May 24, 2012 02:05 AM UTC

Albus Brooks Catching Flak over Urban Camping Ban

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• by: Colorado Pols

Denver City Councilman Albus Brooks is continuing to receive criticism over the “urban camping ban” which was passed by the City Council last week and will go into effect later this month. Brooks, of course, shepherded the ordinance throughout the process and has borne the brunt of vilification as a result.  

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock praised Brooks’ work on the issue in a press release last week:

“This ordinance will allow us to continue our compassionate and comprehensive work to connect those in need with vital services and get them to self-sufficiency. It also allows us to maintain the workability and livability of our vibrant city.”

“This was a courageous vote and I applaud Councilman Brooks for his thoughtful leadership on this ordinance. My administration – including the Police Department, Human Services and Denver’s Road Home – is committed to successfully implementing this new law while we work with all of our partners to deliver a world-class city where everyone matters.”

Hancock’s kind words came after the City Council’s final vote on the issue, after which opponents of the bill — primarily composed of remnants from the near-defunct Occupy Denver movement — became rather aggressive in their protest.

From Westword’s Kelsey Whipple:

On Monday, Denver City Council voted 9-4 to pass an urban camping ordinance, and the meeting wasn’t pretty: Opponents shouted “Shame!” at the councilmembers, turned their backs on the proceedings and launched a sit-in outside council chambers. From there, roughly fifty protesters followed the pro-ban council members to their cars, where they shouted lines such as “See you in hell!” as police officers cleared the way for ordinance sponsor Albus Brooks and others to leave the building.

Predictably, tempers have cooled a bit since last week’s vote, but the City Council, and Brooks in particular, are still being attacked by a core group of vehement activists. Brooks already engaged with several of these critics over social media immediately following the vote — which, as Whipple notes, he now regrets — but even without his participation, Brooks continues to be skewered by social media.

On Saturday afternoon, the “Committee to End the Political Career of Albus Brooks” popped up on Facebook, complete with vicious language and everything:

Albus Brooks the City Councilman for Denver’s 8th District. He authored the anti-compassionate and highly authoritarian illegalization of homeless persons, and therefore terminated any legitimacy he may have had for governance. We intend to end his career in public service because he does not understand the concept in the first place.

The bill is also intended to squash Occupy Denver, which shows that Albus Brooks is also delusional, yet another reason to oust the miscreant.

No matter how much vitriol this group — which counts Denver School Board Member Andrea Merida among its ranks — spews, it simply won’t have any impact at all. The urban camping ban is going to go into effect no matter how much noise a fringe group of disaffected agitators makes. In fact, by personalizing this issue vis-a-vis Albus Brooks, these protestors actually discredit their entire “movement.” There were and are legitimate reasons to oppose the bill — as evidenced by the no votes cast by Councilors Paul Lopez, Debbie Ortega, Robin Kniech, and Susan Shepherd — but this “committee” isn’t interested in civil discourse about legislation and the legislative process. This group isn’t interested in supporting or creating good public policy. Rather, its members champion a “with us or against us” mentality under which every opponent is a delusional miscreant.

As for ending Brooks’ career in public service, well, that’s little more than a fool’s errand. Brooks, elected last year, has a full three years left before his next campaign. That’s plenty of time to smooth over this controversy and any others he’ll be a part of during his term. He could, of course, be recalled, but for some reason we doubt a 46 member Facebook group has the wherewithal to even begin that process.  

And even if Brooks was forced into a recall election, there’s no doubt he’d come up on top. The urban camping ban isn’t an issue that matters to most voters. Even if it was, for every citizen offended by the ordinance, there are probably five others who see it as a positive good.