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Government

California Law May Grant Homeless People the ‘Right’ To Urinate on Sidewalks

Dec. 11, 2012 11:58am Mytheos Holt

It’s a grim joke among conservatives that in Lyndon Johnson’s “War on Poverty,” poverty won. Now, California is considering a treaty with the conquerors. The California State Assembly is presently debating a bill known among both its supporters and opponents as the “homeless bill of rights.” And unlike the original bill of rights, this bill, introduced by San Francisco Democrat Tom Ammiano, bears little to no sign of an overriding concern for property rights, especially public property rights.

As the San Francisco Chronicle describes it:

A proposed Homeless Bill of Rights could cancel out many locally passed laws. Here’s what the measure protects: — Sleeping in public spaces such as sidewalks and parks — 24/7 access to bathrooms, showers, water and clean syringes. — Car camping on city streets without restrictions — “Life sustaining activities” such as urinating and collecting recycling trash — Welfare cash payments — Meditating or praying in public — Panhandling — Payment for possessions seized in a roust — Right to refuse the offer of a homeless shelter — Right to a lawyer in most encounters with the law

Some of this may sound compassionate, but in practice, its effects are so potentially alarming that even officials from some of California’s most liberal areas are sounding alarm bells about the bill. For instance, according to Santa Cruz’s KSBW news station, the bill’s provision granting homeless people the right to “life sustaining activities” would basically grant them the right to use sidewalks as toilets:

If that sounds unreasonable, don’t tell Mr. Ammiano (the bill’s sponsor), since (according to the San Francisco Chronicle) he apparently thinks the problem is with non-homeless people for taking issue with such behavior:

[The bill's] hyperbolic text compares quality-of-life laws aimed at people living on the streets to Jim Crow laws that punished African Americans in the South, the segregation of Chinese immigrants or “ugly laws” that made it a crime for people with severe disfigurement to appear in public.

Don’t take their word for it, though. The text of the bill mentions numerous groups that have been disenfranchised as moral equivalents to the homeless. They include:

(1) Jim Crow laws: After the Civil War, many states, especially in the south, passed laws denying African Americans basic human rights. In California, these laws also targeted Chinese immigrants. In San Francisco, Chinese residents were forced to live in one area of the city. The same segregation laws also prohibited interracial marriage between Chinese and non-Chinese persons.

(2) Ugly laws: In 1867, San Francisco was the first city in the country to pass a law making it illegal for people with “unsightly or disgusting” disabilities to appear in public. In many cities, these laws persisted until the 1970s.

(3) Anti-Okie laws: In 1937, California passed an Anti-Okie law that criminalized “bringing or assisting in bringing” extremely poor people into the state. The United States Supreme Court struck down the law in 1941, when it declared that these laws are in violation of the Commerce Clause, and therefore unconstitutional.

(4) Sundown towns: Town policies and real estate covenants were aimed at preventing minorities and other persons considered to be socially undesirable from remaining within city limits after sunset. Thousands of these towns existed prior to the Civil Rights Act of 1968, which made these ordinances and covenants illegal.

Do you find these comparisons persuasive? Weigh in below.

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Comments (62)

califpatriot
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 4:24pm
It’s getting VERY difficult to keep your sanity in this great state. Iam a native Angeleno, (Hoover Hospital 1946), and remember when I would go shopping downtown with my legal immigrant grandmother, she insisted on us wearing dresses, hats, and gloves. We were well-manned, never disrespected any adult, and helped her with all the packages. We usually took the bus and always gave up our seat to an adult woman, without being asked. It wasn’t a perfect world, but I’m very grateful to have lived in that LA. I don’t remember seeing homeless people, and we were right off Los Angeles street.It’s we adults that have let down this city and this state. Not vocal enough, and letting local and state governments be run by Democrats was our worst mistake ever.

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- NeoFan
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 11:09pm
  I have got news for ya, the homeless are using California as their toilet and the people running the state are worshiping the homeless people’s sewage. The worship of Baal is alive and well in all the Blue States.
  
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paulwbrown
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 3:54pm
I am surprised that there is not a law requiring the poor homeless to urinate on the legs of the 1%!

