Charity is a crime in President Lincoln's Springfield

CHARITY IS A CRIME IN PRESIDENT LINCOLN’S SPRINGFIELD

Karen got arrested and thrown in jail for something she did not far from President Abraham Lincoln’s home and law office.  Her crime was holding a sign that said, “Please give, God bless”.

To add insult to injury the police took her money too.

Springfield Illinois has a homeless problem.  But its not a problem with the people, it’s a problem with those who calls the shots; they won’t work with the people who need a break.  So the policy—if you can call it that—isn’t long term or even short term.  It’s about making them go away.  The ordinance that caused Karen’s arrest prohibits panhandling, which is a simple act of asking someone for a buck or two in the historic district, or as in Karen’s case, holding a sign.  If you don’t like the behavior, criminalize it; if you don’t like the people, arrest them.  They’ll get the message.

Try this at home.  Stand in front of a mirror and say out loud, “Please give, God bless”.  Feel like a criminal? 

A policy that amounts to criminalizing homelessness isn’t new in Springfield.  A few years ago, one of the few available safe places on the street was under the overhang at the Lincoln Library.  It was lit, accessible and, ironically, next to the police and fire station that had a restroom.  The women from the First Presbyterian Church across the street (Mary Todd Lincoln’s church), would walk over at night and provide some good church food. 

That worked out, sort of, until the city ran out of patience.  Police dogs were left in parked squad cars barking at those trying to sleep (or trying not to be scared to death).  Before the police cleared the area, most of the folks got signed up for some services and were given a temporary place, away from the library, to store their possessions.  That’s now gone away.

Later the agency folks got more involved and along with the city, divided up a ton of dollars in federal homeless grant money.  That was the same meeting where some of the big wigs started to giggle when leaders experiencing homelessness rose and spoke about how they should get a say in how the money should get spent.  Karen was in that meeting, and spoke to the need for affordable and subsidized housing for all people experiencing homelessness.  The agency folks thought that was funny.

In Springfield, a group of individuals experiencing homelessness, along with important allies in the faith community, have been organizing for at least five years to have a say in their lives, or more times than not, just trying to stay alive.  The group is called Homeless United for Change.  They’ve taken some powerful steps—for example, 30 of them protested outside of city hall with signs saying “I AM A PERSON”.  But even with this organizing, what we know is a handful of people will die in the streets or on the railroad tracks.  And this winter there’ll be a lottery drawing every evening at 4pm outside the shelter for one of their precious beds.  If you don’t win the lottery you don’t get a bed.

Some in the city, especially those who are elected, seem to be listening.  Karen’s partner, Don, spoke clearly and eloquently at a recent city council meeting about how many Springfield residents experiencing homelessness rely on the help of others to get by.  On July 31st an ad hoc subcommittee of the city council will meet to discuss this.

You can help by letting the city administration know homelessness shouldn’t be a crime. Here are some places to start:

Mayor Houston: http://www.springfield.il.us/mayor/index.htm

http://www.facebook.com/CityofSpringfield

Oh, by the way, Lincoln was himself homeless on his arrival to Illinois, moving around, staying with friends.  Today we’d call it “couch surfing”.

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