ATLANTA -- A man who fled Louisiana with his family to escape Hurricane Katrina was arrested for asking motorists for money in this city where panhandling has been one of the most contentious issues lately.
James Scott says he had slept in a car for days with his brother, sister and her two young children when they decided to ask for help last Thursday. Nearly broke and newly stranded, the family drove to Buckhead -- an affluent north Atlanta neighborhood -- and got out near a shopping mall and split up, hoping for the charity of others.
"It's the most expensive mall in Atlanta," Scott said. "I thought I could get some help."
After a half hour of asking passing motorists for help, Scott was approached by a policeman on a bicycle. Scott showed the officer his Louisiana driver's license, a $2,000 check stub, his car tag and his car registration -- proof that he was not a local homeless person, but an evacuee down on his luck in an unfamiliar city.
Scott was arrested for soliciting. As he was being handcuffed, he said he broke down in tears.
"I asked the cop, 'You can't feel my pain?"' said Scott, who added that another officer even gave him $7 as he took him to jail.
Maybe Lee knows this cop...
Maybe Lee knows this cop...
"When people speak to you about a preventive war, you tell them to go and fight it. After my experience, I have come to hate war." – Dwight D. Eisenhower
"Neither slave nor tyrant." - Basque motto
"Neither slave nor tyrant." - Basque motto
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Rspaight
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Bush offers him a prayer:
Ryan
Throughout our history, in times of testing, Americans have come together in prayer, to heal and ask for strength for the tasks ahead. So I've declared Friday, September the 16th, as a national day of prayer and remembrance. I ask that we pray as Americans have always prayed in times of trial, with confidence in his purpose, with hope for a brighter future, and with the humility to ask God to keep us strong so that we can better serve our brothers and sisters in need.
Ryan
RQOTW: "I'll make sure that our future is defined not by the letters ACLU, but by the letters USA." -- Mitt Romney
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Ess Ay Cee Dee
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Hey, by Lee's account, that guy'll buy a house and help extend the housing boom! YIPEE! SILVER LINING!
Hey Lee, you don't mind if I dump toxic waste on your house, do you? 'Cause then your whole neighborhood will be forced out, and you'll have to buy new houses which'll feed the economic recovery! Check your textbook if you don't believe me! You know, the same one you got in that Crackjack box!
Hey Lee, you don't mind if I dump toxic waste on your house, do you? 'Cause then your whole neighborhood will be forced out, and you'll have to buy new houses which'll feed the economic recovery! Check your textbook if you don't believe me! You know, the same one you got in that Crackjack box!
"When people speak to you about a preventive war, you tell them to go and fight it. After my experience, I have come to hate war." – Dwight D. Eisenhower
"Neither slave nor tyrant." - Basque motto
"Neither slave nor tyrant." - Basque motto