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-Lurid Crime Tales-
Hot New Trend for the Left
2006-12-10
This time the volunteer torch survived, thanks to some quick-thinking bystanders. (Obligatory insensitive gif)
ORLANDO, Fla. -- A homeless man tried to set himself on fire to protest the city's treatment of the homeless population, but was thwarted by bystanders before he could go through with it, police said. The man was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital and placed in protective custody under the state's Baker Act, which allows authorities to commit people for up to 36 hours for psychological evaluations if they appear to be a danger to themselves or others.

The suicide attempt Friday happened during Project Homeless Connect, an event that provided food, health care and other social services to about 600 people. The man shouted criticism of the city's policies on the homeless and poured gasoline over his head, said Sgt. Barbara Jones, a police spokeswoman. He was tackled by others before he could ignite himself.

The protest took place with a backdrop of public battles between city officials and social-advocacy groups over the rights of the homeless. City employees razed a downtown homeless encampment last month, and the Central Florida American Civil Liberties Union filed suit earlier this year after an ordinance that bans feeding the homeless in downtown parks without a special permit was put into effect.

Local ACLU Chairman George Crossley said the man had lived at the razed encampment and had run out of his diabetes medication at the time of the suicide attempt.
What burns me about this is how certain lefties exploit obvious mental illness by making a saint and martyr out of that poor guy who fried himself to "protest the war" a while back. Expect the same with this one.
Posted by:Atomic Conspiracy

#13  GK ya mean Booze Coupons.
Posted by: Deacon Blues   2006-12-10 15:13  

#12  Damnit. Time to remove the limit on lizards. They're getting uppity, saw one steal a John Deere the other day.
Posted by: Shipman   2006-12-10 12:55  

#11  er... to panhandle wine money from.
Posted by: GK   2006-12-10 11:36  

#10  I don't understand his unhappiness with the local government. Didn't Orange county and Olando vote for Kerry in 2004?And aren't the Democrats the party who looks out for little guy and down trodden? Then those policies must be for his own good doncha know.
#4. The problem with transient towns is there ain't no non-winos around to panhandle wine from.
Posted by: GK   2006-12-10 11:34  

#9  They put winos in a wino hotel but made no effort to stop them drinking, as costing far less to taxpayers than leaving them out on the street.

Wonder if this would work for junkies as well as winos. It would sure kick the insanely profitable international drug trade in the nuts. And quickly make poppy growing in Afghanistan an unprofitable business.
Posted by: SteveS   2006-12-10 10:58  

#8  Sure, provide food, health care, housing, and counseling, in exchange for actual WORK on community service projects.

Problem solved.
Posted by: ex-lib   2006-12-10 10:55  

#7  Come on Florida, let's take it up a notch.
Posted by: DragonFlyUFGators   2006-12-10 10:11  

#6  Nuttin new here. 4 years ago today Green Steve opined:

Channeling Daffy Duck: "It's a great act, but you can only do it once." Posted by: Steve|| 2002-12-10 13:53:05 Top||
Posted by: Shipman   2006-12-10 09:38  

#5  "The biggest problem is people who just cannot stop wanting to control other people."

Amen, #4 'moose!

That pretty much sums up most problems that involve the government.
Posted by: Barbara Skolaut   2006-12-10 09:33  

#4  In Seattle(?) they put winos in a wino hotel but made no effort to stop them drinking, as costing far less to taxpayers than leaving them out on the street.

And though it was agonizing to all the people who wanted to force the winos to stop being winos, just letting them alone proved to be the best solution.

So I figure that eventually, western cities will create "transient towns" outside the city, that are clean, safe places for the single homeless to live for a while, out of sight.

By giving several amenities, like free soap and shower, washing machines, private security--not police, and letting charities set up shop nearby, it will be attractive enough for the single homeless to camp there for a month or two, before moving on.

The city police will 'encourage' the single homeless to hang out there, with homeless families having in-city services, since they are less trouble.

But the bottom line is that, except for protecting them from violence, the government leaves them alone. If it tries to "help them stop" being homeless, either the homeless will take off, or the place will become a minimum security prison, or both. And this is the critical thing.

Winos are winos because they are winos. The homeless are homeless because they are homeless. The biggest problem is people who just cannot stop wanting to control other people.
Posted by: Anonymoose   2006-12-10 08:36  

#3  What burns me about this...

Ouch.
Posted by: Nimble Spemble   2006-12-10 08:16  

#2  Why, preciesely, is the Anti-Christian Lawyers' Union involved in something like this? Don't they usually come down on the side of the government superseding any provate property?
Posted by: no mo uro   2006-12-10 07:11  

#1  Hey buddy, need a light ?
Posted by: SpecOp35   2006-12-10 00:52  

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