Editors Note: Ana is a student-mentee in the Revolutionary Youth Media Education(RYME) summer program at POOR Magazine
“Do not judge by appearances; a rich heart may be under a poor coat.”
People tend to judge others based on their appearances, and we have all been taught that one particular saying that you should never judge a book by its cover. However, none of us seem to abide by the things we say or our own ways of thinking.
What do I mean by this? I'm talking about a little something called “Ugly Laws.” Ugly laws made it illegal for people with “unsightly or disgusting” disabilities to appear in public.
Currently, in Berkeley, California their city council met on June 30th to vote on a proposed law that would basically make it illegal for anyone to lie in or on top of a city owned planters, spread out bedding on the sidewalks between 7am-10pm, urinate or defecate in a public place, etc.
It also regulates the size of the belongings they may carry with them to 16in. By 18in., Bob Offer-Westort from Sidewalks Are For Everyone a.k.a SAFE states, “ It's not the size of a duffel bag...it's ridiculously small...my backpack is bigger than that.”
Many people say that the proposed law will either address problematic street behavior, make a more pleasant place to visit, or further criminalize the homeless.
It's weird how this proposed law somehow connects to pauper laws. Pauper laws were basically English laws that criminalized people for being poor.
It supposedly helps poor people by forcing them into shelters which therefore, helps them gain more profit and coincidentally Berkeley is building more shelters to “help” those in need.
The legislation in Berkeley and the Pauper Laws connect to *Ugly Laws because they build these shelters to keep poor people hidden from the city's eyes because they are an eyesore to look at or be around. Creating more shelters and making sure that there are some in the area assures that poor people are kept off the streets and that people can walk in peace.
Councilwoman Lind Maio states that the ordinances aren't trying to solve homelessness, but about basic, socially acceptable roles and behaviors. This is the most outrageous thing I've ever heard. First we need to act a certain way in public and what's going to be next, we can't breathe or eat a certain way too.
People from the South Pacific also migrate here and when they do come here they can't just rely on family all the time so they end up on the streets and have to go through this type of oppression as well. As a young indigenous pacific islander woman I want to do all I can not only to help my people but other oppressed people of color as well.
Post-script: the City Council meeting of June 30th was shut down by the people who, led by Mama Vivi T of POOR Magazine and hundreds of other angry Berkeley residents yelled SHAME and made it impossible for yet another anti-poor people law to be instituted in this so-called progressive city)
*The Ugly Laws by Susan M. Schweik