The City of Las Vegas should remove the ordinance prohibiting the sharing of food in public parks.
Prohibition does not work.

Sharing food is not a crime.

The City of Las Vegas should replace the Marshal(s) with resident advisors.

The resident advisors could visit the parks consistently to give information to those identifying as homeless or working poor.

We all should want to help homeless and working poor people. Criminalizing eating is a fundamentally flawed idea.

I urge people to visit City Hall August 10th at noon to show support for those actively working to help the needy.

This issue is not a police issue, it is a social issue. The City should place social workers there not police officers (Marshals). The City should offer help not invent ways to arrest people.

The next step is to demonstrate to the city how the funds will be appropriated in order to hire and/or train these new resident advisors. It's possible. It's a good idea, Apparatus. I think if it were fleshed out more, it could end up being an actual proposal delivered to the city council. This proposal could end up amending or removing the ordinance altogether.

For instance, how much money is spent on the salary of, say, ten police officers? Once we know this, we can either suggest this salary be given to resident advisors or we can figure out ways for the city to raise this money (annually) and keep these advisors and/or other helpers employed.

It's not going to solve the problem of 'capitalism creating homelessness', but it will make it a little easier for homeless folks to get access to services. Which, in turn, will make it easier for workers to take chances at work ... say ... by organizing unions ... because they'll know that if they end up being fired and becoming homeless as a result of this organizing, services will be available. And it'll go on and on ...

But, through and through, we need to continue to remind folks that this society isn't going to get better via reform ... no ... this society needs fundamental changes for that ... a changing of the guard from hierarchical, authoritative, white, male leader rule to rule by the people, decentralized, imperfect, yet fundamentally beneficial to all.

For more on decentralization, click here: http://infoshop.org/faq/secI5.html

For more on the harms of reformism, click here: http://infoshop.org/faq/secJ1.html#secj13

All,

great ideas... we need more dialogue on this issue.

where are all the old-school PeaceNow activists???

check the m-space... there are LINKS to media coverages from the MAINSTREAM MEDIA (since LV Indymedia is not very active at this time)

also, there is a letter to the editor of the LVRJ by Joe Sacco...

CHECK IT OUT FOLKS and GET INVOLVED

it is a DIY (do it yourself) movement!

Would agree with App and Akeebah on the idea of social workers stationed in Circle Park, and at other homeless gathering spots 'round the city and Valley.

Think it's a lovely idea.

lvimc tends, so I've noticed, to run through cycles of semi-frenzied activity followed by periods of sleepy inactivity, depending on the issue under discussion, and how much controversy it stirs up.

Not the best way to run a railroad, but, there you are.

Am doing my bit on MySpace to help promote the 10th August demo., and hope that those of you out there who are also on MySpace, Friendster, and other social networking sites will please do of the same.

Be seeing you on 10th August.

I have been talking with a couple of folks (one reporter) who want to get these ideas together. Actually come up with some positive solutions. And thanks to App for starting this thread.

Tomorrow, Friday, a California tv news crew is going to be at Circle Park at 1 pm if anyone wants to join us. This is a national tv news station.

Also, we are trying to come up with a meeting to put all the new ideas to work.

There are a lot of different issues here you could pick whichever issue you want to work on.

Thanks for your interest.

See you on the 10th !!

P.S. Email Matt O'Brien at Las Vegas City Life with ideas if you are interested.

mobrien@lvcitylife.com

LOTS OF HELP STILL NEEDED!!!

People from around the country are travelling to Las Vegas to lend their solidarity to the cause...

Housing is needed. So, if you have a floor, couch, room, or yard space available- please send an e-mail or message on M-space. Thanks in advance,

FNB-LV