View on the News

Brother, can you spare a dime?

Posted

A Depression-era song crooned by legendary singer Bing Crosby depicted the sense of fruitlessness one feels when one has to beg to survive. Throughout world history, the lowest echelon of any society has resorted to begging as a means of survival. Some are rendered into a chronic cycle of despair through drug addiction, drunkenness, and moreover dedicated self-destruction. And differing societies throughout history have faced these desperate never-do-wells with varying degrees of status, punishment, and compassion.

Whatever malady constrains their spirits, homeless panhandlers are an affliction on commerce, a dangerous threat to the sense of public safety, and a darkening of the landscape of the city of Providence.

Recently, former Providence Mayor Joseph Paolino convened a meeting of city leaders, public advocates, and concerned business operators to address the mounting vagrant problems in Kennedy Plaza and Burnside Park, and for that matter the city as a whole. Particular interests and emotional versus practical sensibilities were differentiated and defined at the forum.

Similarly, the age-old discourse on whether panhandling is constitutionally protected as free speech has been propelled by the rise of this issue especially on local talk radio. There, the issue has been statistically overstated in its direness, although nevertheless it is an important concern.

So, what to do about the meandering lost in our capital city is not necessarily a simple issue. Some have tried to define the difficulties as a matter of lack of enforcing established ordinances. Others have said homelessness and begging are primarily social awareness issues, while still others view these problems in strict economic terms. Whichever the standpoint one holds, those solicited by the desperate cannot help wonder what to do or think when they hear the question: Brother, can you spare a dime?

Begging to substantiate survival has been an element of all societies since the dawn of time itself. In ancient Greece throughout the Byzantine era, a beggar’s class was determined by his deportment while panhandling. If a beggar simply begged in a market square imploring the prosperous for a meal, he would be poorly thought of. This type of beggar was referred to as a “ptochos,” or passive poor. However, if a beggar performed by playing a crude musical instrument or sang and danced, that beggar was deemed more acceptable to society. This kind of beggar was called a “penes,” or active poor, and was considered a better class of human being in Greek society overall.

The idea that a panhandler of any station would remotely consider defiling his surroundings through abhorrent public behavior was never a notion in ancient times. Even beggars were held to a degree of civility. If one broke the code, either ptochos or penes, he would be shunned forever.

As time transpired, treatment of panhandlers did not necessarily become more compassionate. In late 15th-century England, under King Henry VII, the British Parliament enacted the “Vagabond Act.” Anyone caught begging would be placed in public “stocks” for three days and nights for the first offense. Magistrates did not differentiate between the “impotent poor,” meaning the sick, elderly, and the disabled, or the relatively healthy poor. All were punished the same.

About 50 years later, England went further by enacting the “Vagrancy Act.” This held a first begging offense would require a punishment of branding one’s neck with a “V” and two years of servitude. The second offense would require a sentence of lifelong slavery. The third offense was public execution by axe. Beggars were not considered worthy of the rope. In the 17th century, England “evolved” and established “workhouses” in which panhandlers were given sentences of manufacturing servitude more at the discretion of the ruling magistrate.

Certainly, no one concerned with Kennedy Plaza is suggesting public stocks, executions, slavery, or forced work, or are they? Radio talk show discussions have been pervasive with callers and certain hosts suggesting that the unfortunate should be put to work in some capacity doing menial service in exchange for sustenance. Many participants have been compassionless in their suggestions of how to handle these paupers.

Most exaggerated has been the problem of homelessness in the Ocean State. According to the Department Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR), Rhode Island has the third-lowest homeless rate per-capita in the country with only 1,111 persons assessed as homeless in 2015. Of that number, only 36 are unsheltered. Thus, meaning most have a publicly provided place to sleep and be protected from the elements.

Furthermore, in the nation as a whole, homelessness has decreased by 13 percent between 2007 and 2015 to a current 564,000 people out of an approximate total population of 310 million.

Of course, the idea that over 500,000 of our fellow citizens are homeless should not foster indifference to anyone but the hardest of hearts. Yet, part of that reality is of course related to the scourge of drug addiction, alcoholism, mental illness, military service-related PTSD, and an economy that holds little in opportunities for unskilled or low-skilled workers. Still, America is indeed a compassionate society that provides a safety net for those who have fallen in life. Nevertheless, the complexities involved individually in how someone slips into the abyss of despair differ.

In the aforementioned Providence forum, an egalitarian paradigm seems to be the governing ideal gleaned from the Paolino meeting. The former mayor explained: “It’s not us against them. It’s not them against us. It’s us working together.” Almost 50 stakeholders expressed their standpoints at the meeting and were equally respected. The objective is to formulate some master plan within a month.

However, no one can deny that since Mayor Jorge Elorza made his directive not to enforce the anti-panhandling ordinances, that action lit the fuse on the powder keg that has resulted in the explosion of increased begging in our capital city and unleashed all the horrific collateral damage. Cliff Wood, executive director of the Providence Parks Conservancy, stated: “Almost overnight, the dysfunction has increased. The environment has changed dramatically.” Complaints of scattered trash, massive vagrancy, public urination, and pervasive open-air drug dealing have skyrocketed.

