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The US Conference of Catholic Bishops is speaking out against a recent ruling on homelessness from the US Supreme Court. The ruling has paved the way for US cities to ban the homeless from sleeping outdoors in public when no shelter is available, and the bishops have warned that this is detrimental to the notion of human dignity.
The case, according to the AP, revolved around whether or not bans on homelessness violated the eighth amendment, which protects US citizens from excessive bail requirements, excessive fines, and cruel and unusual punishment. The Supreme Court determined, in a 6-3 decision, that bans on the homeless sleeping outdoors does not breach the eighth amendment.
In his majority opinion, Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote:
“Homelessness is complex. Its causes are many. So may be the public policy responses required to address it. A handful of federal judges cannot begin to ‘match’ the collective wisdom the American people possess in deciding ‘how best to handle’ a pressing social question like homelessness.”
The dissenting opinion, provided by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, suggested that attempting to ban homelessness is in fact “cruel and unusual.” Justice Sotomayor lamented that “Homelessness is a reality for so many Americans,” and reiterated that “Sleep is a biological necessity, not a crime.”
Our call to shelter
On behalf of the USCCB, Archbishop Borys Gudziak, Metropolitan-Archbishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia, wrote that policies that would criminalize homelessness “are a direct contradiction of our call to shelter those experiencing homelessness and care for those in need.”
He noted that such a move fails to “affirm the inherent dignity of a person,” especially in instances in which there are no alternatives like shelters or warming centers.
“Having to sleep in public with a blanket is the definition of being homeless. Ticketing and arresting people for it is a counterproductive approach to the problem of homelessness.” Archbishop Gudziak wrote for the USCCB. “Instead of punishing the most vulnerable among us, [the] government should help provide shelter and economic and social programs that uphold and enhance the dignity of homeless persons. Such action would offer real opportunities for a better life and to remedy the deeper causes of homelessness.”
