Many people believe that California is far too regulated, taxes are too high, and it is generally too expensive to live in the state. Several citizens are struggling to pay the bills and put food on the table and they believe that Jerry Brown is out of touch with reality. The unemployment rate in Sacramento, California is 7.4 percent, but nationwide that number is just 5.2 percent. So there are not a lot of jobs out there any many of them are low paying. A lot of people are living pay check to pay check and fear they could be next to be living on the streets. The homeless population have a hard time in Sacramento, as they are dying in record numbers, there camps are being dismantled, and now the city wants to make it illegal for people without homes to ask other citizens for money, in particular areas.

Sacramento County is imposing a new law to stop panhandling at street corners, near Automatic Teller Machines, bus stops, gas stations, stop lights, stop signs, and while standing on a traffic median. In the next month, law enforcement plans to go after panhandlers and give them fliers to let them know that panhandling is illegal. However, if the homeless keep asking for money in restricted areas, they can then face jail time. This is sad because many of us have never been homeless and have no idea how hard it is. These people often times live in the streets in extreme heat and cold, do not have food, water or shelter, nor anyone to talk to or even given them a hug when they need it. Some of you know how stressed out you are when cannot afford luxury items and these people do not even have homes, so why criminalize being homeless?

I have talked to several homeless people, living in Midtown Sacramento, California, and many of them are very nice. They are just down on their luck and have experienced unusual situations and sometimes need a little help or some food to eat. After getting to know some of them, I feel bad that I usually do not have any money to share with them, as I am struggling to pay my own bills and literally spend every penny I get. However, these people, who need homes, are often beat up and abused in shelters, if they can even get in. Most of the times they just have to sleep on the streets and keep moving so they are not heckled by law enforcement, and they usually cannot sleep until everyone goes home and stops moving about because people are always calling them police on them, or attacking them, or saying mean things to them. It is sad. You see people walking around with their entire home in a bag, and they are not sure when they will get their next meal or even when they will have a warm shower.

During the day, if they are tired, the homeless have no were to lay their heads, and they may not even sleep that well at night. Some of them complain about being robbed and sexually assaulted, while they are trying to sleep, but no one does anything to protect them. Mayor Kevin Johnson and his buddies are so concerned about Sacramento, California a World Class City, and building this $1 billion sports arena, to replace an existing arena, and they even torn down the iconic down town plaza to do it. We had over 100,000 square feet of space, nice buildings, just sitting vacant and they were destroyed. If nothing else, the space could have been used to house the homeless population and get them off the streets until they could get back on their feet. As many young people know, several of us could end up homeless if we miss our rent payment and will have nowhere to go, but the streets. So we can feel their pain.

There is also a misconception that all homeless people are crazy, lazy, drunks and drug attics, but that is untrue. Some of them were doing very well in live, but were single and have no family and feel on hard times, lost their jobs, or were put out of their houses by a spouse, friend or loved one. It is a really tragic situation, one that no one should have to experience, especially when we had space to house them. So, if being homeless is basically illegal and they cannot ask for money, what do we expect the homeless to do, just die? Nonetheless, Supervisors voted 5-0 in favor of the ban after little discussion and testimony from several supporters and no opposition.

If someone is caught panhandling, violations would be cited as an infraction, with three infractions in six months resulting in a misdemeanor charge. Most of the homeless people are nice and do obey the laws, but they really need help to find shelter, food, and refreshments. This ban on panhandling kind of reminds me of the 1896 case of Plessy verses Ferguson. Homer A. Plessy attempted to sit in an all-white railroad car. After refusing to sit in the black railway carriage car, Plessy was arrested for violating an 1890 Louisiana statute that provided for segregated separate but equal railroad accommodations. Those using facilities not designated for their race were criminally liable under the statute. The ban on panhandling basically makes being homeless illegal and they can be arrested for civil disobedience.

I like capitalism, but Adam and Eve did not have to pay money to live in the Garden of Eden. Also, before the United States of America became a country, the Native Americans used to live off of the land. So if you want being homeless to be illegal, then you need to provide these people with money and shelter to get off the streets. At least in the case of Plessy versus Ferguson, people had options, not that it makes the unconstitutional decision any better, but homeless people literally have nowhere to go, no other options and as caring human beings, we need to come up with a better solution so we can get these kind people a place to go. Not just push the homeless into the river and pretend we have no clue what is going on. You or I could be the next one living on the streets and being stepped on, we are not better than anyone else. You have to remember, sometimes doctors, lawyers, students and children end up homeless also.