The War Against the Homeless

[Amy SF]

http://www.care2.com/causes/police-...riminals-despite-new-law.html#comment-5439473

 

[ledboots]

http://www.care2.com/causes/police-...riminals-despite-new-law.html#comment-5439473

That is horrific.

 

[Chryssie]

The "war on the homeless" is one of the most shameful things being done in this country. Makes me sick.

 

[Amy SF]

The city where I live, Santa Monica, has been a mecca for the homeless for a long time. The city tends to vacillate between anti-homeless laws and policies put in place to help the homeless. Several years ago, the old wooden bus benches were removed and new metal benches installed in their place. Each bench has a separator in the middle to prevent people from lying down (sleeping) on them. The SMPD now has a homeless liaison on the force.

Unfortunately, among the population, there is still plenty of hostility towards the homeless. When my mother worked as a librarian for the city back in the 1980's, the homeless would hang out in the library and use the restrooms to wash themselves. She said her colleagues there would say awful things about them and wanted to round them all up and ship them off somewhere outside the city. And then the soap in the restrooms was removed so the homeless couldn't wash there anymore. My mother was involved in trying to help the homeless. The group she worked with installed a facility in the city called SHWASHLOCK, which features showers, washers and lockers for the homeless to take showers, wash their clothes, and stash their stuff. It was originally run by the city, but I think the Salvation Army operates it now.

Unfortunately, a city can pass the most homeless-friendly laws in existence, but there is still the problem of changing hearts and minds among everyone else. The homeless are part of the lowest stratum of society, hated by many. They are harassed and killed, ignored and spit on, and so forth. Because it can be very easy to end up homeless, I think part of the animosity towards them is the fear that one can end up as that dirty, smelly person wearing a heavy coat in the middle of summer, wandering back and fourth ranting and raving. (If a homeless person is seen wearing a lot of clothing, including a heavy coat, in the middle of summer, it's usually because they're wearing everything they own all at once so they don't lose anything.)

 

[Envy]

Nice going, how will the homeless ever manage to get themselves a proper life if you think of them as criminals?

 

[PTree15]

Wow, that is just awful. It's astonishing how little tolerance people have for others who are in less fortunate circumstances.

 

[cornsail]

Am I wrong to suspect that many of the people who don't want homeless people hanging around their city being all needy and homelessy are also opposed to things like welfare and other government services that might decrease the actual number of homeless people? You can't have it both ways.

 

[Snowcone]

Where I live, the cops and city frequently destroy homeless encampments, and discard all of their few meager belongings as trash. It's horrible.

 

[Wolfie]

Am I wrong to suspect that many of the people who don't want homeless people hanging around their city being all needy and homelessy are also opposed to things like welfare and other government services that might decrease the actual number of homeless people? You can't have it both ways.

Where I am most gov't assistance is really only available to people with kids. Anyone else, the state doesn't care. There is a shelter here which helps those left out and even tries to help them keep or find good homes for their pets. Guess where my donations go when I have extra money.

I don't know how you can outlaw homelessness. It's not like people choose it deliberately.

 

[Everleigh]

I have actually helped homeless people myself.I used to work in a fast food place and this entire family were sleeping in the parking lot because the father in the family worked there.I gave money when the entire store had a collection and I also allowed them to use my bathroom to take showers.I became friendly with the wife and I would invite them to my home after the father completed working.

Their entire situation was an accident.They couldn't afford to pay an electric bill so they decided to move in with relatives only to have those people throw them on the street.They were very nice people and their situation could have happened to anyone.

 

[Calliegirl]

I knew someone who would go out and bring food and personal products to homeless people in Santa Monica daily. I went with him one day (a few others went too) and we had to watch for cops whenever we gave them food since it was illegal.

 

[Amy SF]

As mentioned in the article I originally linked to, many, many of the homeless in the US are military veterans. They are NOT getting the help they need, and they are both figuratively and literally being kicked to the curb.

Legal Ruling Says Veterans Land in West LA Must be Used for Vets

Yes, folks, for 125 years, the land that's supposed to be reserved for veterans has been used for everything BUT veterans. And it's taken this long for a judge to rule on it, apparently.

Hopefully, this ruling will jumpstart efforts to get housing and possibly other facilities built on the land for the veterans who are in desperate need of help.

 

[Amy SF]

Nashville landlords battle homelessness by renting to felons for $50 a month

I like this. I hope the program is allowed to continue (because so many programs like this designed to help people who really need it often get cast by the wayside because of budget cuts) and even spreads to other cities.

 

[Mr Crunchy]

I think we should outlaw cancer, too. That would be equally as effective.

 

[ledboots]

I think we should outlaw cancer, too. That would be equally as effective.

Yes. Heart attacks, too. In fact, let's go whole hog and ban death.