one day i was sitting in a public space in downtown atlanta, near marta outside of the popeyes and cvs, writing in my notebook when a downtown ambassador told me i had to move. no reason was given, he just kept calling the atlanta police when i was questioning him. talking to the ambassador at their headquarters, they tell me 'some places are not for hanging out in. places like woodruff park have been designated to be in.'
but the other spot was public. why are they able to establish one public spot for existing in from the other. didn't the people of atlanta pay for both?
loitering : loi·tered, loi·ter·ing, loi·ters
wikipeidia- is the act of remaining in a particular public place for a protracted time.
dictionary.com- 1. To stand idly about; linger aimlessly.
2. To proceed slowly or with many stops: loitered all the way home.
3. To delay or dawdle: loiter over a task.
urban dictionary- What punks, creeps, Ace Boon Coons, and Pachuco boys can be found doing outside pool halls, liquor stores, and 7-Eleven stores. Loitering involves standing somewhat still, posing like a tough guy, spitting on the sidewalk, and (if you're an Ace Boon Coon) occasionally shouting "Sheee-IT!" or "MO FO!" Proprietors of businesses post signs that say "NO LOITERING." These signs can be found at better pool halls, liquor stores, and 7-Elevens in all major cities. They do this because if anything is bad for business, it's a slime ball punk or nose-picking creep or a greasy haired Pachuco or a shit-ass Blood or fat slob Crip standing outside your establishment
all which means nothing, really.
but makes it easy for a shuffle of authority to tell you what you ain't should be doin.
in the world that is atlanta we have created a capsule for ourselves. get inside the thing, go get inside a different thing, take one thing to the other.
in this way it is easy to spot the people who have no capsule of escape. no car, job, home, hobby. so yea its easy to see these people out on the streets. walking around like duds.
and yea they are annoying and gross sometimes and are trying to sell you something no good or ask for 35 cent to get across town or whatever.
so then along come loitering laws. enforced really in a class by class basis. this guy on his cell phone in a business suit can stand on the corner however long he wants to. the guy in the dirty clothes has to move along.
people standing outside noni's and soundtable on the weekend nights never get bothered with a move along.
what the city does not understand is that the enforcement of loitering laws is actually making the streets of atlanta more sketchy. if no one is allowed to be out on the streets, crimes are easier to commit.
having more people around is more eyes. it makes the non-criminals feel better about walking down the street.
we should be allowed and encouraged to be out on the streets of atlanta. with the shortage and extreme corruption of the atlanta police department, it makes more sense the the citizens to be the eyes in their neighborhoods.
public space is for public use. this is about the bigotry and the prejudice of some downtown merchants and police who don't want to see homeless people near their stores much as southern bigots in the jim crow south didn't want black people near their stores because they scare away the white customers.
in multiple cases, the supreme court has struck down loitering law cases as unconstitutional in chicago(http://libertarianrock.com/1999/06/supreme-court-strikes-down-loitering-law/) and new york city (http://gothamist.com/2010/04/27/nyc_held_in_contempt_for_enforcing.php)
atlanta, here's your chance to get a clue.
