GRINDING THE FACE OF THE POOR: Draper Citizens vs. The Homeless

"What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces, 

and grind the faces of the poor?

saith the Lord of Hosts."

- Isaiah 3:15

An open house was  held after Mayor Troy Walker of Draper offered up two sites for Salt Lake County's new homeless shelter.  Accounts of behavior at the meeting are shocking and discouraging.

 Citizens of Draper showed up in force to express their disgust at such a proposal.  The Salt Lake Tribune reports that attendees booed a homeless man trying to make the case for helping the disadvantaged.

A Legislative staffer, who is accustomed to contentious political debate, lives in Draper and attended the meeting:

"I am absolutely ashamed of the behavior of my fellow community members tonight. Agree or not with the decision of the mayor, there is no excuse for the ugliness, the insults, the screaming and accusations based on a whole lot of nothing....I truly am mortified and oh so very disappointed. Not because of the decision that was made, but because of the uncivil behavior that led to the decision. Our country is in trouble, more than too many of us realize, I'm afraid."  - Carolyn Phippen

The videos speak for themselves:

With this unruly display coming on the heels of Rep. Jason Chaffetz rowdy town hall meeting, it appears we are entering a new era of politics.  The meeting should have been a sincere dialogue and discussion about the issues.  Instead, it turned into a vulgar name-calling shout-fest.  Worrisome indeed.

If we fail to rise above our feelings to enjoin in respectful discussion, even in disagreement, we consign ourselves to a worse fate.  May we forever surrender ourselves to decency in our discourse.