Exposing the forces that perpetuate and criminalize homelessness
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For most of us, hospitality brings to mind the welcoming in or entertainment of family and friends. Or we think of the hospitality industry – hospitals, hotels, restaurants, etc. But what did it look like in the early days of our shared humanity? If we examine some of our oldest records, specifically the ancient Hebrew narratives referred to as the Old Testament, we see that it was far more than having friends over or care and provisions offered from a facility with dollar signs attached. According to those who spoke on behalf of the god whom these writings credit with creating the heavens and earth and everything within, showing hospitality was intentional, engaging, and not an option. This god, according to these writings, I will argue, destroyed an entire town for their inhospitality. During the 2nd millennium B.C.E., several peoples had come to settle in the Fertile Crescent from...
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The idea that the majority rules gives those numbered among the majority comfort, and those in the minority little hope for anything but the crumbs that fall from their table. Sometimes the majority will do the right thing, but generally when it is only of benefit to them. If a community democratically elects to do the wrong thing – an unjust thing, then a democracy is no more admirable than a dictatorship that does the same. There is no honor in doing the wrong thing, simply because it has been dictated by the majority – in a ‘democratic’ way. Had those communities been allowed to There are times when a community must be forced into doing the right thing, even if and when it contradicts the desires and demands of the majority. That is, if the political power structure at the time is so arranged to, (by a majority...
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What was that wee little man Zacchaeus looking for when he climbed up into the sycamore tree? And why was he so anxious to see the ‘One’ who was coming? John was immersing people in the Jordan river, the sealing of a contract of commitment, and warning whoever would listen, that the One everybody’s been waiting for is finally on his way. This One will straighten things, he will make all things equal, even, and smooth – He’s just around the corner. Get ready, you’d better be ready. Come and join the ones who are changing their ways in preparation. Crowds of people journeyed down to the river to hear this prophet, and his thrilling words. “Tell us what to do! How do we get ready?!” This is it! I mean, for the Christian faith, this is it! It’s here! This is the announcement of the imminent arrival of...
“He’s gonna take the police officer’s word over yours nine times out of ten.” Patrick returned to the courtroom pew where I was sitting and informed me that he’d be changing his plea from ‘not guilty’ to ‘no contest’ upon the advice of the bailiff. “But you’re not guilty!” I said, the volume of my voice not really qualifying as a whisper anymore. “I know. But what can I do? He’s right.” Patrick was in the city center one evening engaged in his work with the street paper when someone came up and took a seat beside him. This individual had been drinking and wasn’t yet done. That’s when the officer came up, took Patrick’s new bench neighbor away for public intoxication, and issued Patrick a citation for violating the open container ordinance. I had come along to court with Patrick in support and to vouch for his...
This data is collected from the public release of arrests made within each 24-hour interval by the Knox County, (Tennessee) Sheriff’s Office, and the University of Tennessee, (Knoxville, TN) Police Department’s 60-day arrest log. The accuracy of this data relies upon the accuracy of the source. I should emphasize that these are counts of arrests, and not convictions. There’s no guarantee of course, that the individuals represented in this data are experiencing poverty and/or homelessness. There are, however, a number of the infractions that are fairly obvious – Criminal Trespassing, Aggressive Panhandling, or Panhandling in a restricted space, Obstruction of a Passageway, Indecent Exposure, (no access to an indoor restroom) Shoplifting, Public Intox, (often accompanied by Disorderly Conduct) and Resisting Stop and Search. A person with no home is only doing what most of us would do These are infractions that are either committed by people with little to...
The person being interviewed requested anonymity for fear of further retribution from the local homeless shelter Eddie: Okay, so I’m just gonna ask you some questions… how many nights ago was it? Jared: Three Eddie: Three days ago, you had been staying at the shelter, right? Jared: Yes, a little over a month. Eddie: Okay, so you’d stayed at the shelter a little over a month, and one day you just decided to take a picture of your meal. Jared: Yes, in fact it was Wednesday afternoon.` Eddie: So, tell me exactly what happened. Jared: I went to lunch Wednesday afternoon and took a picture of my lunch tray, and… Eddie: What was on your lunch tray? Jared: Two biscuits, a little bit of gravy and a cup of Kool-Aide… Eddie: So that was your… Jared: That was our lunch for the day. Eddie: So, you took a picture of...
Where’s the concern any and every other time of the year? As the nights begin to turn cold, I recall a conversation with a member of our homeless community, and she expressed in one sentence what I had been struggling with for days during those weeks of extreme cold temperatures – that her community’s response is a mixed bag of thankfulness and anger. “Where’s all this concern any and every other time of the year!” Our thoughts were the same, but my struggle was ideological, hers were real. And her feelings represent the feelings of the community that is subjected to these confusing pendulum swings – from being harassed and swept beyond the margins, to being swept up into the rescuing arms of Jesus, (depending on the weather. Literally). There’s a heightened sense of urgency when there are people at risk of literally freezing to death, and I can see...
“Homeless man found dead had been arrested 92 times” I remember, not long ago, our local paper reporting the discovery of a body found underneath a downtown overpass. I read the account that morning and immediately knew that it was one of our neighborhood friends who live outside in the open spaces. Throughout the day I took note of who I had not seen while wondering who it was that I would never see again. These days are always the hardest. That night I laid awake thinking of this person living and dying outside the relational structures of our community, while seeking their last place of shelter in and underneath our concrete structures. My last thoughts were filled with wondering did they have last thoughts. As the sound of the traffic rushed overhead, did they know that the thoughts they were having were to be their last, or if...
We can’t create compassion, but mercy is a decision I read through Robert Lupton’s Toxic Charity, a book that had made it’s rounds and gained popularity, mainly among faith-based organizations. I must take issue with, in particular, his explanation of the prophet Micah’s call to act with justice and love mercy. Because his understanding of this text appears to be the foundation upon which he builds his approach in working among the poor, it would be crucial to his argument that he get it right. To begin, Lupton makes the mistake of defining mercy as “a force that compels us to acts of compassion.” This is confusing and simply not correct; he actually has it backwards. Mercy is not a force; it is the act. Compassion comes closer to being defined as a force. For example, compassion is the deep-seated feeling that Jesus had (it is described as dwelling...
