Sociology Talk

Guest · Posted: Mon Jul 07, 2008 1:22 am Post subject: Criminalizing California Homeless

7/1/08
Attorneys for six homeless people have filed a new lawsuit in Fresno
County Superior Court alleging that the Rescue Mission (a homeless
shelter in downtown Fresno) has taken and destroyed personal
belongings that are critical to their survival, such as clothing,
medication, tents and blankets, as well as irreplaceable personal
possessions, such as family photographs, identification, personal
records and documents.

For the last several years Larry Arce, the CEO of the Rescue Mission,
has directed his staff to take and destroy homeless peoples property.
In October 2006, when he was called as a witness in the federal
lawsuit, he said “we clean the street in front of the Rescue Mission
every day and throw everything away that is left behind.” When asked
if they would throw someone’s property away if they had left it in a
cart in front of the mission while they got a warm meal, he said “if
someone leaves their property in front of the Fresno Rescue Mission,
they have no sense.” Arce said they have thrown many shopping carts
full of homeless peoples possessions away over the last several
years.

READ MORE:
http://reddingloavesandfishes.com/forum/index.php?topic=1039.0

Jeff Strickland · Guest

They do the same thing at the airport.

Walk away from your Gucci suitcase for a few minutes and see what happens.