Boston College Law Review Volume 34 Article 4 Issue 5 Number 5 9-1-1993 Begging and the Public Forum Doctrine in the First Amendment John T. Haggerty Follow this and additional works at: http://lawdigitalcommons.bc.edu/bclr Part of the First Amendment Commons Recommended Citation John T. Haggerty, Begging and the Public Forum Doctrine in the First Amendment, 34 B.C.L. Rev. 1121 (1993), http://lawdigitalcommons.bc.edu/bclr/vol34/iss5/4 This Notes is brought to you for free and open access by the Law Journals at Digital Commons @ Boston College Law School. It has been accepted for inclusion in Boston College Law Review by an authorized editor of Digital Commons @ Boston College Law School. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. BEGGING AND THE PUBLIC FORUM DOCTRINE IN THE FIRST AMENDMENT Begging, in its various forms, from the passive extension of a paper cup, to more aggressive tactics, has become an inseparable component of the modern urban landscape.' Each beggar represents a unique path into poverty, but they all seek alms for the same reason, survival. 2 Although impossible to estimate with certainty, a general consensus exists that the homeless population has increased in recent times.3 Many urban residents' and commuters' daily contact with beggars reinforces these estimates. 4 As homelessness has apparently reached critical mass, so has the public's frustration with begging.' Panhandlers are viewed as another manifestation of the deterioration afflicting American cities, 6 and beggars consequently experience backlash from the mainstream, as attempts to salvage the inner cities have intensified.? Thus, beggars on the fringes of society ironically now find themselves amidst the central paradox of our day, the conflict between individual liberty and the power of the majority.