You are probably not going to believe this story. Talk about putting the cart before the horse, or treating the symptom instead of the disease. This is absolutely insane. It’s so insane, it’s hilarious, and I wish the “Emerald City” all the luck in the world. There is an upside here. This action just may eliminate crime in nearby cities and states when the scum says, hell, let’s go to the Emerald City so we can pillage, steal, and rob from all them rich folks and get away with it. I love it!! I do, however, have one question though. Who is going to pay for all this? And where do these derelicts go after they are released with no charges, back to their tents under the bridges? Does anyone know someone who still lives in that soon-to-be shit hole? Ha Ha!
Elected officials in a major U.S. city plan to pass a law that will allow thieves to sell items they steal if they do it to earn money for basic needs and trespassers to set up camp on private property when it is to obtain adequate shelter. Dozens of other crimes—including assault and harassment—will be excused under the preposterous measure if suspects are poor, mentally ill or addicted to drugs. It is being crafted as a poverty defense and will allow municipal court judges to dismiss a multitude of crimes if poverty, mental illness or a substance-abuse disorder drove the perpetrator to commit them.
Even for a famously liberal left coast city like Seattle it seems like a bit much. The proposal was first introduced during the Seattle City Council’s budget deliberations weeks ago, according to a local news report. It was put on hold over a budget process bureaucracy but has gained incredible steam and appears to have enough support to alter the city code early next year. “The idea could enormously impact the city — and set Seattle apart from the rest of the country in its approach to misdemeanor crimes,” according to the news story, which includes the concerns of frustrated public safety advocates who say the law will essentially legalize most crimes in Seattle. Not surprisingly, the idea came from a “wave of activism and historic protests after the police killing of George Floyd in Minnesota,” the Seattle newspaper story says. That motivated public defenders and community organizers to take advantage of the attention to police and court reforms to fix a “long-held frustration.”
The force behind the push for the new law is a leftist organization called Decriminalize Seattle that opposes policing and the criminal legal system. The group has called for defunding the Seattle Police Department by at least 50% and reallocating the funds to “community led health and safety systems.” It also demands the release of protestors arrested during recent violent uprising without charges. An organizer with Decriminalize Seattle, identified as one of the law’s catalysts in the media, says “what we’ve already known is that the misdemeanor system is basically a system of cycling people in poverty through municipal court over and over again without meeting their basic needs.” In late October Seattle City Councilwoman Lisa Herbold,
who ironically chairs the public safety committee, introduced the measure to exempt low-level criminals. The lawmaker, who represents West Seattle and South Park, writes in her official city blog that it is important to make meeting an individual’s immediate basic need an affirmative defense to a crime.
The councilwoman includes a staff memo outlining the proposal, which is identified as “duress legislation” that will codify a defense against prosecution of crimes committed due to poverty or behavioral health issues. “The criminal legal system is ill-suited to address the root cause of ‘crimes of poverty’ and any involvement in the criminal legal system and incarceration causes harm,” the memo states. “As such, Central Staff understands that the intent of the proposal is to provide an exit from the system at trial and without further involvement in the system for those crimes committed because a person cannot otherwise afford to meet their immediate basic needs.” The lengthy document proceeds to reveal that the City Attorney already exercises his discretion to move away from prosecuting property crimes that appear to be committed out of “survival necessity.” The concern, however, is that future prosecutors may not continue the practice and a law must be enacted to assure individuals committing crimes to “fulfill their basic needs” have a way to “exit out of the criminal legal system.”
The proposed law comes as Seattle experiences a big spike in crime—including the highest homicide rate in over a decade—and police funding gets drastically cut to appease Black Lives Matter (BLM) protestors. This is not a new problem for the Emerald City. In the summer of 2019, a business publication wrote a troubling piece on the negative impact of rising crime in downtown Seattle. “The increasing prevalence of crime, drugs and homelessness in the downtown core threatens the city’s thriving tourism and convention business, and worries retailers concerned that the city isn’t doing nearly enough to combat the crisis,” the story says. “Downtown crime is increasing at an alarming rate: City of Seattle crime data for downtown Seattle indicate a jump in “person crimes” (aggravated assault, robbery, rape and homicide) of 43 percent between 2016 and 2018. In the downtown commercial district, there was a total of 568 person crimes in 2018, up from 397 in 2016, Seattle Police Department records show.” That was more than a year ago.
Originally posted 2020-12-30 10:55:25.
Contrary to the liberal point of view, helping the vast majority of people living on the streets rarely works as a legislated sweeping movement. Ms. Herbold doesn’t care that your property and rights are being violated. She does not have to pay for your increased insurance rates, the trespass on your property and possible jeopardy of life and limb. We pay her salary and get nothing in return!
I volunteered for many years in Phoenix at the Veteran’s Stand Down. We ran all over the valley getting veterans off the streets, getting doctors, lawyers, judges, clergy, food, clothing, supplies, job possibilities, and setting up security for them in hopes of some rehabilitation. DIDN’T WORK!
