Editorial: How mean can we get?

Tuesday, June 13, 2006 | 7:37 a.m.

Las Vegas Councilman Gary Reese says "people are feeling unsafe in their neighborhoods" because a few kind souls are feeding the homeless in nearby parks.

In response, he is pushing a new city ordinance, one that would make it illegal for anyone to bring food to a park and pass it out to those who look unkempt.

The ordinance might not be worded that way, but what else could it mean? It is certainly not illegal to take food to a park and pass it out to family members or friends.

But the ordinance as proposed would discriminate against homeless people, those who need a sandwich the most.

And that is what this ordinance would be if it passes - a city law designed expressly to discriminate against one class of people. We strongly believe that discrimination against a whole class of people far outweighs any concerns of safety on the part of those who object to the homeless being given some food and water.

In all of the city, there may be three or four parks where caring people go for an hour or two and pass out food to homeless people who generally gather there anyway. That this charitable activity is the focus of a proposed ordinance is reflective of a bias toward homeless people - an unlawful bias, in our view.

If this proposed ordinance ever actually comes before the City Council, it should be voted down. The city should be spending its time providing services to the homeless, rather than trying to make criminals out of those trying to fill the void.