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txannie
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 3:06pm
This is just vile and discusting! Hundreds of years working to clean up cities from open sewers and now these morons are bringing them back…welcome to the disease-ridden sidewalks of the city. Thank God I don’t live anywhere near there, and I sure as heck will not be visiting…ever.

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- OldSkoolDJ
  Posted on December 12, 2012 at 8:56am
  Now you understand why liberalism is a mental disorder. Who in their right mind would ever want to live in an open sewer?
  
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TheBurningTruth
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 2:05pm
Here’s an interesting thought. This so-called “Homeless Bill of Right” eliminates laws making it illegal to urinate in public (not the same as making it “legal”). However, what if you’re NOT homeless? Can you still use the city as your public urinal? If something is illegal for one person but NOT illegal for another, doesn’t that violate the Constitution’s Equal Protection clause?

Then there’s the question about “public sidewalks”. Which sidewalks? In front of your house? If so, let’s charter some busses and head to Pigloski’s neighborhood and make the public street in front of her mansion a toilet.

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Uechi
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 1:42pm
Why stop at urination and defecation? Why not masturbation and group sex? Commiefornia is amazing. The most amazing is they just don’t get it. People and businesses are moving out in droves but they keep up with their Marxist agenda, amazing.

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- OldSkoolDJ
  Posted on December 12, 2012 at 8:58am
  Why not masturbation and group sex?
  
  That would be in Hollywood, the modern day Sodom and Gomorrah.
  
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mikem1969
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 1:33pm
So now if you are a homeless person and a criminal you have all the power over the law.

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- The_Jerk
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 1:43pm
  California will be the next Detroit, a proven, tangible, failure of the Democratic, progressive philosophy.
  
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kindling
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 1:26pm
Maybe San Francisco and Santa Cruz should put in those holes that are in the middle of the walk ways like they are in the middle east so people can just squat as they walk. I hear from those that have gone there the smell is overwhelming.

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- garylee123
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 2:10pm
  I read meters (G&E) in SF in the 70′s. It may be pretty to look at but that is one filthy city. You need good boots to keep from slipping down the sidewalks from all the crap on them.
  
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VISITORNUMBER3
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 1:17pm
This is madness and a mockery of the legislative process….plain and simple.

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pap pap
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 1:14pm
I guess if this passes it would OK to Pee on Ed Asner.

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- txannie
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 3:07pm
  That’s about the only good thing to come out of this legislation.
  
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right field
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 1:14pm
People get what they vote for – California voters pass these laws and force “the taxpayers” to pay for all their progressive ideas. Things will work as long as there are enough taxpayers to cover their votes for liberal causes. However, California is bankrupt.
People who want to keep any of their wealth are leaving in droves. The ‘rich libs’ have bodyguards and paid security for now – but this too will fail in the near future. Watch out Texas – the ‘libs’ are coming!

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tharpdevenport
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 1:11pm
I think they, the homeless bums, should all urinate and lay logs infront of Ammiano’s house. They should alos camp outin their cars on his street. There’d be nothing wrong with that if the Bill passes!

Surely Ammiano would have no problem with that.

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thegreatcarnac
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 1:06pm
Now we see what pure liberalism ends up doing to a state and to citizens. Liberalism is a disease of the brain and liberals are completely mad. When they are allowed to carry it out to it’s inevitable goals (as in California) it ends up in filth and human urine and feces. ‘Urine on the streets’ accurately describes liberalism. It is a ideology of filth and sickness. California deserves it.

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ForMyKidsVA
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 1:05pm
I say go for it. Once all that is legal I will proceed to buy the biggest, ugliest VW hippy van which I will park in the street in front of various outspoken liberal movie stars, directors, singers, etc. I will bathe in the street, do my toileting in the street, wash my clothes in their sprinklers and then hang them up to dry in the street. I will read the bible out loud and set up some astro turf to make a comfy outdoor meditation spot. And when the celebrity complains I will scream homeless-ism as loud as I can and make sure everyone knows that that celebrity hates homeless people.

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TheEDGE
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 1:02pm
Come to San Francisco and take a nice deep breath. Does anyone think the bums give a hoot about some silly law? This is just so the police won’t have to waste precious time listening to greedy home and business owners complain about an alcoholic whipping out his/her junk to relieve themselves on their property. It’s all about being open minded, maaaannnn!

