To wit:
> Held: The enforcement of generally applicable laws regulating camping on public property does not constitute “cruel and unusual punishment” prohibited by the Eighth Amendment.
US Supreme Court allows cities to ban homeless camps
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Re: US Supreme Court allows cities to ban homeless camps
#22This is insane, so you are at your lowest in life and it is now illegal for you to exist.
I think its more about regulating where you can do certain things vs making it illegal to exist. For example its illegal to urinate and defecate in public despite these being automatic functions, sometimes involuntary and demanding release right then and there wherever you are. Despite this biological reality, we also understand that there are sanitation issues to allowing the body to relieve itself wherever it happens to be, so we have laws that criminalize public urination or defecation and attempt to direct this behavior towards areas where we can better handle that sanitation issue, and we establish guidelines of what that sanitary environment should be through the building code, and have our sewer departments expand capacity to meet this need.
Re: US Supreme Court allows cities to ban homeless camps
#23Re: US Supreme Court allows cities to ban homeless camps
#24Homeless need shelter and help.
It is inhumane that we let them rot on the streets.
City dwellers need safe and clean streets and public transportation. Kids should be able to walk to school by themselves.
These two things don’t need to be in conflict.
Re: US Supreme Court allows cities to ban homeless camps
#25Re: US Supreme Court allows cities to ban homeless camps
#26Dumb decision, but we really just gotta build more homes mainly. A good overview of why this is the best solution to homelessness: https://www.noahpinion.blog/p/everything-you-think-you-know-...
> Dumb decision
Well, what's the alternative? Do you believe all local laws such as "FooBar park closes at dusk" are federally unconstitutional, and that actually enforcing any of them is "cruel and unusual punishment" against people who desire to camp there overnight?
Remember: It's perfectly possible to say that certain situations are unlawful/unjust/immoral for other reasons, it's not like "I think it violates the 8th Amendment" is the only option.
However, "it violates the 8th Amendment" is was what got argued in the court, and I think the conclusion is reasonable: The entire category of local laws (which are not new) are generally and by default not-against-the-8th.
Re: US Supreme Court allows cities to ban homeless camps
#27Can't have a home if you don't have a job. Can't get a job if you're homeless.
It's the year 2024 after the birth of Jesus Christ, mankind has produced more wealth and technology than we ever thought it was possible, meanwhile we're living this miserable life, working these shitty jobs, while less than 1% of the population has more money than they could ever spend.
Capitalism should be left behind, we're ruining the only planet we have. It's a system with a critical bug deep in it's core and it'll never be fixed.
Re: US Supreme Court allows cities to ban homeless camps
#28Dumb decision, but we really just gotta build more homes mainly. A good overview of why this is the best solution to homelessness: https://www.noahpinion.blog/p/everything-you-think-you-know-...
There are enough vacant homes in the US to give every homeless person 25 homes. That is not the root cause of the problem.
This is a vacuous argument. The vacant homes are largely either temporary (moving out before prepping to sell) or in the wrong places (no jobs). The homeless need more homes where they live and work (or seek work).
Re: US Supreme Court allows cities to ban homeless camps
#29Earlier quoted context omitted.
Why is it a dumb decision?
It makes it, not just de facto, but de jure illegal to be poor. If someone can't afford a home, where are they meant to go? Just fuck off and die?
What about going to a homeless shelter, or to a municipality that does allow homeless encampments?
Re: US Supreme Court allows cities to ban homeless camps
#30Dumb decision, but we really just gotta build more homes mainly. A good overview of why this is the best solution to homelessness: https://www.noahpinion.blog/p/everything-you-think-you-know-...
There are enough vacant homes in the US to give every homeless person 25 homes. That is not the root cause of the problem.
There are not. The census definition of "vacant" clung to by people pushing this viewpoint includes uninhabitable construction sites that happen to have the doors and windows installed, homes that have already been rented or sold but the new occupant hasn't moved in yet, homes of deceased people still in estate probate, homes being repaired between tenants, and many others. Only about 9% of census-vacant homes are what a normal person thinks of as a "vacant home".