Maybe because he wasted his time in public education and didn’t learn to read and write;
maybe because he’s a single parent and our society has fallen on its a&* when it comes to child care;
maybe because too many charity dollars in our society are given out to the most persuasive/aggressive street beggars, rather than going through organizations that could make more efficient use of those dollars to provide housing and job training as opposed to fueling addictions;
or maybe just because he lives in a town where panhandling is made easy, he can beg wherever he likes, and enough people give him money, no questions asked, he’s decided this is the best use of his time.

The reason we (I) botched this story so badly was that it required last-minute rewriting literally minutes before we went to press, and I hadn’t followed the council hearing with the scrutiny required to report on it, and inserted several errors. Again, thanks for setting the record straight.

Kevin

The Eye story also erroneously states that panhandling would be outlawed “Within 20 feet of entances to stores, restaurants and bars unless the owner gives permission.” The element of “unless the owner gives permission” was deleted on-the-fly by the city council during the meeting, i.e. ALL solicitation of any kind would be outlawed within 20 feet of entrances to stores, restaurants and bars.

The story misrepresents the public input at the council meeting by leading and focusing on Robin Hashem’s comments. Ms. Hashem’s were the ONLY comments in favor of the ordinance of the dozen or more who spoke. This despite multiple email messages sent by the Arcata Chamber of Commerce to all Chamber members regarding the importance of providing input on the panhandling issue at this council meeting.

There is a disturbing hypocrisy in the claims by councilmembers that this ordinance holds to a “progressive” character for Arcata. What this ordinance actually represents is a reactionary discrimination against individuals in our community who suffer from poverty. The “fear” that this ordinance is ostensibly intended to preclude is the fear of middle class citizens of Arcata who react negatively when looking into the face of impoverished individuals who are expressing their need for aid in one of the few ways available to them: panhandling. The “respect” that this ordinance is intended to create was best expressed by Mayor Stillman who described from the dais that she wants to be able to walk down the sidewalk after leaving a restaurant and have a private conversation without being imposed upon by any actors in the public space. The blithe ignorance of what it means to be in the public space that is expressed by this remark was simply stunning, and represents well the exclusiveness, and inherent disrespect of the broader citizenry, that the council is expressing with this ordinance. Councilmember Winkler’s comment that he doesn’t want to be panhandled while waiting for a bus was best responded to by Councilmember Brinton’s reply that all he needs to do is say “No.”

Do the citizens and councilmembers of Arcata think that Arcata has not spawned a significant number of impoverished individuals and families? Do we think that there are no unmet needs for impoverished individuals and families, so there is no need for panhandling?

Civil rights, which by definition include protections for minorities, are rarely established by the majority in favor of the minority. Civil rights are frequently established by the courts’ countervailing of inappropriate legislation and ordinances. The current ordinance, including the on-the-fly modification by the city council outlawing ALL solicitation of any kind in many of Arcata’s public spaces, will become an easy target for pro bono legal challenge resulting in expensive litigation and settlement, and nullification of this unnecessary and inappropriate ordinance.

“Aggressive panhandling” is enforceable with current ordinances, as stated in the most recent official report to the city on this topic, and as confirmed by the Police Chief in questioning at the council meeting.