Okay, time to be blunt.
I know that the homeless are often
seen as a "burden" or a "blight" on society. I also know
that there are some who wish to move the local homeless camps from down by the
river to "anywhere else, just not there." Then some even want them
out because they feel that no-one should get to live somewhere for free, when
they have to pay bills. So many are all about their 'volunteering.' How about
'volunteering' to work together so we can all live together?
I want to go on record to say that I do not view our
homeless as a "burden" or a "blight." I see our homeless as
simply another part of our community. I don't think they should move from the
river unless they want to. Those camps have been there for decades. A good
portion of the 'campers' are vets and/or those who've lost their jobs and had
their homes foreclosed upon. They put the little they do have into their
'set-ups' and all they ask is to be left alone.
It's not the entire river and I look at it from a "do
unto others" mindset. I don't want to be forced to move because someone
wants the property I live on to look like another stinking park for them to
jog, walk their dogs and let their kids run unsupervised.
I've heard all about the needles, the trash and the water
quality. I've already answered that; low cost coin-op showers, 24 hour public
restrooms, trash cans and sharps disposals.
I know for a fact that many of the people leaving their drug
paraphernalia or breaking into the nearby homes aren't even homeless at all,
they're just junkies who are just fine letting the homeless take the
blame.
I don't know of anyone who wants strangers coming into their
home and "cleaning." There are those who feel that they can go and do
clean-up without repercussions from the homeless living there. I have bad news,
THERE WILL BE. Maybe not when your there, but there will be. I can't say that I
blame them.
A young boy was grabbed by the neck by a homeless man at the
camps recently, when the man caught the boy in his camp set-up and recalled that
a boy matching that description ransacked his set-up the previous summer. This
is sad on several points. First, what
was a 12 year old doing running around the camps by himself? Second, I have
learned that this same boy was bragging last summer about doing exactly what he
was accused of. Third, I can tell you that if someone had ransacked my home,
grabbing them by the neck would be the least of their worries. The worst part
is that people are putting the ENTIRE blame on the homeless man, who was simply
defending his belongings. Violence begets violence, pure and simple.
I'm so tired of the "not in my neighborhood"
mindset. You know what? I don't want all those bars and an "exotic
dancer" establishment that close to a school or downtown.
If you don't like what I've said. Okay. I don't want to
'hash it out' with you, while you try to change my mind.
There is an "UN-friend" button. Feel free to use
it.
