Comments by "Tx240" (@Texas240) on "WFLA News Channel 8" channel.

Homeless or truly down trodden ask for food, not money. I'll give people food but I won't give money. However, I never give anything to the intersection panhandlers. Besides them being a danger to motorists (causing some people to stop when it's green!), years ago saw an investigative report showing the scruffy "homeless" guy who was panhandling getting into a relatively new Mercedes Benz after his "shift" on the corner.
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Supreme Court upheld that panhandling, or solicitation of money on public spaces, is an expression of the First Amendment to free speech. Some municipalities are creating laws against "aggressive panhandling" which was described in this story where the beggar is threatening people.
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@Geoff9001 Right, I wasn't suggesting jay walking should get someone arrested. However, if that person has been boozing under their favorite bridge for lunch and is legitimately "public intoxication" or becomes aggressive when being cited, then that's a different story. Obviously, I also know that they aren't going to pay the citation or likely even have id on them or, if they're actually homeless aren't going to have an address. The point is that any law enforcement interaction is a hassle and wasting their begging time. It might be enough to help them move along and at least send the problem on to the next community.
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So, we did what any good Christians would...used the church van to go beat up one person and murder another.
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@Geoff9001 as soon as they set foot in the roadway, they ought to be picked up and cited for jay walking. Sure, they aren't going to pay the fine. However, if they've been drinking or doing drugs, they can be arrested for public intoxication. If they haven't been drinking or drugging but argue with the cop about their right to free speech (ignoring that he's not stopping them for panhandling but for jay walking), they can be arrested for assault (threat of violence) or resisting a lawful order to get out of the street. The point being that panhandling can be well and legal, but enforce all the laws the panhandlers violate in the process of their free speech. These guys want money. Cops hassling them wastes their begging time. They'll move on to somewhere else just by other laws being enforced.
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@GenXFarmer77 hi, panhandling is legal in Texas.
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@GenXFarmer77 The supreme court has upheld panhandling in public spaces, sidewalks at intersections for example, as a legal expression of free speech protected under the First Amendment. You'll see plenty of panhandling near the state capital of Austin and surrounding cities.
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Wait. I thought the badge meant I was above the law! -the busted deputy chief
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