Public Comment for 02.06.23 from Walter RowntreeAimee Brunckhorst
From:
Walter Rowntree <walter1701 @outlook.com>
Sent:
Friday, February 3, 2023 2:19 PM
To:
Kalispell Meetings Public Comment
Subject:
EXTERNAL Re: Public Comment for 02.06.23
It may be unnecessary, but I'd like to remind everyone involved that the County
Commissioners have been using "Homeless" and "Criminal" interchangeably, and that the
conflation of these two very different concepts risks becoming ingrained in our
conversation. Please recognize that if the individuals (who happen to be homeless) who are
engaging in unlawful behavior in Depot Park were not doing so, the issues, impact, and
urgency of the situation would all be very different.
Just because the criminal behavior is being done by the homeless is not a reason to address
the crimes by "Doing something about homelessness" (Though yes, we do need to "Do
something about the homelessness" "; , but that is separate). When discussing these issues,
please keep the crimes separate from the state of housing of the perps, and please critically
ask yourself when thinking about solutions, "Is this a solution to address homelessness, or is it
a solution to address crime?", and be clear about the problem, your goal, and the
appropriateness of the solution.
Walter Rowntree
22 5t" Ave E.
Kalispell, MT
208 241 1019
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