Criminalization Of Poverty
90-year-old Florida man arrested for second time in a week after feeding the homeless again
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| Arnold Abbott, the 90-year-old man who heads Love Thy Neighbor Fund, feeds homeless on Fort Lauderdale beach across from Bahia Mar, Wednesday, November 5. 2014, despite the new city of Fort Lauderdale, Florida ordinance forbidding it. Abbott was eventually cited by the Fort Lauderdale Police. (Michael Clary / Sun Sentinel) |
"I think they feel a little guilty doing their job,' said 90-year-old Ft. Lauderdale man Arnold Abbott, who served more than 100 plates to homeless people on Wednesday with members of the charity he founded before he was issued another citation. Abbott potentially faces 60 days in jail or a $500 fine.
BY MARC WEINREICH NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Published: Friday, November 7, 2014, 11:30 AM
BY MARC WEINREICH NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Published: Friday, November 7, 2014, 11:30 AM
When 90-year-old Florida resident Arnold Abbott said following his arrest on Sunday that police couldn’t stop him from feeding the homeless, he apparently meant it.
Abbott was charged again on Wednesday night for violating a new city law in Ft. Lauderdale that essentially prevents people from feeding the homeless.
“I expected it" he said in a Sun Sentinel report. “At least this time they let us feed people first.”
Abbott was charged again on Wednesday night for violating a new city law in Ft. Lauderdale that essentially prevents people from feeding the homeless.
“I expected it" he said in a Sun Sentinel report. “At least this time they let us feed people first.”
Officers lingered in the area for about 45 minutes during which time Abbott and volunteers with the Love Thy Neighbor charity he founded handed out more than 100 plates of hot chicken stew, pasta, cheesy potatoes and fruit salad to homeless men and women.
If he’s found guilty of violating city ordinance laws — his second in a week — he faces 60 days in jail or a $500 fine.
Abbott said he’s prepared to go to jail over his efforts.
“Why do I keep doing this?" he asked rhetorically. "Because these are my people and they deserve to be fed."
In a slightly more confrontational incident on Sunday, four police cruisers and approximately a half dozen officers with the Ft. Lauderdale Police Department descended upon an area in the city where Abbott, charity representatives and church members were handing out hot meals to local homeless people.
One officer demanded that he “drop that plate right now” as others picked up the trays off food and inserted them directly into the garbage with lines of homeless people looking on.
“Why do I keep doing this?" he asked rhetorically. "Because these are my people and they deserve to be fed."
In a slightly more confrontational incident on Sunday, four police cruisers and approximately a half dozen officers with the Ft. Lauderdale Police Department descended upon an area in the city where Abbott, charity representatives and church members were handing out hot meals to local homeless people.
One officer demanded that he “drop that plate right now” as others picked up the trays off food and inserted them directly into the garbage with lines of homeless people looking on.
The new law in Ft. Lauderdale comes after the city announced in January that people are restricted from camping, panhandling, food sharing and engaging in other “life sustaining activities." The laws regarding food sharing where ironically enacted on Halloween when millions of people were out sharing candy.
Abbott applauded the officers for being more courteous in their enforcement of the law the second time around this week.
“They were very gentle," Abbott said. "I think they feel a little guilty doing their job."
Abbott applauded the officers for being more courteous in their enforcement of the law the second time around this week.
“They were very gentle," Abbott said. "I think they feel a little guilty doing their job."
Besides the citizen's petition to get the fluoride out of the public water supply for this years annual town meeting would it make sense to have a citizen's petition for some type of poor farm for our town of Templeton? Would town meeting be open to such an idea?
ReplyDeleteyes what the water department places in water as fluoride should be taken out of the water like right now , because the fluoride they place in the water is poison it is not natural calcium fluoride , but a by product a poison which has the word fluoride contain in it , its scam it cause cancer ,, and long list of heart and heath issue and does nothing for your teeth or the water please read and inform your self ,
DeleteIn the past. the Town of Templeton did have a "poor farm" and the tax payers footed the bill. I think it was on Queen Lake Road, and could have been on Racett's property. I do not think people would be to receptive to the idea seeing some have enough trouble providing for their own families, and we more than likely could fill a place like that 100 times over. I actually knew of a homeless person who would go to Florida for the winter, because it was to cold around here. Bev..
DeleteI think petitioning for town, by law is in order being a quorum , quorum is number of members of any body ( town ) who must necessarily be present in order to do any transaction or business of that body collecting signature for this and number being base on the last governor vote this past nov of Templeton this would effectually join the town members to any issue of important and control all spending issue , the town people if they refuse to show up at town meeting the business could not take place the would control the prostitution now claim by school personal and give a tool to the public
ReplyDeleteMassvocals please see me to sign the petition ,
I also think there should be some repeal of present Templeton present by laws due to reflection of the town people voting in favor on non binding questions the day of prohibitionist is ending
ReplyDelete