Okay, so, yeah. Not a lie, this is happening. I my city passed a traffic ordinance a little over a year ago that would prevent panhandling on medians (for people who are younger and/or don't drive, the concrete sidewalk like area in the middle of some larger roads). This restriction applied to EVERYONE. However, it did affect the homeless people who would stand there and ask for money, which I'm sure most people are familiar with. The ACLU said this would infrindge on their free speech. Eventually they settled and the ordinance was reversed. More recently, another extremely similar ordinance was passed. The ACLU again sued, a spokesperson for them saying saying that it "criminalized it [poverty]." However, the mayor released a statement saying that it is a traffic safety law, not a restriction on speech. Full article is linked. What do you think?
[spoiler]I obviously side with my city.[/spoiler]
Edit: Figuring out link cause I'm stupid.
Full Ordinance: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://web.cranstonri.org/clerkdocs/2017Ordinances/Proposed/12-16-02SolicitationAmend.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwjBnc2Y77fVAhUO82MKHSLeDtYQFggpMAA&usg=AFQjCNH_GQ7-WU4ixGrsKvo6oyT826neHQ
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Bump because I posted in the middle of the night yesterday
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The problem with this is that they are seeing begging as a homeless person's source of income. If the law passes this action, for blocking the council's policy, then they are pretty much saying that homeless people only get money from begging. For a homeless charity to take action assuming such a thing, they put no hope nor prospects to the lives of the homeless. To that end, homeless people should only pursue their career in road-island begging and not expand their horizons...
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Shameless bump
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Maybe your city should stop doing stupid things?
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In the median or sidewalk can impede drivers, which should be illegal.
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Edited by Zeldasavvy64: 8/2/2017 5:53:55 AMWe should definitely help homeless people, but there are much safer places for homeless people to ask for money, like at the corner of streets, literally 10-15 feet away from the median.
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Of all the things it could be addressing, the ACLU chose this?