The common sense is that hungry people should be fed. and yup it was a stunt. rosa parks refusing to give up her seat was a stunt too. No one said that there should be no establishment. Only that people feeding the homeless shouldn't get arrested.
It's considered "cool" to shit on cops, thats why you see people like this telling cops they should be ashamed. When was the last time you heard someone tell our armed forces that they should be ashamed for killing a million civilians in the middle east? Not too often, why is that? Because its considered unpatriotic. But in reality there is no distinction. Forming a useless protest like this (instead of just getting the permit) will never fix anything, cops do not write the laws, they merely do their jobs and enforce them. Would you go to a gas station and protest the useage of fossil fuels contributing to the degredation of the enviroment? Should the attendant be ashamed that they are working the job? The answer to both of those questions is no, because the attendant is getting paid $7.15 an hour and does not have a say in anything.
If you're going to protest something, maybe think it through a little bit better than giving watermelon to "homeless" people.
I definitely agree that Cops too often get the short end of the stick and for the most part it can be a thankless job. Trust me, I do not share that sentiment. I appreciate the police in my city and how they continually stop shoplifters in my store.
However, as people, we are all accountable for our actions. For the sides we choose, the employment we take, and even down to the items we purchase. Our actions are our own and every time a corrupt nation state has fallen (I am not definitively saying here that the US is an entirely corrupt nation state) individual soldiers, police officers, and authority figures have always been dragged out and held accountable either by the courts or an angry mob. No one is exempt from the accountability of their own actions (except for maybe that one pizza delivery guy with the bomb strapped to his neck who was made to rob a bank, but people seem to think he was in on that one anyways).
If people are willing to pay the consequences for civil disobedience that's on them. I think all of the concerns about the crime in the area are valid however I question the broad sweeping actions taken against all homeless people in attempt to deter the "bad ones" from causing problems. There's more nuance here than bad cops and annoying hippies but people can't seem to see the forest through the trees anyways.
They would have been arrested if they were giving out shirts or merchandise, having a party, etc.! No person or group of people can do what they want on private property! Yes a public park is private property....its owned (run) by the towns, or counties, or state and they decide how that land is used!! They must apply for permission (permit). Back to your food argument. They would not have been arrest if they hand out food at their Church or at their homes...why because it was their property. So if they really wanted to feed the homeless or children they could have. Yes people who are hungry should be feed....But this group wanted to use these homeless people for their own cause. So who is the real bad guys here? The cops doing there jobs or the group using the homeless for their jesus rights!
Please stop comparing this to the Civil Rights Movement and Rosa Park. The Civil Rights Movement was about equal rights for people of color and women! This group just wants to do what they want, when and where they want because jesus didn't need a permit!
While I respect what you are saying and this is not directed at you, but people that make comments like this.
As someone that has worked in law enforcement and security for the past 20+ years most people would agree with Stephen here. The issue is that when something happened to a child or a female was assulted the first thing that people would say is why didn't the police do something about it. Most people say that they will be responsible for thier children at the park but how many of them really are? That and you can't keep your eye on them every second of everyday.
I know most people here are not fans of law enforcement, and I understand that, but it really is a thanklessjob. It is also just like the rest of society, most police officers are normal everyday people but a few bad ones ruin it for the rest.
That is very well put Greg, I like how you explain position without getting crazy. You are very right about the job being thankless, the problem comes in when you get the ones that expect things because of the job. Im very sure you know the kind, I dealt with them in the Army and Law enforcement.
Why do they feel the need to use the park for the homeless kitchen. If they feel so strongly about feeding the homeless, why not invite the homeless into their homes? They could rent a couple vans, and bring them to one of more of their homes for a lunch or a dinner. I would bet that they would not because they DO NOT WANT the homeless in their homes. I and others DO NOT WANT a homeless kitchen in our parks either.