The Hartford Courant reports on a conflict between the local government and a charitable organization known as Food Not Bombs. For those not familiar with the organization, Food Not Bombs was founded in 1989 by anti-nuclear activists, and aims to serve fresh vegetarian meals to anyone, in public spaces, without restriction.
The squabble centers around a permit requirement from the city of Middletown (among others) stating that the kitchens used by the group need to be properly licensed for compliance with the cities’ health codes.
I understand the concerns of the cities in question. It is a great show of goodwill by Middletown’s chief public health sanitarian Salvatore Nesci to recognize the work of the group as “admirable.”
I believe in the overall goodwill of humanity, and that some kind of arrangement can be worked out to solve this conflict.
The disturbing part, however, is according to this article on wesleying.org, it’s not just the small towns in New England; the war on Food Not Bombs and organizations like it is actually a national trend.
Is this what we have really come to as a society? That simple, grassroots efforts of charity are shut down because of government red tape?
I’d like to think we, the human race, are better than that as a whole.