By Queennandi Xsheba PNN KEXU
Meter Maids, aka “bullies in go carts” have been ticketing poor folks with a vengeance as usual in low-income neighborhoods and they always seem to work in pairs with one another constantly giving out tickets back to back on the same day, convincing us po’ vehicle owners that we are targeted way more than people who live in higher- income areas. One meter maid even went as far to commit perjury while he issued a hefty ticket to my “po’ mobile” citing that my expired disabled placard was stolen. After that incident, my neighbors and I were flooded with tickets regardless of our disabilities and the inability to pay the fines. One neighbor’s car had broken down in front of his home and he still reeling from the exodus of tickets he received from these “bullies in go carts” because he is one of many folks who had lost their jobs during this COVID pandemic and unfortunately the city could care less as long as this “legal extortion” generates a windfall of revenue. Houseless people who have no choice but to live in their cars really catch hell from meter maids that gleefully hand out tickets knowing that poor people will eventually lose their cars due to the expensive fines. It is very difficult to be low-income and own a car with a system that is known for kicking po folks in the face when they are already down and struggling to pay pre-existing moving violations regardless of a nationwide crisis. I have witnessed many people be singled out and fined just because they are poor but the fast talking gentrifiers are the ones who get a “pass” and a half-hearted warning.
Very few meter maids would show mercy to those who are disabled and/or in struggle and did not go out of their way to make a poor person’s situation more difficult in order to fulfill a quota for personal and systematic gain. It is already a slap in the face that people going through hardships cannot receive consistent aid from the “powers that be” to maintain the basic human needs such as housing, food and other necessities but to continue to systematically drain folks for the very little resources we do have left is like bolting the coffin closed.
Some of these city workers who go around with untouchable attitudes contributing to the criminalization of poor folks with impunity take pride in knowing that they have the power to make a person’s life more difficult, or easier if you happen to be a relative of theirs and they are able to get away with abusing their so-called authority. These “agents of the state” should be held accountable for disregarding protocols just to fill a quota at the people’s expense. Too many livelihoods have been destroyed due to systematic greed and the lack of human compassion and unfortunately, this is an inhumane society. And the saddest part of all is this “Sssystem” is never short of employees without a conscience who would happily take part in the agenda of oppressing a nation, just as long as a paycheck is attached to the bullwhip.
CR Queennandi Xsheba PNN KEXU