Les Miserables and Vox Populi....

I've been watching some of the conservative folks squirm-around regarding the "Staffed, Safe and Sober homes" issue. It's interesting to watch, as a "recovering" politician. Victor Hugo's France might just have been proud of this tiny fraction of neighbors.

Not a few of the neighbors may well be men and women who have even helped me in the past on issues of comapssion like un-wed mothers, commuitng Donald Paradise's death sentence, choice in education, tax releif, etc. Yet, somehow on this issue of ex-inmates (who have served their alloted time in jail or prison) and are who attempting to return to society....some neighbors (and even politicians) are suggesting they might find BETTER homes next to storage facilities, light manugfacturing plants or some other industiral zoned areas?

Therefore, to some, it's a NOW matter of property rights....land trumping people? Yep, according to one or two of them.

Welcome home, Jean Valjean...

Substitute "assisted living" patients and ask the same of them. Substitute any "people" different than "normal neighbors" and then demand the same of them.

I'm not yet torqued. I'm not even angry at this point. I'm simply astounded that we are having a debate on this issue when the Americans with Disabilities Act clearly, and with precision, pinpoints the truth for former addicts - they must be people who are in recovery, they must be allowed the opportunity to live in these homes - and the amount of people per "bathing station" (not half-baths) is set out in federal rules and regs. (4 people per station.).

The fact that they are ex-inmates is a secondary fact. The principle issue is that they are in recovery as ex-addicts. That's what ADA allows, what the Supreme Court allowed. That is the core of the issue.

ADA trumps all restrictive local zoning issues. This is before we even get into the meat of the Fair Housing Act.

A handful of weeks ago, many of these conservative political voices admitted that they knew very little on this issue. Is it just my imagination or does the legislative "tone" seem to be sounding a wee bit more expert in it's expression to the press and a whole lot less compassionate?

Where have you gone, Victor Hugo, our nation turns its loney eyes to you...a-woo, woo, woo....

Den

Comments

[Dennis Mansfield]

Not sure at this point. Have been really scratching my head over the political people. Not receiving return calls from Mayor Tom Dale. Usually not his style...but then, this thing in Nampa has taken on a bit of a life of its own.

Maybe I was never meant to be elected...too many people you think you have to please? In reality, each of us only serves an audience of One. The question is whether we realize it or not.
Den

[Esau]

Les Miserables? Wow. Stinging comparison. Maybe even a little Grapes Of Wrath?

[Dennis Mansfield]

Just saw your comments. I will visit the sites. Thanks for your thoughtful comments.

44 years ago the Fair Housing Act was instituted so that cities couldn't "zone" undesireables out. Not sure that's what we're facing, but it just looks odd.
Den

[Julie in Boise]

Dennis, I applaud your comment about the IVA's funding predicament in today's Statesman. And I also appreciate the way you are handling the ongoing debate over your work to help former inmates build new lives. I sense that you are trying to honor both the needs of the ex-cons and the concerns of their neighbors.

We are having a long and interesting debate over the role of religion in government in a thread at Red State Rebels. (Click my name.) I'd welcome your thoughts, here or there.

[Believer]

The popular way is rarely the right way. The fact that so many are against what you are doing in the Treasure Valley serves to prove that you have the right of it. The ways of the world are not the ways of Jesus. I applaud you continuing to do what Jesus would do!