After seeing the same people there year after year, I realized that they wanted to be there panhandling for untaxed money, no responsibilities, and free handouts. Many on the streets who were not even veterans tried to get in for the free goodies, including an employed teacher. I quit this non-productive activity. I have better use of my limited time left on earth helping individuals who want to be helped not supported.
If this is endemic of veterans in the Phoenix area, I can only imagine that we have become so lax in our national social and moral standards that nothing short of drastic corrective actions will be necessary. The Decriminalization of criminal acts by recidivists and the punishing of law abiding tax paying citizens is not the answer.
Good comments William, S/F, Jim
I had a counter culture coffee house in big city in the eighties. what I learned is the drug addicts, drunks, crazies, low level criminals can’t be helped. They will take advantage of you, like the ex con I hired who ended up stealing from the business.
Generally speaking most of them take kindness for weakness. I learned a lot about lower human nature those years. Frankly it was disappointing.
Some will decide to help themselves but most won’t, no matter what you do.
We had a weekly narcanon meeting in the basement. Years later I ran into someone who told me that really helped him. So there was that.
Of course I was a former jarhead and straight arrow so maybe I just didn’t get the program.
Isaiah 5:20 prophesied this lunacy. Evil has become good and good is evil. Sounds like you have to be judged sound of mind to be a criminal in the Emerald City. Absolutely ridiculous and you have to wonder how these people get appointed to the Public Safety Commission. Sf Andy (aka “Deacon”)
Amen Deacon, Wow, long time no hear from you. Thank you for the comment sir.
There used to be a place for all these Freaks…it was called a Circus. Freaks and exotic critters contained now they’re out running rampant shixxing in the streets and being discusting. The pride of our nation laying in the same streets. Just pitiful. Happy new year all Semper Fi
Just one of the reasons I moved from the Seattle area to South Eastern WA. As a side note, perhaps another reason for the city to pass such a law is that the number of cops who have left because of lack of support and funding. The city doesn’t have enough officers to enforce the current laws. BTW, Portland OR is in the same situation.
LOL, good for them all. people get what they vote for. Love it.
Wow, they really do deserve what we all can see will happen. Bunch of fn idiots
I knew there were many rank fools in our country, I did NOT know there were so many.
Oh yes Tad, they are MANY, and the numbers are growing as our educational system grows them by leaps and bounds.
The Seattle City Council cannot overrule state law, which also applies. The Prosecuting Attorney for King County is separately elected. The PA may not want the extra caseload, though. West Seattle is a nice, middle class enclave, though rather isolated since Seattle municipal malpractice allowed the West Seattle Bridge to fail. The voters out there are gonna refret this.
Regardless, if, and that’s a big “IF,” I lived anywhere in that state, I’d be gone, just as I left the other cesspool of politics (Illinois) last year and came to a state that has the kind of leadership and governor everybody wants.
LOL. Might I assume you live in the cesspool of politics? Yes, you are somewhat correct, except it’s Cook County and spreading, not just Chicago. The entire state is moving father to the left. Until it recognizes AND acknowledges they have severe issues that need addressed and cease and desist their idiotic spending on socialist policies more and more patriots will leave. I left McHenry County, which was very right leaning, but as more of my type escaped I’m afraid it is moving to the left. As for your comment, “people poor enough to steal, with addiction problems, etc. might benefit from something other than jail time–” is ludicrous. You apparanetly scanned the article looking for something to attack, as folks of your ilk do. The whole system is broke in many large cities, and defunding the police is certainly not the answer. As has been medically proven, one’s addiction regardless of whether it be drugs, alcohol, and even smoking will never cease until the addicted wants it to cease. To9 steal is to steal, regardless of the reason, period.
Even for agnostics and atheists, civilized conduct requires abiding by/following the last 6 of the Commandments (5 thru 10):
List of the Ten Commandments
1. Worship only God.—Exodus 20:3.
2. Do not practice idolatry.—Exodus 20:4-6.
3. Do not take up God’s name in a worthless way.—Exodus 20:7.
4. Keep the Sabbath.—Exodus 20:8-11.
5. Honor your parents.—Exodus 20:12.
6. Do not murder.—Exodus 20:13.
7. Do not commit adultery.—Exodus 20:14.
8. Do not steal.—Exodus 20:15.
9. Do not testify falsely.—Exodus 20:16.
10. Do not covet.—Exodus 20:17.
Especially germaine to this discussion are 8 and 10.
Considering most humans have lives in object poverty forever save the last 2 centuries and that is only in part of the Western world, doing away with the absolute right to private property without it being stolen is moronic at best. Are these leftists laying the ground for abolition of private property, a la Karl Marx?
When (not if, in these assassine times) cannibalism becomes legal, I see no recourse when a hungry person kills another to eat…
LOL, you are a hoot. I don’t know you? Really? I know so much more of you than you think. All one has to do is visit your blog and read some of you pathetic slur while not even stating your name. Furthermore, while vulgar language may have a time and place you seem to use it as habit.
You want literature? I’ll give you literature. How about some Marine literature; get the hell off my blog you anonymous piece of liberal socialist garbage!