Love-Hate Mail
Letters from our readers
Don't buy itThanks to Jeff Woods for his inspiring piece about the homeless (“Outlawing the Poor,” Feb. 21). Everyone has money problems this year. Welfare for military contractors is vastly increasing our national debt. More foreclosures now may mean more homeless people soon. But as Woods points out, helping the homeless actually would save money by reducing costs of health care and criminal justice.I might quibble about Woods' focusing solely on Nashville. The wealthy want the poor to go away, but where is "away"? Some other city? The problem is national; our entire society needs a change of attitude. What kind of people do we want to be?I might also quibble about Woods' phrase "class war"; it implies both sides are aware of the conflict. Indeed, some of the yuppies are not heartless, merely blind. But their blindness is from narcissistic consumerism, which is not far from heartlessness. The downtown condos are emblematic of fortress America. In your gated community, you surround yourself with enemies of your own making; your materialistic paradise becomes a spiritual prison. America, you forgot to put your soul on your shopping list.ERIC SCHECHTERleftymathprof@yahoo.com (Nashville)Conservative compassionDude. Seriously. Your article "Outlawing the Poor" (Feb. 21) harkens back to the old days before Bruce and Albie became members at the Club and everyone that wore a tie to work was a "bizpig." It's not about rich vs. poor; it's about law-abiding, hard-working, tax-paying small business and property owners vs. alcoholics, drug addicts, criminals and a few severely mentally ill. Most of us welcome the renewed enforcement activity by Metro police. There is only one reason that panhandlers ask for cash on the street, and that is of course to buy alcohol or drugs. There are various options available to them for free meals and temporary housing. Is the city's attempt to curb illegal activity downtown inconsistent with our moral obligation as a community to provide for those less fortunate? Absolutely not, but our compassion does not and should not extend to giving a free pass to vagrancy, public intoxication, vandalism and assault. As to whether Metro should commit additional resources to address this intractable issue, my suggestion would be to increase the operating budget for the police department. From personal experience dealing with a family member who is a diagnosed schizophrenic and alcoholic and who has lived on the streets off and on for over 20 years, my sense is that providing public assistance to the homeless only serves to increase the homeless population.JOHN CLAYBROOKjdclaybrook@yahoo.com (Nashville)Sobering thoughtI was a homeless person on the streets of Nashville a year ago, and like the person who made the point about the tailgaters at the Titans' games not getting arrested (“Outlawing the Poor,” Feb. 21), what about all the drunk tourists and local people I used to watch walk down to Broadway after parking their BMWs in the parking garages, only to see them, hours later, stagger and stumble their way back up the hill to their cars, then drive off more intoxicated than any homeless person I ever saw?I don't drink or do drugs, but it really pissed me off when I was confronted by a local who was obviously staggering drunk, a yuppie type, who spotted me and hollered, "Why don't you get a real job?" I answered back, matter-of-factly, "Why don't you try playing a guitar out in the cold with the car exhaust fumes blowing down your throat, play for about seven or eight hours, doing all your songs from memory, playing only for tips, and then see if it doesn't feel like a real job to you?" All he did was stumble off into the night and curse at me under his very intoxicated breath.Not all the homeless people in Nashville are drunks and drug addicts. Some of us were just people who had a string of bad luck and couldn't afford the luxury of living in a loft or apartment. We are not criminals, just homeless. Remember, Jesus was homeless. BOBBY W. ELLIOTTbwebandit592000@yahoo.com (Nashville)Your back yardCome on, guys, nothing good comes from dogging one group to help another. We need to work together on the homeless issue. Jeff Woods obviously does not get it.As one who lives in an area where homeless and transients are allowed to gather, I doubt anyone is “Outlawing the Poor” (Feb. 21). Within this group, as in any other, there are those who become your friends, those you can help and those you cannot, those who are addicted, those who are mentally ill, along with those who have committed various crimes, and a few obviously homeless wanting jobs and assistance. These souls came into life just as the rest of us, but circumstances left them unable to cope. Many turn to alcohol, drugs and crime. Laws against aggressive panhandling and open camps provide safety for everyone. How absurd to call this “Nashville's new class war”! If you do not understand those labeled the “up-and-comers” in this debacle, I suggest you go to churches closest to your home and ask them to open a soup kitchen to serve 200 to 300 several times a week. After providing this service in your neighborhood for several months, you will be enlightened. Your neighborhood will have multiple car break-ins, you will have transients on your steps, your home and business air conditioners will be stripped of copper, your streets will be littered with all the handouts of clothing and food, shopping centers and four-way stops will have aggressive panhandlers, and your benches will be filled with inebriated human beings. Public parks will be a haven for sex, drugs and camps. Yes, the services may close at 3 p.m., but the people are left with nowhere to go. Next you will have camps in your open spaces and vacant buildings. Drugs, alcohol and prostitution will prevail. Don’t forget the normal body functions necessary for all of us. This will give each area a chance to