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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Ashland Calendar, Jan. 23, 2016 ... Herb Rothschild Jr.: Why we love bombing ... City plans for potential flooding ... Ashland Calendar, Jan. 23, 2016 ... Herb Rothschild Jr.: Why we love bombing ... City plans for potential flooding ... OUR VIEW Our View: Yes, it's the behavior Comment DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Jan. 22, 2016 at 12:01 AM Posted Jan. 22, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News The City Council is once again grappling with homelessness in Ashland, but those who insist the only issue is the broader one of accommodating people with no permanent shelter are ignoring the more pressing concern of public safety and civility. In a study session Tuesday night, council members began discussing proposals to address what has become a growing problem of aggressive panhandling, threats and harassment by a specific group of young, transient people known as "travelers." Those transients are separate from Ashland's year-round population of what might be called "resident homeless," who at times run afoul of laws but rarely are confrontational or threatening. Proposals include hiring more police officers, seasonal cadets, part-time social workers and downtown ambassadors. Speakers identifying themselves as "home-free" said proposed measures emphasizing behavior result in unfairly targeting people just because they are homeless. Others said the focus should be on homelessness in general. One said emphasizing enforcement amounted to "appeasement to those persons who feel uncomfortable facing the reality of just one of our social problems.” It's not about "feeling uncomfortable" about a societal problem. It's about feeling physically unsafe when travelers on the street harass passersby and issue personal threats of bodily harm. Another speaker said more police meant selective enforcement, adding, "Imagine if you were targeted." If you are harassing people on the street with threats and intimidation, you ought to be targeted. Homelessness does need solutions beyond police enforcement, but the behavior issue must be dealt with. DailyTidings.com Writer Posted Jan. 22, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. DailyTidings.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501