A 90-year-old Florida man could go to jail for feeding the homeless
Arnold Abbott, a 90-year-old advocate for the homeless, could face jail time for simply helping those in need. Abbott and two local pastors in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, were charged with violating a newly-passed ordinance that effectively outlaws groups from sharing food with the hungry. They face 60 days in jail and a $500 fine if convicted.
Why is giving food out to the homeless effectively banned? The Washington Post explains:
Abbott says he is prepared to go to jail in the name of his cause. "These are the poorest of the poor," Abbott said. "They have nothing. Don't have a roof over their head, and how could you turn them away?" --Samantha Rollins
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Samantha Rollins is TheWeek.com's news editor. She has previously worked for The New York Times and TIME and is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.
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