understand and experience what this means to a neighborhood. Hopefully, this new camp in your neighborhood will encourage you to look for answers.Come on, let's quit throwing stones and help those we can and make those who do not accept help obey the law. Please stop the sensationalism and judgment.CAROL W. WILLIAMSwachtel@bellsouth.net (Nashville)Poor assumptionThe most irresponsible implication of the Feb. 21 story “Outlawing the Poor” is that poor people rely on panhandling to get by. This is an insult to people who work two or more jobs to make ends meet. Real poor people could do without Mr. Woods grouping them in the same category as addicts, drifters and con artists. The truth is, homeless people willing to follow simple rules won’t be denied basic necessities in Nashville—no panhandling required. The Campus for Human Development is not the only shelter in town. When they run out of beds, the Rescue Mission is two blocks away and won’t turn down anyone on a cold night. And by the way, Mr. Woods, 211 is a free call from any pay phone. BEN BAHILbbahil@hotmail.com (Nashville)Don't stop nowDo keep exploring what happens with Nashville’s 2,200 homeless downtown (“Outlawing the Poor,” Feb. 21), and keep the issue before our eyes—and the mayor’s. The end of this article touched on a few responses and solutions—let’s hear more of that. We need a path to consistent shelter, work and rehabilitation as much as we need paths to citizenship for illegal aliens. The alternative does seem to be simply herding folks from place to place. HAMPTON HOWELLovate@bellsouth.net (Nashville)Critical delightDavid Maddox's essay on the Guayasamin exhibit is superb: informative and at the same time sharp and analytical (“The View From the Equator,” Feb. 21). It is one of the best analyses I read on the pieces in the exhibit. As one of the organizers of this event, I thank you. CARLOS JAUREGUIcarlos.jauregui@vanderbilt.edu (Nashville)
Comments (2)
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There are many laws that are mis bent to arrest homeless folks that were not meant for the purpose they are being enforced. There are violations of homeless people's civil rights that are being violated on a regular basis. There are some homeless people who are unfortunately doing a life sentance one day at a time bucause they are on the radar and cannot do or be different than they are. We are crimanalizing the homeless in Nashville and in a lot of other cities in America. Open container law was designed for being in a car with an open container. But it is used to arrest homeless people but ignored when they have the wine tasting events on the Shelby Bridge and at Titan's talegatting parties. I just want laws to be enforced the same for all. It is not happening. Blocking the right of way was designed to keep big trucks from stopping on streets and keeping others from being able to pass. But it is used to arrest a homeless person with a backpack larger than his back. They arrest homeless now for aggressive pan handleing if at an intersection but kids with buckets ren to cars begging for money, often with no adult supervision, and nothing is done. The use of blocking the entrance to a public building sitting on the front steps of the Custom House when they are not an entrance at all and only a fire exit. Arresting homeless peoples for this is sad. After all we are being denied access to public space. We the people -- all the people -- should have access to public spaces. Homeless people are on their feet most of the time. I am over 50 and walk aroung downtown a lot myself and there is not enough places to sit downtown for anybody. The little spiked fences, no trespassing signs and those BS ATM machines placed to be able to take advantage of the Panhandleing law. I have not tried to use any of them to see if they even have money in them. And as far as 211 I have been a service provider for 20 years and have had to complain to get information I know was in the system and where are the pay phones anyway? They are scarcer than benches. I'm just saying that in order to understand the harrassment, the system's unfairness and the way people treat homeless people you have to be educated about the injustices. When events are downtown there are sweeps done to arrest homeless people. This is fact, not just here but everywhere. If you donot believe it then go down town, before a run, walk, or scheduled downtown event and just sit on a wall, wear the clothes you have in bottom of your hamper, take a backpack and a couple of little sacks and see if you might get to go to jail for the weekend. But they will let you out if you plead guilty with time served. Say you are innocent and you maybe there a month or two at least. There is no pre release, no bond money for homeless folks. Just try it. Get a group of college student and go sit on the Custom House Steps, you won't get arrested. But homeless people do. There is a war of sorts against the homeless. Not everybody does is aware of it, or wants to believe it. But it is real. On the streets there is no freedom of speech, no freedom of peaceful assembly, no equal rights. We were the first downtown residents. Low income housing with services is cheaper and makes more sence. We supliment the Preditor's rent but it is like we ask for the impossible when we ask for housing that we can afford. We had 2200 kids with no addresses in Metro's school system last year. We have more than 500 homeless veteran's on our streets every night, mostly vietnam Vets but they are coming home from Bush's War homeless. We have had people with mental illness on the streets since Reagan. These are not 'by choice' homeless. This community does have good services for some things but they are also arresting or threatening to arrest good church folds who are trying to feed homeless folks. This is why I am glad for articles that show the plight of my brothers and sisters still on the streets.
