If you would have told me 3 years ago that I would be standing in front
of the mayor and city council of Dallas advocating for homeless feeders'
rights I would have told you you were crazy. I actually wake up early on
Wednesday ready for the big day.. I then get ready and go all the way to
city hall, way downtown. City Hall is actually across the street from
the shelter. So I go in there ready to do battle at 9AM. Unfortunately I
didn't speak until 4:30pm. It was a very long meeting. I learned about
how some kids rescued people from a fire and about how some basketball
teams got awards from the city. Then they had some meetings on giving
police officers a raise. Then they talked about the new homeless shelter
they are building in 2 years and the board wondered if it was going to
be fenced in and of course, it was. Most of the citizen speakers at the
beginning were, well, boisterous and didn't convey their point. I would
say about half of them really weren't saying anything. I then realized
as I looked at the council that they did not respect what anyone was
saying. The councilmen were reclining and smirking as people talked. The
councilwomen looked like they were listening, however as the day grew on
I realized that they paid lip service to whoever was presenting. Like
when the cops wanted a raise, all of the members had to say at what a
good job they were doing, but no one said we will give them one. It was
all politics. I suppose it was expected. So before I go on a lady gets
up to speak and she talked about the homeless issue, except she wasn't
specific. Her soliloquy was only about the city needs to do more. At
which point I see them all smirking at her. Now, I knew I might be
emotional, but I had no idea I would be angry. I intended to lay out my
reasons and I did, rather well. I get up at the podium state my name and
my address and then I am off... "I am speaking regarding the feeding
location ordinance. This law just doesn't make sense. To think that if
we see a homeless person starving in the streets and we give them a cup
of water we are committing a crime equal to a $2000 fine is wrong. It is
just wrong! This law goes against the laws of God which command us to
love our neighbor. Not only that but this law goes against the laws of
man which prohibits the government from creating a law that goes against
the practice of religion. This law is just wrong!" and I say stuff like
that for 2 minutes and thirty seconds. The last 30 seconds I read from
James 2 and finished right when my time was up. As I was doing this I
was speaking really fast and waving my arms. From behind me I heard
"Amen!" and "mmmhhm". I realize now that I was preaching. I was
preaching to the city council. After I spoke I got pulled out of the
meeting by the homeless secretary and she gave me her contact
information. I didn't get to hear any response to my speech. I probably
would have been more mad as they were mocking the people anyways.
Anyways, I learned that in order to get this law changed I need to lobby
the councilmen or do a lawsuit or form a committee that gets a petition.
I suppose this was just a first step. I got to tell you. I feel so
different after having done that. It is weird, like I am not afraid to
speak about Jesus. I kind of feel like a leader. Anyway, that was my
experience, and it was very spiritual.

Thought of the Day
"You see, you need us. We help those who you don't help. You need us, so
why do you punish us?"
-- me at the city council

// posted by Brian @ 4/06/2006 01:40:00 PM