R.I.P. Burlington's Spirit of Generosity

Yesterday, I wrote about the proposed ordinance changes against street people and Burlington's Phoenix House. Here's my comment on the Blurt/Seven Days post:

"I've said it before to my friends here (and I'll say it again): Burlington is a small town pushing hard to be a city. And if you read all the accolades Burlington has received in the PR "Best of..." categories, you'd think we were the most hospitable, liveable place in North America! We're not! As I read the whining comments on here, hardness of heart comes to mind. You've lost that spirit of generosity that has made Vermont great!

"When I lived in London ten years ago, I might have been irritated by the constant panhandlers, but recognised that this is part of life in a big city. Actually, I stopped frequently outside my neighbourhood tube station and talked with the people who sat there ("Spare some change, sir?") and heard their stories. Turns out the majority were human! Fancy that! And several friends I made had once been among the working class, laid off unemployed (one pay-check away from poverty), and were struggling to find food for their own families. (With the new ConDem government it will get worse!)

"The memo accompanying this resolution was written by police chief Schirling. He heads up that same force that sends deputy officers as department liaisons to NPA meetings, encouraging citizens to act as block wardens and report on citizens' "undesirable" activities in neighbourhoods. So much for friendly, community policing.

"I'm actually more concerned about the despicable NIMBY resolution against Phoenix House. "The Other America" is alive right in our own backyard.

Video: Lord of the Streets Episcopal Church in Houston

Lord of the Streets (LOTS) Episcopal Church began in 1990 as an outreach program of Trinity Episcopal Church to help serve the homeless population near downtown Houston. In 1993, the Episcopal Diocese of Texas made Lord of the Streets a Special Evangelical Mission. At this same time, a Bishop’s Committee was appointed to help with the governance of the mission. In 1994 the National Episcopal Church Executive Council named LOTS a Center for Jubilee Ministry, a designation for ministry affirming the biblical priorities of God—in partnership with the poor, the powerless and the vulnerable. Jubilee centers are charged with emphasizing four action ideas; these are empowerment, education, outreach and advocacy.

LOTS is one of the many ministries in Houston which offer service to people living downtown on the street. I was a member of another parish, but attended services there frequently when I lived in Houston.

Thanks to Episcopal Cafe.

Food for Thought on this First Sunday of Advent

The Bush Administration called them "nutritional aid." On its front page today, the New York times reports at length on the growing number of people on food stamps and the stigma of relying on them for groceries has faded.

Episcopal Cafe, however, links to another story in the Houston Chronicle about a Houston attorney who wants to close The Beacon, a program sponsored by Christ Church Cathedral, which helps the homeless in the city center.

According to The Beacon's web site, the four-day-a-week service "[provides] hot meals, clothing, private shower and lavatory facilities, laundry services, and case management to people living on the streets of Houston," all in hopes of eventually getting people off the street.

The Houston Chronicle reports that Arthur's suit is based the simple fact that since The Beacon came on the scene, his business has been compromised.

“What started as a good and noble idea has instead grown and turned into a danger to the health and safety of others in the adjacent areas,” the suit states. “The individuals sing, play music, dance, fight and (do) other undesirable activities. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, when The Beacon's operation is closed, things are once again quiet and pleasant.”

Cathedral leadership remains clear-eyed.

“The Cathedral is engaged in the business of feeding the hungry and caring for the poor, as it has been for 170 years,” [Christ Church Cathedral Dean Joe] Reynolds said. “Any time you do that, there are going to be challenges involved. We try to address those challenges. We have a stake in being good neighbors in ways that are consistent with the mission we have as a Christian community.”

....

“This is nothing new... We don't want to go about it in a cavalier way, but the Christian community has been in the business of feeding the hungry for 2,000 years. We're not going to stop.”

ADDICTED TO THE PARK

Oh, those ‘tolerant’ Dutch. Back in the 70s I used to hang out in Amsterdam’s Vondelpark. Thirty-five years on, the park hasn’t changed that much. It’s still the place to rollerblade, jog, picnic, sunbathe. The current neighbourhood plan states ‘the Vondelpark is for everyone’ (‘Het Vondelpark is voor iedereen’). And that includes homeless, druggies and drunks as Parool reports today. The ‘addicted’ (‘verslaafden,’ literally the ‘enslaved’), along with dogs, will have their own spot in the park to hang out undisturbed by police and park nazi’s. Cruising gays will also be tolerated as long as they help keep the park clean and use the special trash bins for their used condoms.

Intolerant Burlington could learn by this example. I have heard from our city’s homeless how BPD harass them in summer, when they camp out on the beaches. There's a move to open up yet another dog park in the South End; why not a designated area for the people living in the fringes?

Source (in Dutch). Photo: Parool.