Arce, Olivier want to punish the poor
I would like to reference the opinions of Fresno City Councilman Clint Olivier and the Rev. Larry Arce, addressing the homeless and their disposition.
Both men seem to wish to compel the homeless to behavior acceptable to their world view, otherwise, they are “vagrants.” It appears they feel property rights take precedence over basic human rights. I feel an undercurrent to punish the poor, particularly by the councilman.
Touching on housing for the homeless, I wish to propose a few questions:
What are the qualifications to manage housing?
Who selects these positions?
What kind of oversight is conducted by inspectors? Who are the inspectors?
Are residents expected to conform to regulations regarding religious activities and/or specifically conservative values?
How does an applicant’s “character” qualify him for assistance?
What aspects of behavior modification, if any, are imposed on residents that emphasize “Beggars can’t be choosers.”
Has anyone interviewed the residents for opinions or comments? How are they heard and by whom?
At a time when Wall Street and corporate interests trumps the welfare of over 90% of Americans, resulting in millions of homeless, destitution is always a threat to all of us.
Lawrence Michael, Fresno
This story was originally published November 5, 2015 at 5:48 AM with the headline "Arce, Olivier want to punish the poor."