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LETTER: Too many laws punish the poor

It’s time to look at helping people out of poverty, says writer
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To the Editor,

It was one of those odd headlines that you often miss but the story is common in many countries. Sierra Leone, like many other countries, now has a law against loitering, which initially sounds reasonable, but it is often just being used to move people on. This is a law that often affects those in poverty that do not have a place to go.

There are about 30,000 laws in America (thanks, Wikipedia), but how many of them help those in poverty rather than make their life worse? There are too many people that are in poverty or need despite whatever efforts they make in life.

Nobody deserves to be punished or imprisoned for being poor.

Dennis Fitzgerald,

Melbourne, Australia



Susie Quinn

About the Author: Susie Quinn

A journalist since 1987, I proudly serve as the Alberni Valley News editor.
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