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This cartoon has four panels. All the panels show a gritty commercial doorway – the kind that’s recessed a few feet into the building – on a city sidewalk. There’s litter and graffiti here.

There are two characters in the comic strip. The first character is a homeless man sleeping in the doorway, wearing a zip-up sweatshirt over a t-shirt and a dull red knit cap, and with a full beard. The other character is a muscular-looking cop dressed in a police uniform and carrying a baton. In defiance of tradition, he is cleanshaven. I’ll call these two characters KNITCAP and COP.

PANEL 1

Knitcap, covered by a brown blanket and with his head pillowed on some rolled-up clothes, is lying in a doorway, apparently asleep. The cop is using his baton to poke knitcap in the side. The cop has a somewhat sadistic grin.

COP: Hey, you! Get up! We’ve outlawed sleeping in public! You’re not allowed anymore!

PANEL 2

Knitcap is sitting up, rubbing sleep out of his eyes with one hand. He speaks calmly. The cop watches, smirking, arms akimbo.

KNITCAP: In that case, I guess I’ll sleep in a hotel tonight.

PANEL 3

A close-up of Knitcap. He’s stroking his chin with a hand, as if thinking through his options.

KNITCAP: Or should I sleep in my townhouse instead? Or my Hamptons place? I’ll call my butler and ask what he thinks!

PANEL 4

Knitcap, grinning, is now holding a hand next to his face, thumb and pinky finger extended, pretending it’s a phone as he talks. The cop is glaring and slapping his baton against his palm.

KNITCAP: Smithers? Smithers old boy! My super fun street sleeping holiday is done. Which of my mansions shall I sleep in tonight.

COP (thought): Next step: Outlaw sarcasm.

Source.

  • Poplar?@lemmy.world
    31·
    3 months ago

    Said communities would rather indirectly “house” them in tax-funded prisons? I’d point them to studies on how incarcerating and enforcing these laws end up costing Americans more than it does to house people, such as this: https://homelessvoice.org/the-cost-to-criminalize-homelessness/

    What a strange state of affairs. People may not live outdoors because that looks unsightly. But you will also not give them a place to go.

    • Dead_or_Alive@lemmy.world
      1·
      3 months ago

      No, but incarceration may prove to be a deterrent to other homeless. California, Oregon and Washington would not be as attractive destinations if they know they will go to jail shortly after arriving without a place to stay. Especially if that homeless person has dependents. They may be better incentivized to stay in their own state and seek help locally.