this post was submitted on 04 Mar 2024
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[–] Duke_Nukem_1990@feddit.de 78 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Enabling the homeless to sleep in public spaces like park benches and in front of businesses doesn’t make them safer. It creates more conflict for them, leaves them exposed (to people and the elements), and worsens how the community sees them.

And taking away the littlest comfort of not having to sleep on the cold floor next to the bench solves this how?

[–] wise_pancake@lemmy.ca 21 points 8 months ago (1 children)

It doesn't, providing spaces for them and working on improving access to help does.

How is letting them sleep on benches helping them?

[–] Gabu@lemmy.world 35 points 8 months ago (1 children)

A little thought experiment, since you're having trouble following what should be a self evident line: would you rather sleep in your bed or on the floor, if you were forced to choose? Now if I swap your bed with a bench?

[–] wise_pancake@lemmy.ca 8 points 8 months ago (2 children)

Obviously a bench is better than the ground, but what I'm saying is a system that gives you some form of shelter is better than both. Even if that's a tent and a space heater, or a room in a shelter (which I know can be problematic in their own way).

[–] Gabu@lemmy.world 36 points 8 months ago

Thankfully, people are capable of doing more than one thing at a time. Removing hostile architecture doesn't stop you from campaigning for better policies nor from organizing a leftwing bloc.

[–] Duke_Nukem_1990@feddit.de 14 points 8 months ago (1 children)

That is not the system that exists. The system that exists tries to rob you of your last bit of dignity by denying you even this little bit of comfort. So, staying in the system that actually exists in reality, are you still against removing those bars?

[–] wise_pancake@lemmy.ca 6 points 8 months ago

I'm not in favor of adding the bars in the first place, but just removing the bars individually is setting some homeless person up for trouble. I've seen cops hassle guys for collecting cans, when they sleep on the bench that used to have a bar those cops are going to take it on the homeless.

I'm saying advocate to change the system. Advocate to remove the bars, advocate for better shelters for the homeless than a bench.