The past few weeks have had a number of stories, many unflattering, about Raleigh’s treatment of groups feeding the homeless in Moore Square. It seems most of the coverage has been one-sided in favor of the groups, often stretching the truth in some cases. I am not privy to the decisions that went into the city’s controversial policy – those are made at a level much higher than mine – but I do have some thoughts about the situation.
- No one should go hungry. I think everyone agrees on this.
- Moore Square is a public park.
- A lot of homeless people hang around the park.
- Everyone is welcome to use the park during the day.
- The park is frequently full of trash.
- There have been a number of violent incidents in the park.
- Anyone with a history of violence should not be welcome in the park.
- There are better places to feed the hungry.
- A meal is only a small fraction (though important, nonetheless) of what these people need.