Recently the transient population in Madison has been put in the spotlight for being a potential culprit of the tragic cold-blooded murders of Brittany Zimmermann and Joel Marino.
Although there is a significant population of impoverished people without homes or jobs in Madison, making them a target is unfair. Whoever is willing to commit murder doesn't do so because they simply lack a home or a job - there must be a significantly deeper issue like mental instability that leads one to commit such acts.
We all have our stories about the homeless"" men who ask us for money or harass us along State Street and in the downtown Madison area. Yet, to refer to them as ""homeless"" or ""transient"" may be inaccurate. Some of them may actually have homes or reside permanently in Madison. They are, however, one thing - a nuisance to those who cannot exercise their right to walk along common streets without fear of intimidation or verbal, if not physical, harassment.
The major pitfall many people fall into while discussing this population is classifying them as just ""homeless"" or ""transients."" There are many homeless who lose their residences due to layoffs or massive debt - they should not solely bear the blame for casting a negative perception on campus. The only broad statement that can be made concerning the homeless is that they need to be off the streets, whether that be through public service or otherwise.
The group with which I have the most concern is those who have no inhibition because they have nothing to lose and no ambition to bring themselves out of poverty. This group deserves the bulls-eye of the media, public scrutiny and the law. If they are mentally disabled, the state should provide some sort of service that gets them off the street and puts them on a path to a normal life.
Living on the first floor of a building surrounded by homeless/transient hang-outs, seeing a man urinate outside my window is common. Hearing obscenities screamed during the day is common. Being asked for money is common. Seeing girls walk past and be verbally assaulted with sexually charged language is common. They were not evicted from their homes yesterday.
Life for them is too easy. Restaurants give them food, students give them money and meanwhile the city allows them to wash themselves in the bathrooms of public buildings. Does anyone want to use a sink that was just a bathtub for a filthy person? The life of a mentally unstable, homeless/transient person in Madison is just too easy.
Individuals considered transient or homeless can't or won't seek help for themselves, so the city must act on their behalf to make their lives and ours better. Adequate support structures need to be in place to be able to help anyone who wants help. And then, those remaining have more than just economic issues. This population needs to be addressed.
Yet what can be done? A complete ban on loitering has proven to be ineffective and unconstitutional. This type of ban, once intended to prevent gang violence in Chicago, was struck down on June 10, 1999. A ban on panhandling could prevent Madison's famous street performers from performing, but some regulation is needed to prevent aggressive panhandlers. The city could start issuing permits (for say, $50) to panhandle. That way, street performers can still make a profit from their craft. Either that or we could just stop giving panhandlers money.
Then the city still must address the loitering issue. Since loitering itself is constitutionally protected, no anti-loitering law can be put into effect. However, these people's actions while loitering are illegal; all that needs to happen is for them to get caught in the act.
The Madison Police Department could have undercover female police officers walk through known loitering spots and arrest anyone who verbally abuses her, which, unfortunately, is almost guaranteed to happen.
It is most important to note that support structures must be in place to accommodate those who need help. It is only those who refuse help who need to have the city intervene to take them off the streets. We deserve a town without fear of a small but influential population of otherwise ignored belligerent and aggressive homeless/transient people. The well-being of the transient and homeless population is important, but our own well-being is also important, and we cannot ignore what is happening increasingly around our city. Action is necessary to take all homeless/transients off the streets to help them and help us.
Dave Heller is a junior majoring in political science. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
