This is your 'benevolent govenrment' at work...

[Brooklyn Red Leg]

I just want to take a few minutes to talk about something that REALLY irks the ever loving drek out of me. The idea that somehow, magically, Statism doesn't produce evil fraggers who will conveniently stomp on whomever they can when its politically expedient is either laughably hilarious or a sign of extreme stupidity. Its easy for society to crap on people at the bottom and its exemplified by the kinds of things I have personally experienced. I've seen and it and lived it.

Some of you know that I have been homeless (and I do mean HOMELESS, not living on someone's couch, but living on the side of the f*cking railroad tracks) on and off since 2010. In that time, I spent at least 15 months, hardcore living on the streets and 10 months living on a couch and 2 months living in my old car. In other words, I've lived what is classified as all levels of homeless that is tracked that I am aware of at the moment. The sole exception is I refused to live in a 'homeless shelter' because I have no wish to be beaten, robbed, stabbed, shot, raped or otherwise murdered in a building that is literally less safe than sleeping on the side of the road in a gang-infested crack house neighborhood. Been there, done that, got the freakin T-shirt to prove it.

I have lost acquaintances and friends that I met on the streets to despair, alcohol, murder (no kidding MURDER) and seen others who dropped into the bottomless pit of drinking and/or drugging themselves into a stupor. And in all that time the ONLY help I or others like me got was from other people being charitable. I've met more than my fair share of people who live the Christian ideal of helping the needy. They have fed me, clothed me, provided me with transportation (more than 1 bicycle) and been a shoulder to cry on. And for their troubles, they get crapped on just as much by the government. They get run off from areas set up as soup kitchens. They get harassed by the local government sending around Code Enforcement a-holes who have nothing better to do than make life miserable. I've had places where I could get a shower and a hot meal shutdown because some jackass Sheriff's Deputy a-hole would rather crap on us than go across the road and shut down the freakin 2-3 crack houses nearby (probably because Crack dealers, unless homeless men, have a tendency to shoot back).

The government at all levels quite simply did not give a F*CK about us. We were little better than drek to be wiped off their shoes. I've been harassed by cops, trespassed from public land (no drek, PUBLIC LAND) that was unused/unusable, seen friends get harassed and/or arrested for the sole crime of panhandling and/or selling the local homeless advocacy newspaper (The Tampa Epoch).

So, to get to the point, I'd like to share with you the 'compassionate' government as I've experienced it and as others have cataloged.

Published: June 27, 2013

TAMPA - The city took steps Thursday to crack down on the behavior of Tampa's homeless residents, responding to business complaints of aggressive panhandling and people urinating in parking lots.

The Tampa City Council gave tentative approval to two new rules. One measure bans aggressive panhandling downtown and in Ybor City. That means no more asking passers-by for money outside ATMs, restaurants and bus stops, among other places.

The second measure bans living outdoors, storing personal possessions in public spaces and urinating or defecating on sidewalks and parking lots. Repeat offenders could be arrested after three strikes -- but only if the city has provided them alternatives they refuse to use.

The proposal are the Tampa's latest attempt to find a solution to its homeless problem.

Over the past two years, city officials have banned panhandling from drivers on city streets and worked with the county to open a 24-unit apartment complex for homeless people near the University of South Florida.

Tampa Police Capt. Marc Hamlin said the measures debated Thursday will give police some leverage when dealing with the city's 700 or so chronically homeless people, who often refuse help.

"Our intention is not to arrest our way out of this problem," Hamlin said. "This helps us force people to get help when they don't want to help themselves."

http://tbo.com/news/politics/tampa-again-cracking-down-on-homeless-20130627/

Minister Steve Brigham continues recording, amidst phone calls and other interruptions, as the Lakewood Township Police block the road into Tent City and prepare to make some of its residents homeless once again...

With over a decade of experience as an ordained minister helping the homeless and the impoverished of Lakewood, Steve Brigham knows full-well the hardships that these people will experience, being thrown out onto the streets in bitter cold...

The police charged in with guns drawn, and threatened innocent people for the "crime" of being homeless on so-called "public land". Many Tent City residents work and pay payroll taxes, sales tax, etc - are they not a part of the "public"? Minister Steve talks about how huge sums of taxpayer money go to subsidize certain politically-connected people living in mansions here in Lakewood, while the poor aren't even allowed to put up a tent on an out-of-the-way piece of "public land"!

http://tentcitynj.org/video/20131021-alexlibman1981-rg-d6ZS0CrA

Woman Charged $600 Per Day For Distributing Food To Homeless In Philadelphia, Continuing National Crackdown On Homeless

Angela Prattis, a Philadelphia resident, is now facing a $600 per day fine for distributing food to homeless people in public parks. Around 30 cities across the U.S. have enacted similar bans on food distribution in addition to a range of other punitive laws designed to restrict aid to homeless populations.

Tracking and delivering aid to homeless populations has always been a challenge for city and state authorities. The number of homeless has grown in recent years, commensurate with declines in the economy and increases in substance abuse nationwide.

http://www.mintpressnews.com/philly...on-continuing-national-crackdown-on-homeless/

And just before any of you think this somehow, magically, has nothing to do with the Federal Government, the last time I got chased off from where I was sleeping, the cops had a fraggin Lenco Bobcat.

Lenco Armored Vehicles

Free Grant Assistance from Lenco Armored Vehicles

Lenco Armored Vehicles is the leading designer and manufacturer of armored police vehicles for Law Enforcement Agencies and State Police & Sheriff’s Department SWAT teams. Lenco developed its core line of tactical armored vehicles in response to customer driven requirements for commercial alternatives to military surplus armored vehicles, up-armored Humvees and underperforming armored SUVs. Our product line includes the BEAR and BearCat, with variants of each vehicle for MRAP and M-ATV applications, VIP protection, TEMS response & rescue, Bomb / EOD and Anti-Riot.

Lenco Armored Vehicles products available/eligible for grants:
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• Armored Police Vehicles
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Lenco Armored Vehicles products are generally applicable for:
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http://www.policegrantshelp.com/company-page/Lenco-Armored-Vehicles/

 

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[Yakatori]

 

[Big Beautiful Dreamer]

 

[tonynyc]

 

[Brooklyn Red Leg]

 

[Yakatori]

 

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