Still Dancing Around the First Amendment

http://smirkingchimp.com/thread/rosemarie-jackowski/52393/still-dancing-around-the-first-amendment

Still Dancing Around the First Amendment
by Rosemarie Jackowski | October 29, 2013 - 3:25pm

~snip~

How did we get here. Last night's meeting of the Bennington Select Board was more like a scene from Shirley Jackson's 'The Lottery', than like a Norman Rockwell painting. 'The Lottery' was written in North Bennington, just a stone's throw away from Bennington. It is the story of how small town culture often results in prejudice against anyone who is different.

~snip~

The bottom line is this. It appears that the law is under consideration because of a desire to make the poor invisible to tourists. It has been stated that the poor create an 'image' problem. Instead of hiding the poor, how about helping them. The common belief is that there are 'services' for all who are in need. That is a myth. Many in Vermont go without the essentials of life. Homelessness is an issue - so much so, that recently some were considering putting up a tent city. Today it was announced that a 59 unit Econo Lodge in Shelburne is being converted to house the homeless. Instead of hiding them, they are being helped in Shelburne and other locations. Would that be a solution in Bennington?

The prejudice against the 'lower class' is very clear. Some are poor through no fault of their own. One of the leading causes of bankruptcy is medical expenses. A 2007 Harvard study showed that 60% of bankruptcies are due to medical expenses. 75% filing for bankruptcy had health care insurance. Sometimes bad things do happen to good people.

A suggestion to the town leaders: Next time a panhandler asks for help, invite him out to lunch. Maybe you will have a new understanding of the causes of poverty and also make a new friend.