Atlanta is promoting itself as the vanguard of the New South and the site of the 1996 Summer Olympics. One flaw in its progressive image, however, is the thousands of homeless beggars in its downtown area. Last week Mayor Maynard Jackson proposed an ordinance to ban aggressive panhandling, sleeping in vacant buildings and hanging out in parking lots. Violators could get 60 days in prison, a $1,000 fine, or both.
Critics blasted the measure as an attempt to "sanitize" Atlanta's downtown for the benefit of business and in anticipation of the Olympics. "We believe this law will be selectively enforced to...
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