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banjarmon
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 12:46pm
Let all send the WH a bottle of yellow liquid!!!

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Cavallo
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 12:29pm
What about non-Homeless? Do they get these rights that the State is granting? Or do you have to be a drug addicted schizophrenic first?

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- DougHuffman
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 12:36pm
  Equal protection under the law is a well established penumbra of civil rights.
  
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Vickie Dhaene
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 12:27pm
California is the bastion of Evil. They deserve every thing they get. I will pray for those who have no chance and no choice to live good peaceful lives.

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- Obama Snake Oil Co
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 12:35pm
  I hope they pass it so even other countries can see how a state put themselves in such a state, they even get to walk past a turd on a sidewalk and smell urine all over the city. Nancy Pelosi will be proud of libterdial revolution there as they run out of money and all they are left with is Turdwalks….
  
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huey6367
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 12:25pm
So the homeless have a right to endanger the health of others? This will get overturned in any court.

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- kindling
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 1:22pm
  No, it has to go to the 9th and they are as liberal as they come.
  
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48Straights
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 12:24pm
What is it with Glenn Beck’s fascination with urine lately and his real news blackout?

Would he let his kid read his “TheBlaze” tabloid or watch his urine skits on GBTV. Glenn has abandoned all of his principals.

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- The_Jerk
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 12:27pm
  Your focus is misplaced. Beck’s a good man, though I sometimes disagree with that good man.
  
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- ArmedAndReallyPissed
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 12:39pm
  It seems your the one focused on Urine, 48. Yet another brilliant post by you.
  
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- BasketFullOfPuppies
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 1:06pm
  And, who are you to decide what his principles are? Perhaps your perception is skewed?
  
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- 48Straights
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 1:36pm
  No not skewed. I use to be a follower until Glen sold out to the MSM. You guys ever wonder why there is a news blackout at TheBlaze? Why is Glenn so fixated stupid things like urine in a bottle Saturday Night Live and Bob Costas comedy bits.
  
  I agree Glenn is a good man but he never does anything relevant anymore, he has given up since the election.
  
  Report this comment
- DebateMe
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 1:40pm
  @48Straights – you’re ‘shooting’ the messenger…
  
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- 48Straights
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 3:12pm
  The messenger has nothing to say and has left the building. Didn’t you notice the empty space all around you here at the once great meeting hall of TheBlaze?
  
  We need to find a new messenger and one that is not afraid to tell us the real news.
  
  I hate to say it but Donald Trump may be our only good man left standing.
  
  Report this comment
ArmedAndReallyPissed
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 12:15pm
This Bill doesn’t go near far enough !!! The homeless should also be allowed to have sex in Public too. And how about deficating. They could wash it away with urine. Why have any restrictions on anything? Just let Society do whatever they want……Sarcasm off.

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- moreteaplease
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 1:31pm
  Give them time.
  
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The_Jerk
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 12:09pm
California has been a cesspool for quite sometime. So, makes sense to me.

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- strawberry411a
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 12:26pm
  Obama will get his wish sooner than we think. We should be at the same level as Kenya within a year.
  
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TEIN
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 12:09pm
Yay “…clean syringes. “!!!!! Can’ t beat that!!! Smoke dope, shoot up, pee on the sidewalk and then have the right to sleep in it!!! California will be the first state to go tribal!! Remember it takes many tribal villages to raise many idiots…..

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DougHuffman
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 12:09pm
First figuratively, now literally a running sewer. Will the fecal stench mask the smell of sodomy?

I remember the first sidewalks not wooden in Santa Clara and the last street to be paved. Sic Transit Gloria Mundi

Good people ought to be armed as they will, with wits and Guns and the Truth. God Bless Bitter Clingers, damn progs.

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ares338
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 12:06pm
That’s it…is very apparent that we need to nuke Kalifornia! They are no more normal persons living there anymore.

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- huey6367
  Posted on December 11, 2012 at 12:26pm
  Don’t nike Cali. Sell it back to Mexico. They come in and fix it up all pretty and such. When they default on the loan, we foreclose on it and get it back in proper working order.
  
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zenjak
Posted on December 11, 2012 at 12:03pm
The urination “right” will be interesting when the next celebrity tries to leave their handprints in the sidewalk in front of Grumann’s Chinese Theater.

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