So now it's illegal to help the disadvantaged?!

I really, really wonder what the world is coming to sometimes. And I can't really blame cynics for being the way they are. But I found out firsthand that in some places, it's illegal to give others help. Here's what happened.I'm not really sure how it started, but for the past 11 years I've been feeding the homeless. And it's been a grass roots effort. Once every two weeks, I go to the store and get 4-5 loaves of bread, a pound of chopped or boiled ham from the deli (whichever is on sale), packs of cheese crackers or cookies, a couple of boxes of those little juice bottles (they're called "Hugs" in some places), a couple of bags of oranges and apples, and some peppermint candies. When I get it home, I'll make a little assembly line on my dining room table and put together some bags of food. Each bag will have a ham sandwich (cheese, lettuce and tomato), a bottle of juice, a pack of crackers or cookies, a piece of fruit and a piece of candy. On a good day when I'm paying attention to the cashflow thing, I can make 40-45 bags and it'll cost me only about $30-$35. I load the bags up in the Jeep and head into the city. Depending on how much gas I have or what day it is, I'll either go into Wilmington, DE or Philadelphia, PA. Once I'm there, I'll drive around in the areas that the homeless frequent and hand out the bags of food. That's why it's more of a grass roots effort, because I put the food directly into the hands of the people that need it. I feel good, they feel good, the world is a wonderful place, blah, blah, blah... That's not the point of this entry.What happened yesterday gave me a totally different perspective on the state of the state that is our society. In one area, there is this alleyway where a lot of homeless men and women live. And it's very, very "rustic". And that's a generous description. There are lone men, lone women and couples sleeping on the ground in this alley covered only by a dirty blanket if they're "lucky"; a piece of cardboard or nothing at all if they aren't. The people out there cover the spectrum; the 'typical' homeless person who is dirty, disoriented, and either dillusional or demented; the very articulate, intelligent and coherent person who anyone can look at and say, "There, but for the grace of God, go I"; and everything in between. Some of these men and women have been and are abusers of drugs and alcohol, some have mental disabilities, and some are just down on their luck. If nothing else at all, when I return from what I have called over the years, "A homeless run", I feel so very blessed, and some of my problems, even if for a short time, seem relatively insignificant.Yesterday early evening while I was distributing some of the bags in Philadelphia, I looked up and coming up behind me was a police car, lights-a-flashin'. For a split second, I assumed that he was coming up behind me to make sure I was okay since the area wasn't necessarily a tourist trap. In my mind, though, I was thinking that I'd tell them I was okay because I had been doing this for quite a while and have only had a couple of 'challenges'. That thought quickly dissipated, however, when these two police officers walked up on each side of my car and to my windows. Before I had a chance to utter a word, the one on my passenger side pointed to all the bags in my passenger seat and said, "Buddy, you can't be giving out stuff on the street like this." As you might imagine, I was dumbfounded. So as eloquently and articulately and precisely as I could, I responded, "HUH??" It was then that they explained that there was a law against distributing food to homeless on the street. If they wanted to eat, they would have to find some way to get to a shelter. Well, as hesitant as I was to question these two people with guns while I was in this alley (the homeless people had scattered a bit), I had to ask why not. Apparently, most large cities have ordinances prohibiting this type of effort outside the auspices of a formal charity organization. I checked it. It's true. The rationale is that they want to keep homeless people from "congregating and thereby creating and/or maintaining an environment that is not conducive to promoting a feeling of safety and cleanliness." Their words; not mine. This is the first time I've heard of this in over ten years, and as you might imagine, I was floored. The penalty? Third offense can be a fine of up to $1,500 and a jail sentence of up to 3 months.God bless America.