Posted by gurusmom on Thu, Jun 4, 2009, at 4:45 PM:
Rice appears to be so sympathetic to the plight of the mostly non-existent homeless in Cape, but has no respect for the residents and business owners who work hard to keep from being homeless, and do not want to see their efforts destroyed by an influx of homeless who would use the surrounding area of a shelter downtown as their own personal space for hanging out, panhandling, using the bathroom.
I still keep waiting for some actual figures on the percentage of his homeless residents who have, over the years, actually bettered themselves and their situations due to having access to his shelters.
To think that the potential residents in a shelter in Cape will be able to find jobs and eventually homes in this area is simplistic and unrealistic. If Rice were truly interested in improving the circumstances of his homeless, he would would be putting more emphasis on shelters and help in the cities like St. Louis ... not an out-of-the-way small city like Cape.
Chastising decent people for using some common sense and wanting to maintain the lives they have worked for really isn't very compassionate at all, is it?
Does Rice live in one of his shelters full time? Or does he live next door to one? If there were no money whatsoever to be made from his 'religious' efforts, would he be interested in the homeless?
Replies (16)
I have posted the same comment many times, I am again extending an invitation to walk with me and "man's best friend" as I take my morning walk each day weather permitting, As I have done for the past 8 years in downtown Cape. Generally my walk is between 6am and 7am along Broadway, Main, Spanish, Lorimer, Merriwether etc etc.
I have yet to identify anyone that I would consider homeless and sleeping in the streets.
Downtown Cape is not the place for this, it is just that simple. He wants something for free that is the plain and simple fact.
I agree with those that say, we will know his true passion when we see IF he follows through with providing such an entity when he has to reach into his own pocket to provide.
IF it is "Free" he will come, I doubt he will come otherwise..
-- Posted by Concerned-N-Cape on Thu, Jun 4, 2009, at 8:18 PM
You're right again, Megal! You know what they say (at least Grandma said), "Great minds run in the same channel." ~laughing~
Regardless of the pro or con thoughts about Rice's proposed shelter and/or how many homeless there actually are in the area, for a minister to attempt to degrade the good and generous people of this area just because they may have enough intelligence to realize his 'shelter' is not necessary or appropriate--people he has never met or associated with--is, in my most humble opinion, not an indication of true Christianity.
His diatribe reminded me of a spoiled child throwing a nasty tantrum because someone denied him something. The people of this area do not deserve this man's criticism.
Sorry, Concerned ... unless it's absolutely necessary, I no longer have to get up that early in the day ... so I don't. And you obviously are correct ... Rice wouldn't be anywhere near here if it weren't for the free building.
-- Posted by gurusmom on Thu, Jun 4, 2009, at 9:18 PM
Just because you may not see the homeless doesn't mean they don't exist! I can't tell how I know there ARE homeless FAMILIES in Cape(due to loosing my job)but there are and it is slowly getting worse. So I hope people stop living in a sugar coated town!
-- Posted by samantha_70 on Fri, Jun 5, 2009, at 9:15 PM
The mid to late 90s remember the fella with the bicycle (overloaded ,jambox on the handlebars , he had it all on there even a shotgun tucked under the seat) I talked with him often as we both rode bicycles & passed the time at the courthouse lawn overlooking downtown.
I asked if he was homeless & he said he had an apartment but preferred to camp out as an apartment was "to much responsibility" I think most "homeless" found in Cape will be of this variety (homeless by choice).
Agree 100 % let the Reverend spend his own money for the shelter if he feels the need is that great......
-- Posted by rockman54 on Sun, Jun 7, 2009, at 1:22 PM
I believe there are homeless people in Cape, but like many others, I don't think the old federal building is the appropriate or best place for a homeless shelter. Some have questioned Rice's motives, but I think that none of us really know what's in his heart at this point. Just as Reverend Rice doesn't know what is in the heart of Cape residents! Back to the original question, I think Rice's comments are unchristian at best, and his comments and attitude don't accurately reflect the God he says he serves.
-- Posted by pmiinch on Sun, Jun 7, 2009, at 1:23 PM
Ok- maybe there are less than 20 homeless people in Cape Girardeau right now- does that mean a need for a huge Federal Building homeless shelter- NO. The area churches do help these homeless people if they ask for help.
What people don't seem to understand is that Rice is a fraud. He isn't trying to help the homeless... he is only building his evil empire by getting free buildings from the Federal government bought and paid for by us taxpayers.
Rice does not get the homeless off the streets, into counseling and give them help they truly need. The people Rice helps are still homeless 10 years later.
-- Posted by Skeptic1 on Sun, Jun 7, 2009, at 1:38 PM
Another thing- on July 4th when Rice puts up his "homeless tents" throughout Cape Girardeau- I am willing to be NONE of them are from Cape Girardeau.
-- Posted by Skeptic1 on Sun, Jun 7, 2009, at 1:39 PM
Thank you, pmiinch ... It bothers me so darned much for someone, especially a minister or self-proclaimed Christian, to stoop to Rice's tactics of calling people whom he doesn't even know names, judging their motives or personal beliefs. I guess I'm now judging Rev. Rice, and finding him rather lacking in some areas of human decency.
As a taxpayer and citizen, I'd personally like to see this 'rule' abolished about giving federal buildings away for homeless shelters. The government could sell the buildings, and use at least a portion of the money from the sales to help provide aid for appropriate shelters, either to upgrade or enlarge present shelters and their programs geared to assist the homeless, or to open new ones, especially in cities where there are more job opportunities than someplace like Cape G. I suspect that Rev. Rice might even agree to that concept ...
frazzled points out what I've asked: Where can we find any proven stastics on the percentage of Rice's homeless residents who have succeeded in rising above their homeless status, versus residents who have done no better? Providing a roof and a couple of meals a day is good, but if the point is to actually help the homeless do better for themselves, then a Rice shelter in downtown Cape G. is probably not the solution, with the lack of job opportunities and the fairly high rents.
