Near the corner of East Jackson Street and Rosalind Avenue, in Orlando, there are signs all over the sidewalk warning people not to sleep on the benches.
The signs read “Do not lie or otherwise be in a horizontal position on a park bench, do not sleep or remain in any bushes, shrubs or foliage.”
These ordinances effectively outlaw homelessness, and leave homeless people with absolutely nowhere to go. To raise awareness about this problem, The First Presbyterian Church of Orlando is planning to install a bronze sculpture called Homeless Jesus on one of the park benches.
The statue was designed by artist Timothy Schmalz and paid for with a $40,000 donation from a church member. The sculpture is scheduled to be installed in mid-April.
Homeless people do not seem welcome in the state of Florida, late last year we reported on the story of Arnold Abbott, a 90-year-old charity worker who has been arrested repeatedly in Fort Lauderdale, Florida for feeding the homeless.
John Vibes writes for True Activist and is an author, researcher and investigative journalist who takes a special interest in the counter culture and the drug war.
