Homeless man evicted from golf course

[corporatewhore]

MIAMI (AP) - A man who lived on a golf course for 40 years was told to leave because some golfers complained that he scared them.

Other golfers, however, said Kenny Bethel is harmless and should be allowed to stay at Palmetto Golf Course.

Bethel, 55, first showed up at the golf course after he ran away from home in 1963. He collected and resold stray golf balls, used the club's showers and toilets at night and slept in a sheltered area on the course that housed the showers.

``This course became my job and, later, my home,'' he said.

For the last nine years, he had been joined by his wife Francis, 43. They have since relocated to a space under a nearby bridge.

``What have I done to deserve this?'' Bethel asked.

Bethel now gets chased away by the staff when he tries to collect balls. And the restrooms are locked at night.

``It's a huge dilemma,'' said Carlos McKeon, manager of Miami-Dade County Golf Operations. ``We used to cast a benign eye on Kenny. But when a few golfers complained that he's trespassing and it's against the law, we had to get him off.''

Bethel turned down a job in course maintenance because he wanted to be self-employed, McKeon said.

Golfers who had become accustomed to seeing Bethel on the course were surprised by his banishment.

``It seems a shame that someone who is an institution on the course can't be grandfathered in,'' golfer Jim Adamson said.

``He's a nice guy,'' agreed golfer Mario Deif. ``You have to admire someone who has debunked modern life and lives off the land.''

01/12/04 13:28

http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/news/story.jsp?floc=FF-APO-1120&idq=/ff/story/0001%2F20040112%2F132877138.htm&sc=1120

[kalian]

1. Hard to believe....

the the "most powerful nation on earth" (oxymoron if I ever heard one)
even HAS homeless people... :eyes:

[fla nocount]

2. He wasn't homeless

before he was "labeled" as such. Assholes. He wasn't just tolerated, he was loved as an icon and he paved his own way through his loyalty of place and his efforts to preserve it. Assholes. His dignity of life, his willingness to contribute within his own paradigm of values while giving a living lesson in alternatives endeared him to the dreamer in all of us that much of our angst is really not necessary...., I find that comforting. Assholes.

[Muddleoftheroad]

9. They offered him a job

They just didn't want him living on the course. Go figure.

[Muddleoftheroad]

8. He chose to be homeless

[solinvictus]

3. Job?!?

But why turn down the job to be a "self employed" golf ball retreiver? That makes no sense.

[Heyo]

4. That's true.

I feel bad for tha guy, but part of me wonders "Why didn't he just take the job?"

The he could stay where he's always been, and maybe it would do alot of good for the guy. I really feel bad for the guy.

I really hate to say this.. and I do know alot of nice people who live around here... but for some reason if the article didn't specify the place, I'd swear it was here in Boca Raton.

Just the attidude around here.. especially with the type of people on golf courses around here (absolutely no knock to golfers)

This morning I ran out of gas on my way to work, and coasted into the parking lot of a country/club/Chuck's steak house and was waiting for AAA to show up..

I look totally normal (Im 28 FYI) and dont have a beat up car really.. it *is* missing a hubcap, but someone stole that.. but I was in the red "no parking" lane, and felt myself getting sneers from people who may have realized something was wrong with my car.. like running out of gas or breaking down made their Lexus SUV's look bad.... reminds me of the same type of people who would be a bunch of little bitches about this poor homeless man. (pardon my language)

Arg.. and the way people drive around here.... I love it, it's a beautiful town.. but ARGH the attitude in Boca sometimes...

-Heyo

[tkmorris]

6. You're in Boca??

Oh you poor bastard. I lived there until we bought a house in Delray a couple of years ago and while Delray can be a bit snotty in spots I am thankful every day I'm not still in Boca. I felt like I had to dress up to check my mailbox down there.

:hi:

[Heyo]

7. Don't get me wrong..

I *do* like it here.. it's a beautiful place, albeit expensive, and everything I could want is right nearby...

And there ARE alot of cool people here...

But there's that certain underlying attitude of some of the older crowd here, but luckily it is less and less prominent and younger, more open minded people take over...

-Heyo

[TheDonkey]

5. Might be slightly mentally ill

Many homeless people are. It is sad he turned down the job, I hope he can make it somewhere else out there.

[theboss]

10. 40 years?!?!?!?!

Good Lord. You would think it that amount of time, the guy could get it together, and I don't know, find a real job. He was apparently employable.

I am not a bleeding heart on the homeless. I don't think anyone has the "right" to live in a shower room.

[Bandit]

11. In todays compassionate society why don't they just shoot him?

That is Republican Compassion. Put him out of his misery. How much more compassionate can we be? I mean really, letting him continue on like he has for over forty years would just be cruel. Him saying he was happy was just bluster and we always know better. Shoot him!

[kcwayne]

12. You can't shoot him until you find a contractor that will

clean up the mess at taxpayer expense, of which 10% gets kicked back to the RNC. You are obviously a latte drinking, pierced body, tattooed, Hollywood loving, left wing freak show if you didn't know that!

[Heyo]

13. I think that...

Offering him the job like they did was the right thing to do...

As for why he didn't take it... only he knows, but one could make an edumacated guess hey may have some mental issues...

It would have solved alot.. he'd have a job, get to stay at his golf course where he knows people and people like him, he'd have some money and having a job could be good for his self esteem.

-Heyo

[Muddleoftheroad]

15. This WAS compassion

The course had every right and responsibility to evict people living under a bridge and using its facilities at all hours.

However, they showed great compassion and offered him a job, which he didn't take.

[KamaAina]

14. "Golf courses for the homeless"

The classic Carlin routine comes to life. "Two Rhode Islands and a Delaware for the homeless!"