We DO need Megal to keep an eye out about this 'camp' in July ... the where, the when ...! Surely not a city park--would that be allowed, or a permit needed? Along the riverfront somewhere ... is that city property?
-- Posted by gurusmom on Sun, Jun 7, 2009, at 3:54 PM
With all the hopes and dreams to revitalize Broadway and the down town area I for the life of me can not see letting a homeless shelter be placed in the old Federal Building. This would be such a blow to our city I can not even imagine. I am not saying we do not have homeless people in our community but, I do believe that most of them are homeless because they choose to be. If this town wants to see it's crime rate go up just let Rice start trucking them in from all over the place and it will not be safe to walk the streets day or night. I really hope that the powers that be let everyone in the community know when Rice is coming and where he will be and everyone should be out there stopping his efforts. If you want Big City troubles just let the Rev. Rice in the door. This has absolutely nothing to do with religion and not caring about the homeless it has to do with keeping our community safe. We have a college here and lots of the boys and girls who attend here walk and jogging up and down those streets...do we want to put them in danger? If I was a parent who was considering letting my child attend SEMO I would knock them off the list real quick with a homeless shelter that close to the college. There is a small park there close to the Court House where children play do you honestly think that they would be safe, do you want them exposed to public intoxication, drugs, urinating, cussing and the occassional molestor or predator that will come to that shelter? Do you want to put an end to the music that is played in the same area on Friday evenings which many people attend for the enjoyment of the music and to spend time with friends, family and neighbors. Do you want to put an end to the First Friday with the Arts and have these people approaching families who walk the downtown area. Do you want to walk out to the river in downtown Cape and be approached by someone down there or walk up on a drug deal or someone urinating in the river? I think not! And I can honestly say that just the thought of it scares me too death!
-- Posted by Sundance on Mon, Jun 8, 2009, at 11:09 AM
Interesting link to follow, Larry wants to broadcast executions on his TV stations.
-- Posted by Concerned-N-Cape on Mon, Jun 8, 2009, at 3:51 PM
Rice needs tarred, feathered, taken to the County line, and told to walk home.
-- Posted by Proud_Democrat on Tue, Jun 9, 2009, at 9:17 AM
Ahh, good old Christian Cape.
Homeless people? HERE? Never seen one, so that must mean everything is just peachy.
Now, let's get back to building that new church. We need ours to be BIGGER than the one that just opened down the street.
Tithe, people, tithe! The church needs a new gymnasium to (cough) do the Lord's work! Aren't we all such GREAT CHRISTIANS down here in Swampeast MO!
-- Posted by FriendO on Tue, Jun 9, 2009, at 12:26 PM
This doesn't have anything to do with religion or whether you are a Christian or not! And it is not a black or white situation either. It is simply the wrong location and it is not needed. All he is going to do is move homeless people by the bus load down here and then we will have a big problem. Ms. Young might want to come over to the other side of town and see what kind of welcome she gets. All she is doing is typical in that she is making this out to be a black versus white issue and it is not!
-- Posted by Sundance on Wed, Jun 10, 2009, at 8:02 AM
SImply put.... a St Louis problem doesn't always work in a town like Cape Girardeau.
We're too small, too clean and too neighborly for folk like that.
And last I checked, if you ever want to understand the REAL meaning of diversity, you actually can go to South Cape Girardeau....
yeah, I said it. South Cape Girardeau has more diversity in its 'hood than most other parts of this region. I think that's where folk really need to focus their attention at.
How does a so-called blighted area such as South Cape manage to get people of all backgrounds getting along?
Figure that one out, NAACP.
-- Posted by vincebrown on Wed, Jun 10, 2009, at 3:41 PM
We're in agreement, Megal ... although it appears that many have not actually overlooked it--just haven't said it outright, maybe.
Even if Rice were proposing a shelter in a more appropriate location, in a building more suitable, and in an area where there is a multitude of homeless ... his attitude as well as his actions (bringing in the Big Guns of NAACP to make opposition look racial, threatening a lawsuit, planning a 'homeless camp,' calling people 'spiritually depraved') says a lot about him as a person, never mind as a minister.
-- Posted by gurusmom on Wed, Jun 10, 2009, at 9:14 PM
Why hasn't Samantha_70 responded?
-- Posted by coolcat on Fri, Jun 12, 2009, at 12:59 PM
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Rice appears to be so sympathetic to the plight of the mostly non-existent homeless in Cape, but has no respect for the residents and business owners who work hard to keep from being homeless, and do not want to see their efforts destroyed by an influx of homeless who would use the surrounding area of a shelter downtown as their own personal space for hanging out, panhandling, using the bathroom.
I still keep waiting for some actual figures on the percentage of his homeless residents who have, over the years, actually bettered themselves and their situations due to having access to his shelters.
To think that the potential residents in a shelter in Cape will be able to find jobs and eventually homes in this area is simplistic and unrealistic. If Rice were truly interested in improving the circumstances of his homeless, he would would be putting more emphasis on shelters and help in the cities like St. Louis ... not an out-of-the-way small city like Cape.
Chastising decent people for using some common sense and wanting to maintain the lives they have worked for really isn't very compassionate at all, is it?
Does Rice live in one of his shelters full time? Or does he live next door to one? If there were no money whatsoever to be made from his 'religious' efforts, would he be interested in the homeless?
Replies (16)