Taken from Sunday's Redding Record Searchlight  Letters To The Editor

Judy Pearson, Shasta Lake
Disgusted by drive against panhandling
The more I think about the new “anti-homeless” campaign, as I refer to it, the more disgusted I am with the morals of this city. I am embarrassed to say I am a part of such a small minded community. Its prejudice is so profound that I cant even believe that it is legal.
The problem of people asking for money isn’t so huge here that it even needs a solution. Instead, why not look at the underlying problem and figure out a solution to it. It’s just another example of Redding trying to ignore a situation that makes some people feel bad about themselves, so they come up with ways to avoid the real truth — that there are people out there whom are less fortunate, and need assistance.
And don’t give me that stuff about there being lots of homeless assistance programs and food banks that should be able to carry the load. There aren’t enough of them. The problem is only going to get worse. Cutting them off from society and pawning them off as beggars isn’t the way.
It isn’t human, and it shouldn’t be legal. It certainly isn’t ethical. Any business that participate should be ashamed of themselves.
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