--- Ellie Kidder <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: "So when I read an article about Minneapolis Council taking on vote on anti- begging policy. Granted, I do support people's right to say anything as they darn well please. But it is NOT ok to anyone to give a dime to any Deaf beggars. I will still chase them out of Nicollett Mall if I must. So...I'm concern this might give Deaf beggars a message it is ok to beg. They can go somewhere else but NOT IN MY CITIES, either Minneapolis or St.Paul."
I can understand why a hearing impaired person would be uncomfortable seeing another using that condition as an excuse to beg. However, that shouldn't lead to the conclusion that it's OK to interfere with a beggar's right to ask for money. Isn't it up to the person being solicited to decide whether they want to donate? As long as the beggar isn't being pushy or creating a nuisance, what right does Ms. Kidder have to interfere in a private transaction between two other people? I think the behavior described in her post is way out of bounds. Hearing impaired people ought to have the same rights to beg as any other citizen. The fact that Ms. Kidder is personally offended that someone would use their impaired hearing condition as an excuse doesn't give her the right to harrass them. The 1st Amendment doesn't apply only to speech you approve of. Charlie Swope St. Paul, Ward 1, > > > I dont know about other target groups, but > panhandling is not acceptable in my Deaf Community. > I do get angry when I see Deaf person handling out " > Pity me. I'm Deaf. I need money", once they see a > person start signing... they'd run fast before I > even can say "Get lost". THEY KNOWS. They do know > it's not acceptable inside Deaf community. I even > had chase them out. Some folks warned me that they > can get violence when asking Deaf panhandlers to > leave. It turned out it's s true. You do have to > watch for your safety. Twice I asked each of them ( > two of them) and they suddenly turn into ugly > monster, threatening to hurt me. They often would > say " You don't understand. I'm Deaf and I have a > hard life!". I don't feel sorry for them One time > when I was working as a caricature artist at Camp > Snoopy ( Mall of America) a few years ago, I was > scared wit out of my head when I saw Deaf beggar ( > as I prefer to call them) soliciting a " pity > card", I told him I'm Deaf and he froze on his t > rack. > Then he became angry telling me to get out of my > way and let him do his business. I followed him in a > safe distance telling hearing people DO NOT give > this beggar a cent. He then turn to me swearing at > me in ASL ( yes this happen at MOA). I told am > employee to call for security and I continue to > follow him out the door, all the while he was > swearing at me. Security guard came a bit too late. > > It does make me angry because this is NOT how I want > Deaf community to represent themselves. It is true > that majority of Deaf community members do not have > a job. It is true that only one percent have gone to > college. It is true they have difficult life. It is > true they have face barrier on every single day. > BUT IT IS NOT true that people would have to feel > sorry for them because I know if a Deaf person make > up his or her mind to fight and be successful, they > can do it. I want people to know Deaf person can do > anything hearing person can do except to hear. That > s it. I want to represent Deaf community members as > an intelligent, members and can take care of > themselves. They do not need anyone to feel sorry > for them. But when a Deaf beggar come along, it is > truly insult to our intelligent and our dignity. > > So when I read an article about Minneapolis Council > taking on vote on anti- begging policy. Granted, I > do support people's right to say anything as they > darn well please. But it is NOT ok to anyone to give > a dime to any Deaf beggars. I will still chase them > out of Nicollett Mall if I must. So...I'm concern > this might give Deaf beggars a message it is ok to > beg. They can go somewhere else but NOT IN MY > CITIES, either Minneapolis or St.Paul. > > > Ellie Kidder > Standish > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > --------------------------------- > Do you Yahoo!? > Friends. Fun. Try the all-new Yahoo! Messenger > _____________________________________________ > NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your > password - visit: > http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul > > Archive Address: > http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/ _____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/
