poverty is not a crime

poverty is not a crime

proverb A person should not be regarded as inferior or culpable simply because they are economically disadvantaged. A: "The legislation I am proposing would restrict homeless people to a specific block in the east side of the city." B: "Poverty is not a crime, Senator. These are people—you can't expect us to treat them like pests!"

See also: crime, not, poverty

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

Poverty is not a crime.

 and Poverty is no sin.

Prov. You should not condemn someone for being poor. Ellen: I wish there were a law to make all those poor people move out of our neighborhood. Jim: Poverty is not a crime, Ellen.

See also: crime, not, poverty

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.