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PRESS STATEMENT
The following is a statement from Alan Graham, President/CEO of Mobile Loaves and Fishes, in response to yesterday’s Austin American-Statesman Editorial “Whose sensibilities would be spared by expanded ban in Austin?”
“Yesterday’s Austin American-Statesman’s editorial asking the City Council to think long and hard before expanding the ban on panhandling downtown was right on target. While the editorial couched the issue, very laudably, as one of free speech, I would like to remind the Council and the public that there is also a very pragmatic angle to take when opposing the criminalization of panhandling.
It doesn’t work.
Expanding the ban on panhandling downtown will simply consume more of the City’s law enforcement resources, push panhandling into other neighborhoods and give the perception that the problem is solved, or at least getting better.
That is a dangerous perception for our community.
Panhandling is a symptom of homelessness. Criminalizing panhandling does nothing to address the state of homelessness. Study after study supports that. The answer to homelessness is long-term, affordable, sustainable housing. Mobile Loaves and Fishes’ Habitat on Wheels project has a five year track record of lifting people off the streets and into affordable, permanent housing, in refurbished recreational vehicles (RVs) that we acquire.
Currently, Mobile Loaves and Fishes’ Habitat on Wheels is seeking a permanent location for our RVs. It is as shovel ready as a project can be and the Austin City Council’s time would be better spent approving that project than debating, yet again, an expanded ban on panhandling downtown.”
Press Statement from Alan Graham In Response to Statesman Editorial On Panhandling:
Posted by: twitter.com/taddruart | October 15, 2009 at 10:05 AM
Like I said in another post, I've been homeless for 3 1/2 years now and MOST everyone out there flys to buy joints, cigarettes, and beer. NOT basic necessities of life. These "poor homeless people" are starting drug turf wars and getting people who see no other way to make money other than selling joints almost killed and terrorized by other drug dealers and by themselves. I fly to buy my monthly bus pass and to pay off my storage unit and when I was on probation, my probation and anger management class costs. I sure wish we homeless people could get no cost bus passes and I sure wish I didn't have a crimnal history so I could find a job to get a roof over my head and a place to put my stuff.
My I could if I didn't have stupid charges filed against me by sadistic people here in Austin.
More churches should help out with bus fare and I sure wish I didn't have to fly to pay storage to put my stuff in. I want a life not a cheap handout. I'm not a piece of trash I'm a human being.
Posted by: Erica | October 19, 2009 at 06:50 PM
Erica, thank you for sharing.
Posted by: RoundSparrow | November 13, 2009 at 01:21 PM