Yes, we dealt with some serious subjects on the show today.  Sometimes it just happens that way…

Yesterday, Anne Timmons-Harris, who tweets as @beadbear, tweeted me a few links, including one to slutwalkneworleans.org, and asked if I’d mention them.  After looking at the sites, I instead invited her to come on the show to tell us about them. I had been hearing about “Slut Walks” for a few months now, but never took the time to see what they were all about.  It’s actually about calling attention to how rape victims are vilified, and an attempt to turn the tables on sexual violence.

I followed that up by talking with Nathan Pim, of the Ft. Lauderdale chapter of Food Not Bombs, who explained to us that people are being arrested all over Florida for feeding the homeless and hungry.  Ground zero is actually in Orlando, where the arrests have been on the rise this month.

I’ll admit to being outraged that this is happening.  People are stepping up to help others in need. That’s a good thing.  Although I still think that nothing should be done to stop efforts to get food to those who are hungry, my eyes were opened that there are two sides to every story.    My friend Susie Madrak, who blogs at Crooks & Liars and Suburban Guerilla sent me this note in response to my conversation with Nathan:

When I was a reporter, I covered this in depth about 15 years ago and it was exactly the same dynamic: Churches and activists feeding the hungry (including my mother and sister, BTW), officials cracking down on them. What I learned to my surprise is that the social workers and other experts who work with the homeless say feeding on the street really does not help them.
It makes it easier for people with severe mental illness to stay on the streets instead of entering into the system that can get them somewhat functional. (It also frees up whatever spare change they collect for alcohol or drugs.) The other thing is, the homeless are a population harboring some serious contagious diseases, including public health hazards like tuberculosis. If you can’t get them into housing, you can’t treat them.
This is why, at the urging of those who work with the homeless, most big cities with a homeless population have similar laws. I know it seems counter-intuitive, but there really is a logical reason: To get them into housing and social services.
It’s a lot more complicated than people not wanting to help. It’s been about 15 years since this was a prominent issue, so we’re reinventing the wheel because today’s activists don’t know the history.
Point taken!
In hour two, I was honored to have Pam Spaulding of Pam’s House Blend back on the show, this time to talk about marriage equality, and the movement of the civil rights meter for the LGBT community.
I also told you about Steven Colbert’s very funny segment on Rick Scott and his pre-written letters to the editor.  Watch it here (second half, after the razor bit):

You can fill out Colbert’s “Mad Libs” style letter to the editor here.

But now, please visit Pink Slip Rick Scott’s Mad Libs page here, and then tell Colbert to give credit where credit is due!