Just Feed the Hungry, Don’t Worry About the Law

Did you know 74 different cities [and growing] actually have laws against feeding the hungry in public? Think about that for a second, 74 different cities where giving a homeless person a ham sandwich in public can get you in trouble with ‘The Man.’ In places like Orlando FL you can be arrested for the simple, graceful, loving act of ladling hot soup in a public park. It seems doing this simple act of human compassion violates the city’s restrictions on feeding the homeless in public.

Many of these cities seemed to be worried about the people who live [I assume pay property taxes] near the park, and have less a concern for the homeless [I assume don’t pay property taxes] in the park. Remember Arnold Abbot? He’s the 90 year-old WWII vet who made the news, and the rounds on Social Media, who was cited twice in one week for giving out food to the homeless in a public park in Fort Lauderdale FL.

Now, I’m certain some will say, “There’s no reason to feed people like that in public, that’s why we have feeding kitchens. Let those places feed the homeless, there’s no need to fed people in a public park. It’s a pubic safety issue. It’s a public health issue” I get that, I don’t agree with it, but I get it. What I’ve found is that many people who say that are actually saying, “We don’t want those dirty, creepy homeless people in our area of town; we don’t want to see them in public. We have nice houses, nice parks, and make a good living and having those people around us simply reminds us of how greedy we are, and how we just don’t care about those people.” That’s truth, you know it is. Think about it, you never see a Feeding Kitchen in the more affluent areas of town, because they don’t want those people in their comfort zone. Feeding Kitchens are usually in the industrial areas, or low income area – far from the view and comfortable life of those with money. Not long ago I had a conversation with someone who lives near one of those parks who told me, “They’re creepy. How can I explain to my kids why those people are in the park. I have to keep my kids safe. I would rather they be removed and move to their side of town” [Which is funny, because by definition “homeless” would mean that they don’t have a side of town]. I believe we should be having that conversation with our children, because we will have to admit that we have too much while so many have nothing. When a person in need is in your face, in public, you have to deal with the problems facing people who are in need of help; and nothing pushes people faster along the spectrum of compassion than their child asking ‘Why don’t we help them?‘

Creepy, dirty, greasy homeless people disrupt our comfortable, affluent lives – and they should. They should move us to care, to help, to be involved in why we have homelessness and how our systems are not designed to care for the least among us. I believe we are called by Christ to live by an act of compassion, and yes, civil disobedience, when it comes to feeding those who are hungry.