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There are many laws that are mis bent to arrest homeless folks that were not meant for the purpose they are being enforced. There are violations of homeless people's civil rights that are being violated on a regular basis. There are some homeless people who are unfortunately doing a life sentance one day at a time bucause they are on the radar and cannot do or be different than they are. We are crimanalizing the homeless in Nashville and in a lot of other cities in America. Open container law was designed for being in a car with an open container. But it is used to arrest homeless people but ignored when they have the wine tasting events on the Shelby Bridge and at Titan's talegatting parties. I just want laws to be enforced the same for all. It is not happening. Blocking the right of way was designed to keep big trucks from stopping on streets and keeping others from being able to pass. But it is used to arrest a homeless person with a backpack larger than his back. They arrest homeless now for aggressive pan handleing if at an intersection but kids with buckets ren to cars begging for money, often with no adult supervision, and nothing is done. The use of blocking the entrance to a public building sitting on the front steps of the Custom House when they are not an entrance at all and only a fire exit. Arresting homeless peoples for this is sad. After all we are being denied access to public space. We the people -- all the people -- should have access to public spaces. Homeless people are on their feet most of the time. I am over 50 and walk aroung downtown a lot myself and there is not enough places to sit downtown for anybody. The little spiked fences, no trespassing signs and those BS ATM machines placed to be able to take advantage of the Panhandleing law. I have not tried to use any of them to see if they even have money in them. And as far as 211 I have been a service provider for 20 years and have had to complain to get information I know was in the system and where are the pay phones anyway? They are scarcer than benches. I'm just saying that in order to understand the harrassment, the system's unfairness and the way people treat homeless people you have to be educated about the injustices. When events are downtown there are sweeps done to arrest homeless people. This is fact, not just here but everywhere. If you donot believe it then go down town, before a run, walk, or scheduled downtown event and just sit on a wall, wear the clothes you have in bottom of your hamper, take a backpack and a couple of little sacks and see if you might get to go to jail for the weekend. But they will let you out if you plead guilty with time served. Say you are innocent and you maybe there a month or two at least. There is no pre release, no bond money for homeless folks. Just try it. Get a group of college student and go sit on the Custom House Steps, you won't get arrested. But homeless people do. There is a war of sorts against the homeless. Not everybody does is aware of it, or wants to believe it. But it is real. On the streets there is no freedom of speech, no freedom of peaceful assembly, no equal rights. We were the first downtown residents. Low income housing with services is cheaper and makes more sence. We supliment the Preditor's rent but it is like we ask for the impossible when we ask for housing that we can afford. We had 2200 kids with no addresses in Metro's school system last year. We have more than 500 homeless veteran's on our streets every night, mostly vietnam Vets but they are coming home from Bush's War homeless. We have had people with mental illness on the streets since Reagan. These are not 'by choice' homeless. This community does have good services for some things but they are also arresting or threatening to arrest good church folds who are trying to feed homeless folks. This is why I am glad for articles that show the plight of my brothers and sisters still on the streets.
