The blind squirrel found a nut!
I am not one to write about Nick Coleman's weekly rantings, because others do it so much better. However, in this weeks entry Nick does manage to stumble across the nut.
"You might think panhandlers would be a low priority in a city where a 14-year-old girl just got gunned down after a birthday party.
Not in Happy-apolis.
Here in Happy-apolis, where everything is shiny and great, the biggest problem is street people with their constant requests for pocket change. We are not going to tolerate that anymore. Mayor R.T. Rybak has said so, and he has instructed citizens to dial 911 when they feel intimidated by a panhandler. "I do it all the time," he said recently.
Dear God.
Parts of the city are collapsing in a heap of foreclosures, school closings and gang activity, and we are told to sic the cops on panhandlers, as if the cops have time to respond to any panhandling problem short of a shootout in front of the basilica. I am telling you that when the history of this time and place is written, we will look like complete fools." (emphasis mine)
Nick, believe it or not, is right here. To a point....Yes the cops do have much bigger fish to fry. We are on our way to another record year for murders. I mean, when kids aren't even safe in front of their own homes or walking around the Uptown area something is seriously wrong. Then again, what do you expect when the Mayor would rather spend money of "green" roofs and bicycle paths - as opposed to hiring more cops to stop the rampant crime in the streets...
However, Nick does (in his usual style) wander off of the path in a big way here....
"These days, only upscale kinds of begging are allowed.
It is OK, for example, to beg on the Internet by placing a "tip jar" on your blog. Just click the icon and send the blogger a few bucks from your credit card. But don't insult them with quarters. For blogger-beggars, the minimum acceptable offering is $1; the maximum is $50."
Nick, Nick, Nick......do I really have to spell out the difference between a panhandler approaching you as you wait to cross the street at Hennepin & 7th and a blogger's tip jar. OK maybe I do....I have no choice when a panhandler approaches me. On the other hand - I can chose not to go to a blog that has a tip jar. Or perhaps Nick considers the tip jar at his local espresso shop to be panhandling...
Also, the clueless one isn't exactly truthful when he says that panhandling has been "banned". Panhandling in Minneapolis has not necessarily been banned. Panhandlers are prohibited from verbally asking for money within 10 feet of a cross walk, convenience store, liquor store or sporting arena and 80 from a bank, ATM or check cashing facility! They CAN stand at the street corner holding a sign begging for money. They just can't walk up to you and say "GIMME MONEY!"
Nick manages to make one valid point...probably his only one for the year. If the residents and visitors to Minneapolis need to stop giving money to the panhandlers directly.
"Give your money to the nuns, the Salvation Army, the churches and the shelters. They know what to do with it. A network of kindhearted caregivers provides support for the homeless, the mentally ill, the chemically dependent and the odd ducks who ask for money."
Now I can already hear the Logical Husband quoting our pastor's sermon from last week admonishing me for paying the "church" to do what I should be doing myself and he does have a point. However, a lot of the "chronic" panhandlers have chronic health issues that I simply am not capable of taking care of, no matter how "caring" or "kindhearted" my intentions.
I understand what Nick is getting at here...the panhandling problem is not the most pressing crime issue in Minneapolis. However, in his usual over-the -top style, Mr. Coleman glosses over the big point. We DO have crime problems in Minneapolis that the Mayor is ignoring. That is an story that is long over-due (for reporting) and one that we will probably never see honestly reported in the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Because if the Star Tribune were to report it honestly, they would be forced to admit that a lot of their "pet" projects are a waste of time and need to be scrapped.
"You might think panhandlers would be a low priority in a city where a 14-year-old girl just got gunned down after a birthday party.
Not in Happy-apolis.
Here in Happy-apolis, where everything is shiny and great, the biggest problem is street people with their constant requests for pocket change. We are not going to tolerate that anymore. Mayor R.T. Rybak has said so, and he has instructed citizens to dial 911 when they feel intimidated by a panhandler. "I do it all the time," he said recently.
Dear God.
Parts of the city are collapsing in a heap of foreclosures, school closings and gang activity, and we are told to sic the cops on panhandlers, as if the cops have time to respond to any panhandling problem short of a shootout in front of the basilica. I am telling you that when the history of this time and place is written, we will look like complete fools." (emphasis mine)
Nick, believe it or not, is right here. To a point....Yes the cops do have much bigger fish to fry. We are on our way to another record year for murders. I mean, when kids aren't even safe in front of their own homes or walking around the Uptown area something is seriously wrong. Then again, what do you expect when the Mayor would rather spend money of "green" roofs and bicycle paths - as opposed to hiring more cops to stop the rampant crime in the streets...
However, Nick does (in his usual style) wander off of the path in a big way here....
"These days, only upscale kinds of begging are allowed.
It is OK, for example, to beg on the Internet by placing a "tip jar" on your blog. Just click the icon and send the blogger a few bucks from your credit card. But don't insult them with quarters. For blogger-beggars, the minimum acceptable offering is $1; the maximum is $50."
Nick, Nick, Nick......do I really have to spell out the difference between a panhandler approaching you as you wait to cross the street at Hennepin & 7th and a blogger's tip jar. OK maybe I do....I have no choice when a panhandler approaches me. On the other hand - I can chose not to go to a blog that has a tip jar. Or perhaps Nick considers the tip jar at his local espresso shop to be panhandling...
Also, the clueless one isn't exactly truthful when he says that panhandling has been "banned". Panhandling in Minneapolis has not necessarily been banned. Panhandlers are prohibited from verbally asking for money within 10 feet of a cross walk, convenience store, liquor store or sporting arena and 80 from a bank, ATM or check cashing facility! They CAN stand at the street corner holding a sign begging for money. They just can't walk up to you and say "GIMME MONEY!"
Nick manages to make one valid point...probably his only one for the year. If the residents and visitors to Minneapolis need to stop giving money to the panhandlers directly.
"Give your money to the nuns, the Salvation Army, the churches and the shelters. They know what to do with it. A network of kindhearted caregivers provides support for the homeless, the mentally ill, the chemically dependent and the odd ducks who ask for money."
Now I can already hear the Logical Husband quoting our pastor's sermon from last week admonishing me for paying the "church" to do what I should be doing myself and he does have a point. However, a lot of the "chronic" panhandlers have chronic health issues that I simply am not capable of taking care of, no matter how "caring" or "kindhearted" my intentions.
I understand what Nick is getting at here...the panhandling problem is not the most pressing crime issue in Minneapolis. However, in his usual over-the -top style, Mr. Coleman glosses over the big point. We DO have crime problems in Minneapolis that the Mayor is ignoring. That is an story that is long over-due (for reporting) and one that we will probably never see honestly reported in the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Because if the Star Tribune were to report it honestly, they would be forced to admit that a lot of their "pet" projects are a waste of time and need to be scrapped.
Labels: Nick Coleman, Star Tribune
posted by The Lady Logician at
5:10 PM
2 Comments:
Let's not forget that New York City finally started moving to respectability when they started prosecuting the "little crimes" like panhandling. The ugly reality here is that the behaviors that lead to begging (drug & alcohol abuse) also lead to bigger crimes.
In other words, this may actually be a positive step.
By
Bike Bubba, at 12:03 PM
Possibly, but let's face it....it was not a homeless beggar that shot the 14 year old last week...
The cops need to get the gang-bangers off of the street first!
LL
By
The Lady Logician, at 7:33 PM
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