Raleigh - a city without commons-ense.

In a public forum, one by one, city officials went up to the stand and spoke about the crackdown on groups of good Samaritans feeding the hungry in downtown Moore Square. They said that it was all a big huge misunderstanding over recent events, that high level members were unaware of the crackdown, and officers who were supposed to merely be providing education, may have been a little overzealous or may not have excelled in their role as community education specialists, and also that no Samaritans had been threatened with arrest.

First, according to a freedom of information request from the News and Observer, it turns out that high level members were indeed aware and were involved as early as February.

http://www.midtownraleighnews.com/2013/09/13/3191678/emails-legal-advice-sought-to.html


Second, I was personally threatened with arrest. The police are not 'community education specialists', they are enforcement specialists.

Third, I dispute the ordinances themselves. 9-2022 reads:

Distribution of food prohibited.
No individuals or group shall serve or distribute meals or food of any kind in or on any City park or greenway unless such distribution is pursuant to a permit issued by the Parks, Recreation and Greenway Director

Now this is an interesting ordinance. According to it, I should have been arrested every time I've had a birthday party or cookout. Is there anyone in Raleigh who hasn't broken this ordinance? Will the City begin to enforce this ordinance against ALL Raleigh residents equally or will they use profiling?

I also disagree that this is a 'private' use of the sidewalk. Anyone can come. No one will be discriminated against. No one has to pay. This is a public a use of sidewalks.

There is a meeting Monday at 7:00 PM and according to officials the SOLE purpose of the meeting is find alternatives to Moore Square and ANY OTHER public city park for the distribution of food. Here's a trivia question for you: Where did the Salvation Army begin? Not in a Raleigh park, but in a park nonetheless. Another homeless shelter in Raleigh started in a revival tent. One could say there is a rich tradition where many well known national charitable organizations began in the commons, but that would not do it justice.

Almost every single organization had its roots planted in the grass of the commons.

Make no mistake, the City of Raleigh seeks to privatize those commons. They mention 'alternate' sites.

I have only one question:

Are these 'public' sites?

Or are those formerly public sites, sites that have been used as the commons since this city was founded, now become only available to those who can afford them?