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No More Turning Away: Why Austin Must Reject Proposition B
The results of Proposition B won’t solve Austin’s homelessness problem. But it will tell us how we’ll deal with it and who we are.
On the turning away
From the pale and downtrodden
And the words they say
Which we won’t understand
Don’t accept that what’s happening
Is just a case of others’ suffering
Or you’ll find that you’re joining in
The turning away
Proponents of Austin’s Proposition B (election day is May 1, early voting has already begun) argue that by making it a criminal offense “to sit, lie down, or camp in public areas,” the blight of Austin’s homelessness problem — now visible more than ever on the city’s streets, underpasses, trails and parks — will be removed from sight.
They are right.
Which is why Proposition B should be defeated.
In order for Austin to systematically and humanely manage its growing homeless population, we need to see just how bad the problem is.
The Problem Right in Front of Us
When a 20-year-old ordinance banning camping and panhandling in public spaces was…
