Food Not Bombs, a volunteer group that feeds the homeless, was issued tickets by Houston police for distributing meals outside the Central Library in violation of a city ordinance. At the first trial for one of the volunteers, Phillip Picone, the jury found him not guilty. The city claims the ordinance is meant to connect homeless people with social services, while Food Not Bombs argues it violates their freedoms and rights. During the trial, the police officer testified that he issued the ticket but that he also likes feeding the homeless. In his closing argument, Picone’s lawyer argued there was reasonable doubt since the group had been feeding people there for years with the city’s permission. The jury unanimously found Picone not guilty, which his lawyer saw as confirmation of his faith in doing good for the poor.
Here in New York City folks were distributing free bagels to the homeless. Out of concern for the food safety aspect of it all, our government helpfully disrupted the work and dumped bleach over the bagels to protect the needy from potentially unsafe food.
When the authorities finished their good work, the hungry folks proceeded to eat bleach-tainted bagels.
Governments don’t need to be red to do awfully stupid awful things.