BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — On the coldest night of the year, the “warming station” the City of Birmingham typically provides for the homeless was not available, leaving hundreds surprised and left to huddle together for warmth on the streets. The reason? Self-avowed socialist senator and Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders needed to use the space for a campaign rally.
On particularly cold nights — like Monday when the temperature dipped into the 20s — about 300 homeless Alabamians sleep on cots and on the concrete floor inside Birmingham’s historic Boutwell Memorial Auditorium.
The Sanders campaign, however, wanted to use the building on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day because of its association with the Civil Rights Movement, as part of their ongoing effort to court votes from the African-American community.
The homeless were caught by surprise, and many were dismayed when they realized that no alternate locations were being made available.
“We’ve never had a night like this where it will be in the teens and we weren’t able to open,” Don Lupo of the mayor’s office of citizen’s assistance told Alabama sports website and liberal political blog al.com.
“Unfortunately, no, we do not have an alternative location and were unable to have the warming station tonight,” added Birmingham city spokeswoman April Odom. “However, we are working with local area homeless shelters and the BPD to help anyone in need to get to a shelter.”
On a night when Sanders pushed for free college, free healthcare and free housing for the poor, one of the few “free” things Alabama’s least fortunate have made available to them — a place to survive the night when temperatures plummet — was taken from them for political purposes.
Meanwhile inside the building, temperatures were so high that at least one Sanders supporter passed out, prompting the senator to take an extended break from speaking while paramedics came in to help.
“Which brings me to the issue of health care,” he joked.
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