Feds: Cities shouldn't make sleeping in the streets a crime

[inanna]

Source: Associated Press

55 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department is opposing a law in Idaho's biggest city that makes it a crime for homeless people to sleep in public places.

The department says the Boise ordinance unconstitutionally punishes people for being homeless.

At issue is a federal lawsuit on behalf of homeless people convicted of violating the local law. The department has filed a statement supporting the lawsuit.

The head of the department's civil rights division says many homeless people can't find a place to sleep indoors because Boise's shelters are over capacity or inaccessible to people with disabilities.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/feds-cities-shouldnt-sleeping-streets-crime-191626176--politics.html

[PoliticAverse]

1. Would one be permitted to sleep on the steps of the Justice Department? n/t

[Ed Suspicious]

2. Sadly, no. But that would shine a pretty bright spotlight on the issue of homelessness.

[hobbit709]

3. Anatole France said it best. Of course the rich don't have to do these things.

The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread.

[Psephos]

12. A brilliant statement. n/t

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

4. I got a better idea: how bout the Feds make causing people to fall into poverty a crime!

Why we need President Sanders to start representing the people sleeping on Main Street, instead of the corporatists reaping on Wall Street!
Go Bernie Go!

[Alkene]

13. +1 n/t

[AllFieldsRequired]

5. I suppose the right wing politicians pushing this lunacy have no alternatives

for the homeless and needy.

I think they wish they would literally disappear.

There is one way for that to happen, death.

[BlueJazz]

6. You should read the comments. Right wing nuts and idiots who want the homeless to just go away...

...or die.

[silvershadow]

7. 81 views. Proud to be the second recommendation. nt

[Feeling the Bern]

8. Remember when we had a war on poverty and not a war on the poor

Jean Valjean is coming back, only it isn't 1830s France, it's 2010s America and it's sickening to me.

[jtuck004]

9. It's summer.A couple million people descending on Boise to sleep in the streets

and fill the jails might influence their decision? Fill the jails of Boise and a dozen temporary shelters...lol.

A big, free street festival during the day, streets filled with sleepers at night.

The entire Northwest deserves to be explored. Boise could serve as a base of operations, and think of all the money
that would be saved by not spending money on their hotel rooms.

Wonder where they would get the taxes to police all of that...

[kickysnana]

10. And Feds should not treat refugees as criminals. Talk is cheap. n/t

[Little Tich]

11. Being homeless and forced to sleep in the streets isn't a lifestyle choice. This is ridiculous. n/t

[Raster]

14. Methinks the Oligarchy wants homeless people sleeping in the streets....

...it helps to keep the rest of us in line.