They all spoke movingly and compassionately about feeding the thousands of poor and hungry in Orlando and the rest of Central Florida, as the case for returning to Lake Eola to deliver food services was made before the City Council on Monday. But, in the end, Mayor Buddy Dyer stuck to his guns, pointing out that, the city had to balance the needs of all its residents and that ordinances and codes had to be enforced.
About twelve people addressed the City Council during public appearances. Some were members of the Orlando Food Not Bombs (OFNB), others, supporters of the feeding group, Occupy Orlando members, Sue Caskell, a sympathizer of the Occupy Orlando movement, and an attorney, Roger Weeden, who represents the Occupy Orlando group.
All who spoke on feeding the homeless argued for the decriminalization of food sharing in city parks and urged the city to stop arresting people who share food in the parks.
Earlier this year, the city arrested dozens of people connected to OFNB for feeding the homeless at Lake Eola Park in violation of a city ordinance and in August, the trials of more than two dozen persons-members and supporters-were dropped. But, while Dyer directed that the charges be dismissed, he warned that if OFNB returned to feeding in Lake Eola Park and the city ordinance is broken again, there will be more arrests. He also offered that large group feeding of the homeless take place outside City Hall.
Thomas Hellinger, one of those arrested, while making the case for returning to Lake Eola to feed the homeless, also noted that he is unable to return to the park as he would be trespassed. He urged that he be allowed to return to Lake Eola, so that he too, could enjoy the park like any other resident of Central Florida.
Mike Cantone, a candidate in the upcoming Orlando mayoral race, read a resolution which he said had been adopted overwhelmingly by Orange County Democrats four months ago. The resolution requests the city and commissioners to decriminize activities of organized food sharing and refrain from arresting those who organize such food sharing activities in any and all city parks. Cantone said that, no action had been taken since the resolution had been passed on August 15.
Perhaps one of the most moving contributions came from Robert McGill, a supporter of OFNB, who challenged Dyer and the city commissioners to take a good hard look at themselves in the mirror and decide what would they do about feeding the homeless. If you are unable to do that, then ask yourselves, what would Jesus do, he added.
“Would your Lord and Savior have us get permits to feed the hungry?” he asked rhetorically. “….Would your Lord and Savior have us go to to jail for not complying with this ordinance? Would your Lord and Savior have us respect your so-called restrictions on our free speech and the exercise of our religious, moral and ethical duty?”
He said, it was even more important now to support the poor and hungry in view of the ever increasing poverty rates, nationwide, including right here in Central Florida and chided the council for their apparent lack of compassion.
“With respect to your ordinance prohibiting feeding the homeless in some of the parks in Orlando, you have utterly failed,” he said.
“As elected officials you are in the unenviable position where you often have inconsistent, conflicting demands from constituents, your campaign contributors and other people that you have no choice but to listen to,” McGill said. “But at the end of the day, you represent the people and you must do what is right for the people you represent.”
But perhaps, this is precisely what Dyer is trying to do – balance inconsistent and conflicting demands for the good of all Orlando residents.
“We dropped those (OFNB arrests) charges. We really have no interest in arresting anybody related to Food Not Bombs or Occupy Orlando,” a weary-looking Dyer said. “But we really have to balance the needs of all citizens of Orlando. And we have ordinances and codes we have to enforce.”
Weeden, one of the attorneys representing the Occupy Orlando movement urged the city to listen to the group and accommodate them. He observed that the group was “very sincere,” spawned out of legitimate grievances, such as rising education and health care costs.
“These people are not going away,” he warned. “You need to listen to them and provide a forum so they can express themselves. Whether it’s in the park next to the Chamber…. you need to provide for them and stop the arrests. They are not going to go away.”
“I know that the City Council can allow them to be in the park,” he added.
