Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
What is your definition of humanity or to be humane?
Humanity is defined by Websters as having the quality of
being humane, kind, benevolent. Humane is an adjective describing someone
who is characterized by tenderness, compassion, and sympathy for those
suffering or distressed. I wonder how five Omaha City Council
(00:22):
members and the mayor would have used those words in
voting against a proposed city ordinance and amendment putting law
enforcement in the middle of the growing crisis of homelessness
in this town, or the two council members, Amy Melton
and Breaker Harding who supported it. Perhaps there are fewer
greater divides in our city and country than how we
(00:44):
each define humanity. Ask any member of our public Safety Corps,
police dea Ice, the Sheriff's Department, state Patrol, and they'll
tell you The Omaha metro area has a rapidly growing
population of homelessness of all ages origins, men and women,
individuals and families. Some are Omahans, some come from far away,
(01:08):
Some are aliens here illegally. They live in their cars,
under bridges, in parks, empty lots. Some of them have
tents for shelter, and few meager belongings. Some of them
beg for food or money on the street corner. Others
steal for what they need. Most all suffer from some
kind of illness, addiction or both drugs, alcohol, gambling, mental impairment.
(01:32):
These are the most prominent factors that lead to homelessness,
but not always. In some cases, extreme financial stress drive
people to and over their economic brink. What is the
humane thing to do with these folks? And that's what
they are, human beings who deserve compassion and respect. But
(01:53):
what about the rest of us? What about the working
families whose homes they purchase, they maintain, work hard to afford,
which they pay, insurance and taxes are in close proximity
to these homeless encampments conclaves. What if you were one
of them? Each morning, on just the other side of
a wooden privacy fence is a group of mentally ill, hungry,
(02:15):
desperate strangers. Would you feel safe? Would you allow your
children to play in their own backyard? What if you
were awakened in the middle of the night by the
sounds of somebody rifling through your garbage cans. What if
your business is unlucky enough to be near one of
the camps many are. You'd better have one great service
at a really good price, or nobody will walk past
(02:37):
a homeless camp to get there. Is that fair to you?
Harding's ordinance wouldn't criminalize the homeless, but require them to
follow a law. I think there's a difference. If it
had passed and been signed by the mayor, carries a
penalty of up to three hundred dollars in fines and
thirty days in jail if you don't comply, Well, what
(02:58):
does that mean? It means accept the humanitarian help offered
by a number of outstanding local organizations and clean up
after yourself. Opponents say that's inhumane by what definition. Just
this year, the Sianna Francis House, perhaps omaha'smost celebrated homeless shelter,
is marking its fiftieth anniversary. It puts a roof over
(03:21):
the heads and serves three meals a day to three
thousand persons every year. It requires virtually nothing for admittance,
unlike other outstanding facilities like the Open Door Mission. All
are welcome, but they are not allowed to use drugs
or alcohol, and must submit to regular career training sessions
designed to make them self sufficient again. Dramatically good results.
(03:46):
Is that humane? In voting against the ordnance, five council
members say, let's give the mayor's idea a try, which is,
hire a consulting firm to study the problem, develop a plan,
and then give it six months to work. The difference.
No cops, no citations, no jail time, all of it voluntary.
(04:07):
In so many cases, just like the addicted, voluntary compliance
may be asking too much for they prefer support with
no strings. This puts law enforcement behind the ask. Meanwhile,
the problem grows and grows, and pretty soon it won't
be about fixing it but managing its expansion, which means
(04:27):
it never goes away. And to some that's inhumane,
What is your definition of humanity or to be humane?
Humanity is defined by Websters as having the quality of
being humane, kind, benevolent. Humane is an adjective describing someone
who is characterized by tenderness, compassion, and sympathy for those
suffering or distressed. I wonder how five Omaha City Council
(00:22):
members and the mayor would have used those words in
voting against a proposed city ordinance and amendment putting law
enforcement in the middle of the growing crisis of homelessness
in this town, or the two council members, Amy Melton
and Breaker Harding who supported it. Perhaps there are fewer
greater divides in our city and country than how we
(00:44):
each define humanity. Ask any member of our public Safety Corps,
police dea Ice, the Sheriff's Department, state Patrol, and they'll
tell you The Omaha metro area has a rapidly growing
population of homelessness of all ages origins, men and women,
individuals and families. Some are Omahans, some come from far away,
(01:08):
Some are aliens here illegally. They live in their cars,
under bridges, in parks, empty lots. Some of them have
tents for shelter, and few meager belongings. Some of them
beg for food or money on the street corner. Others
steal for what they need. Most all suffer from some
kind of illness, addiction or both drugs, alcohol, gambling, mental impairment.
(01:32):
These are the most prominent factors that lead to homelessness,
but not always. In some cases, extreme financial stress drive
people to and over their economic brink. What is the
humane thing to do with these folks? And that's what
they are, human beings who deserve compassion and respect. But
(01:53):
what about the rest of us? What about the working
families whose homes they purchase, they maintain, work hard to afford,
which they pay, insurance and taxes are in close proximity
to these homeless encampments conclaves. What if you were one
of them? Each morning, on just the other side of
a wooden privacy fence is a group of mentally ill, hungry,
(02:15):
desperate strangers. Would you feel safe? Would you allow your
children to play in their own backyard? What if you
were awakened in the middle of the night by the
sounds of somebody rifling through your garbage cans. What if
your business is unlucky enough to be near one of
the camps many are. You'd better have one great service
at a really good price, or nobody will walk past
(02:37):
a homeless camp to get there. Is that fair to you?
Harding's ordinance wouldn't criminalize the homeless, but require them to
follow a law. I think there's a difference. If it
had passed and been signed by the mayor, carries a
penalty of up to three hundred dollars in fines and
thirty days in jail if you don't comply, Well, what
(02:58):
does that mean? It means accept the humanitarian help offered
by a number of outstanding local organizations and clean up
after yourself. Opponents say that's inhumane by what definition. Just
this year, the Sianna Francis House, perhaps omaha'smost celebrated homeless shelter,
is marking its fiftieth anniversary. It puts a roof over
(03:21):
the heads and serves three meals a day to three
thousand persons every year. It requires virtually nothing for admittance,
unlike other outstanding facilities like the Open Door Mission. All
are welcome, but they are not allowed to use drugs
or alcohol, and must submit to regular career training sessions
designed to make them self sufficient again. Dramatically good results.
(03:46):
Is that humane? In voting against the ordnance, five council
members say, let's give the mayor's idea a try, which is,
hire a consulting firm to study the problem, develop a plan,
and then give it six months to work. The difference.
No cops, no citations, no jail time, all of it voluntary.
(04:07):
In so many cases, just like the addicted, voluntary compliance
may be asking too much for they prefer support with
no strings. This puts law enforcement behind the ask. Meanwhile,
the problem grows and grows, and pretty soon it won't
be about fixing it but managing its expansion, which means
(04:27):
it never goes away. And to some that's inhumane,
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