City Evicts Elderly Man from His Tent in the Woods by Ruthlessly Demolishing it in Front of His EyesLily Dane Police State USA reported that Sam was one of the unfortunate souls who lost his home when the government decided to come in and destroy the camp: After years of threats, the local authorities of Lakewood Township finally had Tent City closed down, and all residents evicted from the forest. The homes that existed there some for years were ripped to the ground using heavy machinery. Can I watch? asked Sam, when his home a wood-framed shelter covered with tarps was destroyed. Sams lip trembled as he stood next to the public servants overseeing the demolition. It was an emotional sight. The Huffington Post, in their 2012 coverage of Tent Citys impending closure, described how the camp operated: Residents of Tent City were making the best of a tough situation, and didnt want government intervention or assistance. Of course, the authorities just cant leave people alone, and had to intervene. In fact, Lakewood set aside nearly $400,000 in municipal and federal tax dollars for Tent Citys closure. Officials expect the final tally will top $600,000. Wouldnt it have been cheaper to leave them in peace? In addition to spending approximately half a million dollars to close the camp, the government is paying to relocate the displaced residents at an estimated cost of $750,000: Tent City residents who were counted in last years census will receive those relocation benefits. Fifteen residents were not counted and will only be covered for a two-week stay in a local motel. Tent Citys coordinator, Minister Steve Brigham, said that creates a disturbing situation: Brigham added that although various nonprofit groups have offered help in relocating the residents, providing transportation to a shelter in Atlantic County isnt the type of help they need. He said Tent City appears to be their best option: Government zoning laws and inhumane policies only make life harder for the homeless, explains Brigham: They cant win, can they? The government essentially makes it illegal to BE homeless, yet their policies are often the REASON people end up without anywhere to go. A lot of the people who lived in Tent City dont have the skills, resources, or support system to get jobs and be able to afford housing in Ocean County, according to Brigham. But some of the camps former residents were once gainfully employed and are victims of the dire economic situation in the US. Marilyn Berenzweig was one of those people. She shared her story with The Huffington Post: As Joshua Krause explains in his article Its Official: Being Poor in America Has Been Outlawed, weve become a nation that discards our poor like they are trash. Homeless people are being fined for arbitrary offenses and are being prohibited from sleeping in public. Some cities have even made it illegal or ridiculously expensive to feed the homeless. Krause suggests that there really isnt a point in having a government in the first place if they are going to mistreat the poor in fact, he says, Im not asking the government to step in and help. Im not asking for them to provide free housing or increase welfare entitlements. Im asking them to stay out of the way. How could you make it so difficult for private citizens to help each other out? Indeed why cant the government just let us take care of each other? Americans are known for being generous in fact, we donate billionson an annual basis: Tent City was operating on donations, and was mostly left undisturbed by the local authorities for nearly a decade why the sudden push to close it and force its residents to suffer further? Deputy Mayor Akerman said Lakewood plans to plant 15,000 trees on the site funded by a grant from the NJ Turnpike Authority. Could it be that the city has bigger plans for the area formerly occupied by Tent City? That remains to be seen. In the meantime, an upcoming documentary about Tent City is in the final stages of production. The film, called Destinys Bridge, questions the human rights of the poor while exploring new ideas for housing the homeless. (H/T to Police State USA) Lily Dane is a staff writer for The Daily Sheeple, where this first appeared. Her goal is to help people to Wake the Flock Up! 