The frustration felt by all the businesses in the area was expressed by local dentist Dr. Deepak Saluja: “It’s a combat zone. I don’t understand why it’s being allowed”

Conspicuously, one might think the answer is to simply enforce the anti-panhandling and anti-loitering statutes, but Elorza will not do so on a constitutional basis. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has initiated lawsuits before in defense of panhandlers and homeless on the basis of the First Amendment and its protection of free speech. The United States Court of Appeals has struck down two anti-panhandling laws in both Michigan and California for violating the beggars’ right of free speech. Elorza, being a former law professor, shares this sentiment.

What Elorza does not consider strongly enough are the rights of those businesspersons who are meeting overheads and paying taxes, and those visitors to the city who should be guaranteed the right to visit un-accosted, and other Rhode Islanders who conduct business on a schedule and do not need their day impeded by bothersome beggars. Moreover, what reputation do we want our capital city to reflect? Do we want Providence known as a vagrant’s paradise?

It is not dispassionate to prioritize the protection of regular citizens who are merely attempting to live their lives as good citizens in peace and should not be deterred in that pursuit by those who have fallen in our society. The problems of panhandlers should be addressed with kindheartedness.

Simultaneously, the sensibilities of the rest of society need to be considered with equity and practical consideration. Brother, can you spare a dime? Sure, but it depends on how and where you ask me.

Comments

5 comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here

  • tony_verita

    I beleive that there is a very simple solution to the issue of 'panhandling.'

    The answer is to do the same with panhandlers as would be done with any civic organiztion, ie as if say CLCF or CWLL was going to raise money for going to Williamsport for the ILL World Series.

    In order to solicit for money, and organization must be registered as a charitable agnecy and must be on file with the Sec. of State.

    So, in a similar fashion, why not make panhandlers 'register' with the Cranston City office of permits and then issue a card which can be worn with a lace around the neck with a picture ID of the person. This way, they can be identified and legal just as any charitable org. must obtain to solicit money from the public. If a panhandler is caught w/o their registration ID then they can be issued a citation, simlar to a parking ticket for first offender with increasing penalties for further offenses which can be severs as most of the panhandlers seem to already be on probation for other offenses, so they would not want to get violated, which would send them to jail for not staying out of trouble.

    Doing this will stop those (or most, as nothing is foolprof) with evil intent, while allowing them to keep their rights to solicit money and everyone is happy, or at least a happy 'medium' from both sides.

    Those who are serious offenders can be prevented from being issued registration cards. Perhaps the city can also charge a registration fee like $50.00 to obtian a card for the vetting process. After all, these p/h's claim to make up to $400 per day doing so!

    I would like it if they werent allowed to do it at all, but thats never gong to happen, so the next best thing...

    Perhaps they can also be required to give a S.S. # and tax their proceeds as well!

    Anyway, thats just my idea for a temporary solution to this neverending growing mess to our city. Maybe the Council should take note of this solution as it would not seem to violate their right to solicit money, so it would be legal to enforce.

    Saturday, August 27, 2016 Report this

  • ronruggieri

    As a supporter of " democratic socialism " -and not out of touch with crude " reality ' - I do not idealize the " people of the Abyss ". I think the socialist fight against abject poverty- poverty made unpleasantly visible by these less than charming panhandlers -is less utopian than any program of character reform.

    The " right to life " goes way beyond respect for life in the womb. There is a natural right to a HOME and a useful place in society.

    For profit capitalism is increasingly antagonistic to human dignity.

    The Hillary Democrats have turned their backs on the American working class -which includes the very poor and the unemployable.

    Sunday, August 28, 2016 Report this

  • Straightnnarrow

    tony, your solution is wonderful. Nothing else will work because these beggars won't work, can't work and the yellow bellied politiciians won't get them off the streets

    Monday, August 29, 2016 Report this

  • Justanidiot

    The cheapest and best solution is to give each bum $50 and a bus ticket to New York City.

    Problem solved.

    Monday, August 29, 2016 Report this

  • RISchadenfreude

    Once upon a time, police would put the rounded-up panhandlers in a box car and send them to another city; temporarily, at least, they'd be gone, until that city's police did the same. Many would get tired of this and find work rather than continue to endure "railroad therapy".

    As long as beggars are allowed, and enabled, to pester people going about their daily business, Providence business owners will continue to lose business as people avoid the city- I'm all for registration fees and taxation on them to make up for the lost revenue due to Elorza's stupidity and disregard for productive people.

    All too many shelters, soup kitchens, advocacy groups, etc. are used as a handout rather than a "hand up"- as long as panhandlers don't want to better their situations and the freebies are there, most won't; many are beyond help and are among the "walking dead".

    Tuesday, August 30, 2016 Report this