From 1867 to 1974, various cities of the United States had unsightly beggar ordinances, retroactively named "ugly laws." These laws targeted poor people and disabled people.
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From 1867 to 1974, various cities of the United States had unsightly beggar ordinances, retroactively named "ugly laws." These laws targeted poor people and disabled people.
(From the Wikipedia)
I didn't know about these laws, but, with all of the crying and moaning about "homelessness" it seems like a good time to sit down and remember that this happened.
And still happens, if not as explicitly codified.
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From 1867 to 1974, various cities of the United States had unsightly beggar ordinances, retroactively named "ugly laws." These laws targeted poor people and disabled people.
(From the Wikipedia)
I didn't know about these laws, but, with all of the crying and moaning about "homelessness" it seems like a good time to sit down and remember that this happened.
And still happens, if not as explicitly codified.
Many ordinances, laws, "initiatives" or um "military occupations" since we have those too in the mix that target "homeless people" in big cities are, just by the nature of who is homeless, targeting disabled people.
And this whole "right to not see" undercurrent is just people missing these laws. Or finding the way to do the same thing as these laws without having to spell out what it is as they once did.
Why is it so uncomfortable to read about "ugly laws"?
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Many ordinances, laws, "initiatives" or um "military occupations" since we have those too in the mix that target "homeless people" in big cities are, just by the nature of who is homeless, targeting disabled people.
And this whole "right to not see" undercurrent is just people missing these laws. Or finding the way to do the same thing as these laws without having to spell out what it is as they once did.
Why is it so uncomfortable to read about "ugly laws"?
I don't often encounter people in my life who are as openly hostile to homeless people as Republicans can be. However, I do encounter a kind of... sorting.
The Deserving vs. The Undeserving
The Injured vs. The Addict
The Families vs. The Lazy OnesDifferent people have these different categories or little stories they tell themselves about people they don't know that they'll use to dismiss them.
Or they'll just say "but something has to be done"
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Many ordinances, laws, "initiatives" or um "military occupations" since we have those too in the mix that target "homeless people" in big cities are, just by the nature of who is homeless, targeting disabled people.
And this whole "right to not see" undercurrent is just people missing these laws. Or finding the way to do the same thing as these laws without having to spell out what it is as they once did.
Why is it so uncomfortable to read about "ugly laws"?
@futurebird I did some digging on this and I believe I found the category of laws you're referring to: 'vagrancy laws'. In the US until the mid-1960s, most states had broad vagrancy, loitering, and disorderly conduct laws. These laws were vague in terminology and often did not predicate arrest on the commission of any specific act, however, they were also said to invite arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement.
https://law.jrank.org/pages/2240/Vagrancy-Disorderly-Conduct-History.html -
@futurebird I did some digging on this and I believe I found the category of laws you're referring to: 'vagrancy laws'. In the US until the mid-1960s, most states had broad vagrancy, loitering, and disorderly conduct laws. These laws were vague in terminology and often did not predicate arrest on the commission of any specific act, however, they were also said to invite arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement.
https://law.jrank.org/pages/2240/Vagrancy-Disorderly-Conduct-History.htmlIt's just targeting people who are struggling to take care of themselves.
And this hasn't totally ended.
