- Ricky Bobby's response to Fort Lauderdale, Florida lawmakers.
Due to new laws against "food sharing" in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, a 90 year old man has been arrested for serving food to the homeless in a public park. Please read the following link for more information:
I have read lots of recent posts on social media decrying this law and the actions of police in arresting Arnold Abbott merely for serving food to hungry people. It is good that people are outraged. This is an issue that ANYONE should be passionate about.
When I was a Christian believer for many years, I thought it was important to help the less fortunate and I did what I could. I'm an atheist now and I believe in helping the homeless just as much as ever and do it when I can. Just two weeks ago, I invited a homeless man to have lunch with me in Indianapolis. We both had a good time and ended up with full stomachs. I suppose if I did the same thing in a public park in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, I may have ended up in jail.
Helping other people is a human value, regardless of the accompanying ideology. Because of that truth, I assert that any lawmaker who, by force of law, would stand in the way of humans helping less fortunate humans is behaving in an inhumane fashion. If they happen to be Christians, they are an offense to the teachings of Jesus. If they are secular, then they are an offense to the values and practices that have allowed our species to move forward across the many centuries due to mutual help and working together for the benefit of the group. If they find themselves in another dogmatic camp, they are likely in error of those teachings as well. I have done a fair amount of study on various religions, and I have yet to find a verse in any sacred text that says, "When ye find people homeless and hungry, do your best to screw them over."
Regardless of our own personal dogma, we should stand in unity against such lawmakers as these, ridicule them publicly, and ignore their foolish laws. They are against humanity. They are against mercy. They are against love. Enough said. No further argument required. And to relevant law officers involved, you have no obligation to enforce these wretched laws. Your duty is to protect the people in your jurisdiction, homed or homeless, and not to oppress them.
Please visit my site below for some related tips on encouraging others on a daily basis:
And this link for a story about a homeless man who shared his beautiful song on a public piano:
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