Even after living in Oregon, off and on, for 30 years, I still tend to drive through a few towns there without looking right or left. One of these is Grants Pass, which has, as the Oregon Encyclopedia delicately puts it,
a troubled social history, with outbreaks of religious intolerance and white supremacist activity. The Ku Klux Klan was active throughout Oregon in the 1920s, with an estimated Grants Pass membership in the hundreds. The Klan had a short-lived resurgence in Grants Pass in the 1980s and 1990s, and the area was targeted for an Aryan Nations’ organizing drive, canceled after an anti-racism protest in the city drew 1,500 marchers in 1995. Militia activity spilled over into Grants Pass as well, most recently involving demonstrations by the Oath Keepers group.
Whatever its image may be, the city in 2024 bids fair to become the nationwide face of non-hospitality. Today, it will come before the Supreme Court to defend an “anti-camping” law designed (in the words of one of its sponsors) “to make it uncomfortable enough for [homeless people] in our city so they will want to move on down the road.”
If discomfort was their aim, the “anti-camping” ordinances’ authors achieved it. It is currently unlawful in Grants Pass to be anywhere in public with “bedding, sleeping bag, or other material used for bedding.” “Campers” don’t need to erect tents or shelters; merely holding a blanket violates the law. There can be no sleeping in public parks or other public property, and cars cannot be parked for more than two hours in public parks after midnight. No one can sleep in “any pedestrian or vehicular entrance to public or private property abutting a public sidewalk.” Anyone found “camping” or sleeping can be “immediately removed” from the premises and subject to a fine of $75 (for merely sleeping) or $295 (for “camping”). These fines are bolstered by hefty “collection fees” if not paid promptly. Though the fines are “civil,” a homeless person with two unpaid fines may be subject to an “exclusion order”—and may be fined and jailed for violating that order.
Homeless people in Grants Pass might try to find somewhere to shelter legally on a chilly night, but that quest is problematic. The city doesn’t maintain public shelters; it has a “sobering center” where intoxicated people can sober up, a temporary shelter for homeless youths, and a “warming center” that operates only on nights that fall below freezing (and doesn’t feature beds). Meanwhile, a church-supported “Gospel Rescue Mission” allows homeless individuals to stay—if they agree to work six days a week at shelter-assigned jobs, not to seek other employment while staying there, and not to smoke, drink, or engage in “intimate relationships.” Women may stay at the Mission with their children; men may not bring their children with them. Residents must also attend Christian services twice each weekday and once on Sunday.
There’s only so many times you can step on a human turd in the middle of the sidewalk downtown before you agree with Grant’s Pass.
Removed by mod
Removed, civility.
How many homeless people are you inviting to live in your home bro?
Human turd on sidewalk (homelessness) is a symptom of a larger problem, making poor people illegal will make the problem worse.
so, if I lose my job and my house, I should go to jail…?
No, if you’re roaming the streets on drugs, you should go to jail.
But if make illegal, problem go away, yes? Taht’s how law works? We should make sick and hungry people illegal next. Bam, just solved illness AND world hunger.
First they came for the Homeless. And I did not speak out Because I was not a Homeless . Then they came for the Sick . And I did not speak out Because I was not a Sick. Then they came for the Mentally Ill. And I did not speak out Because I was not a Mentally Ill. Then they came for the Trans. And I did not speak out Because I was not a Trans. Then they came for me. And there was no one left To speak out for me.
Typical liberal/Democrat reply. “Let’s just keep complaining, and offer NO answers!” Forced intervention is the only way to get those off the streets that don’t want to go, and don’t want to get off drugs. Sorry, but the days of “let’s just try and help them by giving them space!” are over.
Here’s a solution, tax the rich.
Can’t you watch where you step?
AGREED! We should do absolutely NOTHING about the Mental Health aspect that causes things like Turds on Sidewalks and Mass School Shootings and instead put your Neighbors in PRISON for the Crime of EXISTING!
Here we go… do you REALLY think those people roaming around are just going to voluntarily commit themselves to a mental health facility? Most of them are on drugs, they want ZERO help. Forced intervention is the only way to get them off the streets. But, liberals/Democrats will disagree with that and we’ll just keep going in circles, and NOTHING gets done.
Maybe the carrot is better than the stick. Maybe honey is better than vinegar.
Shitting on the sidewalk should be illegal. I don’t think sleeping should be illegal… What are homeless people supposed to do, never go to sleep? That’s literally impossible
And this is why nothing is getting done in California. Liberals/Democrats want the homeless to be able to sleep/live anywhere they…who cares? Meanwhile, a homeless lady literally just overdosed and died in front of a Walgreen’s where I live. But yet, those poor homeless!
I don’t think they should overdose and die either. I support trying to prevent that from happening.
And I wouldn’t say homeless people should necessarily be able to sleep ANYWHERE, but they should be allowed to sleep somewhere.
If they aren’t allowed to sleep in public, what are they supposed to do, trespass and sleep on someone’s private property? That seems worse to me.