Lies supporting a narrative over facts

The city council passed an ordinance enforcing socalled “quality of life” ordinances, including those prohibiting camping and “storage” of mounds of rubbish in our parks and along our waterways. “You can’t punish people for something they can’t control.” “You can’t put people down for being poor.” “Governments may not ban public camping unless they first provide enough shelter.” All are lies designed to support a narrative over facts.

These narratives, not unlike “Hands up, don’t shoot” are not true, but they might as well be, given how often they are repeated by those who find them useful. For facts, I quote directly from Martin v. Boise: “Even where shelter is unavailable, an ordinance prohibiting sitting, lying, or sleeping outside at particular times or in particular locations might well be constitutionally permissible. So, too, might an ordinance barring the obstruction of public rights of way or the erection of certain structures.”

Here is an illustration of the narrative. Say a person sets up a tent in your front yard. You ask them to leave, and they say “No.” You call the cops and they tell you, “Sorry, I can’t remove them unless you provide them an alternative.” Is that the way things work? Would you want them to?

Homeless lobbyists insist our hands are tied until we tithe sufficiently to their services empires as an “indulgence” for the sin of being “housed.” Charity is voluntary, laws are not.

— Rob Berry, Chico