The Sterling Stage, 6134 E. Hwy. 290
Homeless Scapegoated
RECEIVED Mon., Dec. 13, 2004
Dear Editor,
Having repeatedly slandered the homeless for alleged pooping and peeing on everybody’s door, parking garage, and parking lot, the Downtown Austin Alliance/East Sixth Street Community Association now demands the city surrender economic sovereignty over sales in the downtown area. Apparently nothing is to be sold in the downtown area, unless the DAA allows it, between 7pm and 7am. Aside from the question of how this will deter panhandling, where the hell are the "progressives" on this being an overwhelming infringement on small business, especially microbusinesses that might want to exist without the blessing of an overbearing lobby, which seems to believe that it alone is authorized to tell everyone who is and is not appropriate to exist on the streets of Austin? Essentially, from the local media reports, the DAA is asking the council to regulate the homeless further because there is panhandling occuring in downtown Austin! Further reports state that the ARCH perimeter "crowd," which is allegedly doing all things nasty and illegal, represent only 1% of the homeless, who are panhandling to support their addictions. Austin officially recognizes the homeless population to be about 6,000 people, so the ordinance is being applied to this class in order to affect 60 people (that is 1%). Further examination by the local news revealed that most of those panhandling have homes. Doesn’t this eliminate the need to pass this ordinance at all? Apparently not, because there is no report of the almighty DAA backing down; instead they have 90 days to mount a new attack. Everyone can now look for the council to be flooded in Darwinian e-mails accusing the homeless of doing the most grotesque offences imaginable. Is it too politically improper to suggest that some of the Sixth Street clientele is most likely to be "doing the doo"?
Having repeatedly slandered the homeless for alleged pooping and peeing on everybody’s door, parking garage, and parking lot, the Downtown Austin Alliance/East Sixth Street Community Association now demands the city surrender economic sovereignty over sales in the downtown area. Apparently nothing is to be sold in the downtown area, unless the DAA allows it, between 7pm and 7am. Aside from the question of how this will deter panhandling, where the hell are the "progressives" on this being an overwhelming infringement on small business, especially microbusinesses that might want to exist without the blessing of an overbearing lobby, which seems to believe that it alone is authorized to tell everyone who is and is not appropriate to exist on the streets of Austin? Essentially, from the local media reports, the DAA is asking the council to regulate the homeless further because there is panhandling occuring in downtown Austin! Further reports state that the ARCH perimeter "crowd," which is allegedly doing all things nasty and illegal, represent only 1% of the homeless, who are panhandling to support their addictions. Austin officially recognizes the homeless population to be about 6,000 people, so the ordinance is being applied to this class in order to affect 60 people (that is 1%). Further examination by the local news revealed that most of those panhandling have homes. Doesn’t this eliminate the need to pass this ordinance at all? Apparently not, because there is no report of the almighty DAA backing down; instead they have 90 days to mount a new attack. Everyone can now look for the council to be flooded in Darwinian e-mails accusing the homeless of doing the most grotesque offences imaginable. Is it too politically improper to suggest that some of the Sixth Street clientele is most likely to be "doing the doo"?
Ricky Bird
Bastrop
Bastrop
