-convict Americans are one paycheck away from becoming homeless. Often, family support is what saves them, but not everybody has that.

[Lior Arel]

I was briefly homeless a few years ago in Tampa. Why? I was estranged from family due to their lack of acceptance (Im gay), I was living paycheck to paycheck due to high expenses. My rent check bounced and landlord evicted me. The few friends I had in Tampa couldn't be bothered to let me stay with them while I saved up for a place.

Compassion doesn't mean only compassion for people with an excuse, but compassion for people even if they make some bad choices. The two gentlemen in the picture on this thread are being denigrated for their appearance. Do you know there story? Even of they did make bad choices that caused their predicament, should we not have compassion for them? They are our brothers.

[tinytrump]

The loss of two paychecks can make a family homeless. Thank GOD, I have never been but I judge no one.. who am I to judge? did I see how they were raised? did I see a drunken mom or a father who bailed? do I know who broke their heart or spirit? did I see what they saw in war?, I do know about human trafficking, where do you think these people end up after they are no longer " usable" by their "owners" - I have had money as well as had no money, I am glad I have family to help me up when I was down, and I have been family for others. Some at the very top also fallen hard remember that. It is written -Give mercy and mercy will come back to you, or -what goes around comes around.

[roadtrip75]

Originally Posted by Mike1306

How many here have been homeless so they can talk about this from that point of view?

Oddly enough, clinics allow people who have never abused drugs to treat drug addicts and courts allow law abiding citizens to pass judgement on law breakers.

[Mike1306]

Originally Posted by roadtrip75

Oddly enough, clinics allow people who have never abused drugs to treat drug addicts and courts allow law abiding citizens to pass judgement on law breakers. think:

That has absolutely nothing to do with what I was asking. I find that most that use that "think" emoticon generally are the ones that aren't thinking.

Of course doctors and other in clinics can treat addicts, jurors can pass sentence on those accused of crimes. Doctors are trained in how to handle addicts, jurors are instructed on what they are to do.

Many here are not just passing judgment on all homeless, they are grouping all homeless as one when there are many distinct groups within the homeless population. I have no problem with the law because it may help get the homeless with a mental problem to be able to see a doctor, the addict or the alcoholic may get a chance to dry out. Of course many of them will not take advantage and will go right back to what they are doing but the fact that it may help a small percentage is worth it.

I really don't think this will have as much of an affect the homeless that are out there trying to find work, who are just truly down on their luck by no fault of their own. Most of those homeless are not just sleeping on park benches during the day, they are out there trying to get back on their feet. Many of these homeless you won't know are homeless because they don't fit the profile that many have of the homeless.

[BucFan]

Originally Posted by Mike1306

Many here are not just passing judgment on all homeless, they are grouping all homeless as one when there are many distinct groups within the homeless population.

Exactly. And these ordinance are for the police to deal with a few hundred chronic transients who refuse to use the assistance available to them - they are urinating, defecating, sleeping in the public areas as if they were animals in the Lowry Park Zoo.

While posters in this thread use the law to show how the City of Tampa is cruel to 25,000 homeless people and families in the Tampa/STP area (estimate is high, imo).

[tinytrump]

I rather they use the resources on the pedophiles and child abusers. I agree order is needed, and certain things should not be accepted, in some cases, jail helps some folks make a full stop and see reality even if it for one night. They eat, get clean and sober up, that is a good thing- what is NOT- is how many look, down on all of them with out knowing the full story...

[tonyff67]

I don't think anyone is unsympathetic to someone becoming homeless. It could certainly happen to any one of us. The difference is in how you handle your situation. If I was on the street. At the very least I would walk to every business in the area, tell them my sob story, and offer to do anything they needed, for whatever amount of money they see fit to give me. If it was picking up trash in the parking lot for $2, then that is what I would do. In Channelside, there is a "rent a bum" place. Anyone can go there on any morning and contractors stop by and pick people to work as day laborers. If I saw a man mowing his lawn, I would offer to finish for him, trim his bushes, wash his car. None of it is glamorous, but you do what you need to do to survive.
Some homeless are mentally disabled, but the Nuts aren't the ones making signs begging for food.
If you can make a sign, you can work.

[jsun556]

I really dislike the ones that make signs. 99% of them are just lazy or scam artists. There are two I always see. The one with the fake limp on Westshore/Kennedy and there's one on Westshore/Gandy that walks around with a sign while smoking a pack of cigarettes!!!

[tinytrump]

Fortunately we do NOT think like them, and are able to get back on our feet, or have someone or something to guide us back,,, not too long ago our country was full of soup lines, and people renting rooms, taking in full families, selling stuff in the streets, just to make a dollar,,, could it happen again? and scam artist come in all sizes n shapes,, see ponzi schemers- they rip you off in the millions not just a $1.