By way of introduction, my name is Danny and I am a 14-year-old high school student. A recent activity I experienced struck me.
I was on my way back from a church event at night and I observed a man who was just chilling on the bench. He appeared to be homeless, the bench was in a shopping center and the shopping center was closed.
He was trying to sleep on this bench and some sheriff’s deputies kicked him off the bench. Why would they do this? I have no idea. All I know is that it made me feel weird that the police would just kick him off for just sleeping there.
I believe that because he appeared homeless he was targeted in this situation. I do not look homeless, but if I sat on a bench at night like that man I believe they would not have had deputies called. I believe that it was the businesses in the shopping center around the bench that didn’t want him to be on that bench because it would hurt their image. This is not right.
I believe that it is wrong that a man is getting kicked out of a shopping center just because he was trying to get a night’s rest.
Shame on you, business owners. Shame on you, Sheriff’s Department. Shame on all of us for not resolving our homeless problem.
Danny Shannon III
Santa Clarita
