Hungary to "forbid homelessness"

[Rev. Rye]

You know, I remember that the Southern US made laws like this after the Civil War. You see, after the slaves were freed, they were thrust into a society that hated and feared them, and they were more or less taken from the homes of their owners, who, regardless of how evil they were, at least were able to provide a roof over their heads (except, of course, when they didn't.) So, therefore, they weren't really given jobs and didn't have a home, so, after the war, they started Black Codes, which, among many, MANY, other provisions, allowed the arrest of any homeless blacks (read: the vast majority of freed slaves). The punishment was either an exorbitant fine or a set period of hard labor. Since anyone who was sleeping on a park bench was unlikely to be able to pay the fine, they usually chose the latter. And, here's the interesting thing: it was explicitly stated that white people could get out of this by swearing a papuer's oath, but that the blacks had no such luxury. That way, through a legal loophole, the south was able to have slavery within the post-13th Amendment law.

The parallels with this situation in Hungary are too easy to see.

[Doubting Thomas]

Please nobody tell the Republicans about this, or they'll try the same thing.

On second thought, let them try it and make them look even worse than they are. They keep digging themselves in a hole so much they ought to be reaching China about now.

[kılıç_mehmet]

In most areas of the US it is also illegal to be asleep in outdoor areas like parks and alleyways. You have to go out into the countryside in the US to avoid the cops harassing you for being homeless in the US.

I've spent some time researching homelessness in America and even found a forum about homelessness.

Yes, even the homeless in America can access the internet. Some go online in public libraries, friend's computers, or are people that used to be homeless or are about to become homeless.

It's horrible how we treat them.

Well, I'm sure this law is not aimed at hobos.

You know, I remember that the Southern US made laws like this after the Civil War. You see, after the slaves were freed, they were thrust into a society that hated and feared them, and they were more or less taken from the homes of their owners, who, regardless of how evil they were, at least were able to provide a roof over their heads (except, of course, when they didn't.) So, therefore, they weren't really given jobs and didn't have a home, so, after the war, they started Black Codes, which, among many, MANY, other provisions, allowed the arrest of any homeless blacks (read: the vast majority of freed slaves). The punishment was either an exorbitant fine or a set period of hard labor. Since anyone who was sleeping on a park bench was unlikely to be able to pay the fine, they usually chose the latter. And, here's the interesting thing: it was explicitly stated that white people could get out of this by swearing a papuer's oath, but that the blacks had no such luxury. That way, through a legal loophole, the south was able to have slavery within the post-13th Amendment law.

The parallels with this situation in Hungary are too easy to see.

You mean to say that Hungarians want to legally enslave Gypsies?

[Rahul]

Well, I'm sure this law is not aimed at hobos.

"Illegal to Be Homeless: The Criminalization of Homelessness in the United States"

http://www.nationalhomeless.org/publicat...ction.html

[kılıç_mehmet]

Well, I'm sure this law is not aimed at hobos.

"Illegal to Be Homeless: The Criminalization of Homelessness in the United States"

http://www.nationalhomeless.org/publicat...ction.html

The one in Hungary. The lot of the countries here don't really have a "homeless" population that is so much of a social issue than in the US. There, the homless are numerous enough to be noticed by common folk. Here, they usually aren't.

[Rahul]

The one in Hungary. The lot of the countries here don't really have a "homeless" population that is so much of a social issue than in the US. There, the homless are numerous enough to be noticed by common folk. Here, they usually aren't.

I remember handing an old homeless guy 10 million Turkish Lira back before you guys had a currency change. Back in 1999.

The currency exchange was pretty shocking to me.

I don't see bums all that frequently around here. They usually are found around the really large cities.

The homeless forum I looked into recommended that everyone head to California first thing. So they must be swarming over there.

[Autumnlicious]

They swarm in SF.

It doesn't help that Nevada dumps their mentally ill here.

Or that neighboring cities to SF roll a bus up to homeless, wave a 20 and dump them in SF.

"Totally voluntary"

[freedomfromforum]

I live in the east Bay Area near
San Francisco. We have many
homeless people here in my
small town. I myself was homeless
for eighteen months. I went
online at the library and I found
a job. I continued to live out-
side until I had saved enough
money to get a place of my own.
Barring any serious mental ill-
ness or other debilitating handicap,
I see no reason why other
capable human beings cannot
find their way in from the cold.
Granted, here in my area, and
in the US, there are ample
opportunities for one to regain
their position within society -
I'm not too sure about elsewhere
in the world as it pertains to this
specific matter. The entire thing
could be repaired if the Vatican
would sell its gold and gems, and
give the proceeds to the poor -
as Jesus™ suggested they do.

[pineapplebunnybounce]

Don't you think that if they could get out of the situation they would? I know many people who are stuck in minimum pay jobs who cannot advance beyond that because they cannot afford to go back to school or move away to get a better job. I know more who are unable to get jobs. It's hard to believe that anyone would go through so much effort (which staying homeless requires) but not spend that effort on getting a home. I know some are "fakes". But there is systemic failure when so many people cannot afford to live in a home, it suggests that they have no access to resources that will allow them to do that.

[Rahul]

It's hard to believe that anyone would go through so much effort (which staying homeless requires) but not spend that effort on getting a home.

I was talking about this with one formerly homeless person online and he stated that for most people, if you become homeless for six months or so it is practically impossible to get out of it.

That is due to losing or getting stolen all forms of identification, having no home address, no phone number, etc.

You can't do hardly anything to improve your station in America without that stuff. You can't even get benefits a lot of times because where are they going to send it?