Feeding Those Who Are Homeless Should Not Be A Crime
Thursday, May 24, 2007
This is happening all over the country and religious leaders are right to fight it:
A group of Central Florida religious leaders wants the city to stop arresting those who feed the homeless in Lake Eola Park and other public places and wants to meet with Orlando's mayor to discuss the issue.
The goal of Concerned Clergy for Compassion is "to stop the criminalization of taking care of the homeless," said the Rev. Matt Blowers of The Harbour Church, which is affiliated with the Free Methodist Church and Brethren in Christ denominations.
"If city officials think it's an issue, it's a civil issue, not a criminal issue."
The coalition is made up of clergy and lay members representing about 20 Protestant, Jewish and Muslim congregations plus the Catholic Diocese of Orlando.
They say they were moved to action by the arrest, under a city ordinance passed last summer, of an activist for exceeding the limit on the number of homeless people who can be fed at one time.
Feeding hungry people is a crime... Can you imagine the path we've had to walk down as a society to get to this point?