Man's homeless, but not hopeless - Police clear out homeless camps

[The Straight Story]

Man's homeless, but not hopeless
BY GRETCHEN WENNER, Californian staff writer
e-mail: [e-mail] | Friday, Apr 20 2007 11:45 PM

Last Updated: Friday, Apr 20 2007 11:48 PM

Wednesday morning, Bakersfield police cleared out homeless camps along the banks of the Kern River.

At one elaborate setup about a quarter mile off the bike path at Coffee Road, they gave three residents 24 hours to clear out.

We checked back at midday Friday and found one of the trio, 52-year-old Ferrall Smith, at a nearby recycling station before heading down to the camp.

Here's some of the conversation along the way. It has been edited for clarity and length.

Anticipation

Q: Did they bulldoze the camp?

I don't know. I haven't been down there this morning.

Options

Q: Some people who are homeless don't want to go to a homeless center. Where are you with that?

Listen, wait a minute. I wasn't homeless until the police came by and made me homeless. I had a home. A nice place. I had a TV, radio, stereo, all that stuff in my tent. When I stayed there ...

http://www.bakersfield.com/619/story/124595.html

[Monkeyman]

1. I see a 30's type march on Washington

[Swamp Rat]

2. Is this a John Carpenter movie yet??

[The Straight Story]

3. bwahahahaha - always love your graphics

keep em coming my friend!

[Swamp Rat]

4. jus' passin' out sunglasses.

:D :hi:

[Howardx]

5. good god!

you made cheney look worse than in real life! aieeeeee!

[area51]

6. k&r (n/t)

[Truthiness Inspector]

7. Most people forget while cop-bashing

that THE reason the cops are there in the first place is the community complaining. Don't blame this on the cops, go higher than that, like city council or the mayor.

Cops are often portrayed as sadistic enforcers, when in fact, they are doing the community's bidding. The citizens get to claim outrage after they've put the cops out there to dry and twist in the wind while doing the community's dirty work.

LAME.