The Good Samaritans Go to Jail

Feeding Resistance: Food Not Bombs Members Arrested in Orlando for Serving Meals Without a Permit

http://www.democracynow.org/2011/6/24/feeding_resistance_food_not_bombs_members

The City of Orlando, the home of Disney World in Florida, is being sued in court today over a city law that has effectively made it illegal for any group to feed more than 25 people at a time in downtown parks without a permit. It also limits groups to no more than two permits per park, per year. The group Food Not Bombs has refused to obey the new law—saying food is a right, not a privilege—and has continued to serve free meals to the poor and homeless. However, over the past month more than 20 members of the organization have been arrested. Keith McHenry, who helped found Food Not Bombs over 30 years ago, was arrested Wednesday and remains in jail.

I have never been to Florida... I hear it is beautiful... What a shame....

open spaces in central Fl. empty indeed, but the weather is just as fine as it is along the coastlines.

Nice! And great to see that Orlando is really tackling the big issues. I'm sure that the city already provides plenty of free food stations for the homeless, so the group's efforts are really superfluous.

Um. Right?

By Mark Schlueb, Orlando Sentinel
8:36 p.m. EDT, June 24, 2011

One of the activists arrested after feeding the homeless at Lake Eola Park said he will file a defamation lawsuit against Mayor Buddy Dyer for calling members of his anti-poverty group "food terrorists." ...

Shayan Elahi, the attorney representing Markeson and other Orlando Food Not Bombs members, also petitioned the court for an injunction to stop Orlando police from taking members into custody when they are arrested rather than simply issuing them a notice to appear in court ...

... Elahi said city officials are violating a 2003 administrative order from Chief Circuit Judge Belvin Perry that directs police to release at the scene those who are arrested for most misdemeanor violations of city ordinances.

However, Perry's order does give an officer the discretion to take someone to the county jail if the officer has reason to believe the offender will repeat the offense. A city official cited that as the reason Food Not Bombs members have been booked at the Orange County Jail.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/orange/os-food-terrorist-lawsuit-20110624,0,3787478.story

They're KKKonservatives.

My Mother once told me that I should know my place in Society and not try to aspire for more. Fits the profile to a tee. She wanted to be a Catholic Priest...:rofl:

Orlando is the epicenter for the rightwing religious fervor in the state.

But to have them actually put into practice the words of their "savior" is just a little too much for their pointy little heads.

Jesus wept as He called them "bags of bones"

nt

Who Would Jesus Feed?

all politicians. Say 'gay' to them and they fall all over themselves to shout about God and Sacraments and how they are devoted Christians, but when they hear this sort of outrage, they are silent about their God and their Christ and their devotion. Why no cries from the President, who is so Christian he can not bear the idea of equality? Why does this utter heresy and inhumanity not move his faith filled heart to speak out?
What is the use of such faith? It is an affectation and nothing more.