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| LETTER TO SPRINGFIELD MAYOR |
| Rick and I were not the only homeless panhandlers who regularly stationed ourselves at that busy intersection in Springfield. In fact, that location had become quite popular for beggars, till one day in May 1993 a "critical mass" point was reached, when there was just one too many. The next thing we saw was a disturbing headline in the Springfield News that told us our occupation was soon to be criminalized along with our camping lifestyle: Bill Morrisette, the mayor, had come up with a new scheme to try and drive the panhandlers out of Springfield by claiming we created a "traffic hazard". I promptly responded with a letter to said mayor, which read as follows: June 3, 1993 Dear Mr. Morrisette: My partner and I are very distressed about your latest scheme to try and drive the panhandlers out of Springfield. We have already talked to TV reporters about it; you may have also seen Rick's letter in today's Register-Guard. I also had a letter about panhandling in the Jan.30 Springfield News, plus I have written about it in the HOPE newsletter, plus Rick has been quoted in the Register-Guard and the Emerald about it. In each of these statements we have said the same thing over and over and over again: the reason homeless people are reduced to begging is because employers will not hire them; they discriminate against such people simply because they are homeless! WHY does this message never sink in, no matter how many times we say it?! If you want to get rid of the beggars, why don't you try educating these employers, tell them to give homeless people jobs? It's their fault that we have to stand out there with those stupid signs! The current proposal to outlaw panhandling because it presumably creates a "traffic hazard" is pretty transparent. We have been working the corner of Q Street and Pioneer Parkway for several months, and we have yet to see one accident there, caused by our standing there with signs. But if you are really concerned about traffic hazards on such corners, then why not allow us to panhandle in the malls and other such places where we would be appealing to the foot traffic instead of the car traffic? Since you don't suggest any such alternatives, we can only conclude that this is merely the latest excuse to try and get rid of us because we're such an eyesore to the conservative population of Springfield--and it's a very weak excuse at that. The bottom line is: you cannot deprive people of their only source of income without substituting something in its place. If people who can't get work are not allowed to beg, they will then turn to stealing; the crime rate will go up. If you think this measure will simply drive us out of town you are mistaken; we have sunk deeper roots in Eugene/Springfield than that. Please consider these points before you allow the City Council to sever the only lifeline we have left. Sincerely, Bridget Reilly (click here to view next page) ; |