How We Treat Our Homeless: Black Badges, Spikes And A 5 Rupee Meal
How in the posh localities, the recipe for discriminating poor and homeless is put on the burner.
1. They label them
Black triangle (badge)
Though it was later adapted as a lesbian and feminist sign of solidarity, the symbol had its root in Nazi concentration camps where all the prisoners wore these badges on their jackets. Different colours categorised different category of prisoners. Homeless, prostitutes, alcoholics and lesbians were made to wear the Black Triangle.
Make anti-homeless laws
America hates its homeless
The lawmakers in the burger-loving nation are in a rush to criminalise homelessness and to speed up the process several American cities are outlawing sleeping, eating, sitting, and begging in public spaces, the violators are fined or incarcerated or both. At least 33 U.S. cities passed new restrictions on feeding homeless people between January 2013 and April 2014. In 2011, in Sacramento, California, water-supply to certain fountains was stopped and public restrooms were locked to discourage the homeless in a nearby tent-city to use them. Infact, in 2009, a developer in Gainesville recalled a 20-year-old ordinance that barred social workers from distributing food to homeless. Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter announced a ban on the feeding of large numbers of homeless and hungry people at sites on and near the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in 2012. Los Angeles, which is a dream town for every soul, isn't far behind when it comes to mistreating its homeless. The police here has issued tickets to homeless even for flicking the ash from a cigarette, but never to those rich ladies who walk from one gallery to another in posh areas holding a glass of wine. No wonder why the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty tagged LA as the meanest city for homeless in 2009. That's not it! The City Council of Columbia, South Carolina in 2012 approved the Emergency Homeless Response plan that forced the homeless to either check into a remote shelter outside the city, leave the town or be thrown in jail.
They lay spikes
Anti-homeless-spikes
The most recent debate started against the discrimination's against the homeless started after spikes were installed outside a posh apartment in Southwark, London, these spikes are nothing new as they can be even found in every country from Brazil to Burma.
They make you pay for benches
Pay-per minute for using the benches
The authorities at Yantai Park in Shandong, China introduced a pay-per-minute system for the use of its benches. The users couldn't exceed the use because a series of studs would electronically emerge out of the benches and make it impossible to sit. All this was done to check loitering and prevent homeless from using them at night to sleep. In Tokyo’s Ueno park, sloped benches that prevent people from leaning back were installed, the country is also known for using tubular benches that are either too hot in summer or too cold in winter.
They think you can eat a meal in ₹5
In 2013, Congress leader Rasheed Masood had said that ₹5 can buy a meal in Delhi. Soon after, actor-turned politician Raj Babbal said that the corresponding figure for Mumbai is
₹12. Now, this isn't really possible! Is it? Well, a few months back, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation launched a pilot project offering hot and hygienic meals for the poor at ₹5 at Nampally Sarai. Let's hope that this pilot project continues.
From the July 2014 issue of FHM India.
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