Why do we tolerate homelessness?

[BayCityProgressive]

Officially there are nearly 800,000 homeless people in our country. So unofficially I bet over a million. I was homeless for a short time while in Highschool because I came out to my parents. I was lucky enough to have an assortment of friends to stay with. Over 2/3 of homeless people are vets or have mental health issues. Many are single women with children and people like me, GLBT and forced to leave home. Luckily I made ammends with my family and now have my own home and a good job. Most aren't so lucky. Why does the richest nation (financially rich, morally bankrupt) allow homelessness??? Why are the Democrats not all over this? Some want to make bashing the homeless a hate crime...I say end homelessness completely. Sorry, I have posted multiple times about this tonight, but I have had a few glasses of wine and this issue is just REALLY bothering me tonight.

[More Than A Feeling]

1. They are "other"

a reminder that we are not secure, and that we all could end up like them someday if we don't work harder, and faster, for less money.

[Erika]

7. Great post

The GOP in our society completely overlooks those who don't have the mental or emotional capacity to be "rich".

They think of these citizens with contempt. Started with Reagan.

[NormanYorkstein]

2. the problem isn't really "homelessness"

If you are from SF you probably know the majority of the "homeless" are mentally ill and substance abusers. Giving them a house will do nothing for them, they would lose it in no time. They need treatment most of all.

As for the temporarily homeless, that's also mostly a matter of loss of a job, health care, etc. Universal health care - and ending illegal immigration and union busting - will fix that problem too.

There's no reason why every US citizen shouldn't have health care and a home.

[BayCityProgressive]

3. I am not saying give them a home of their own

but at least get them off the street and in a place with healthcare, food, and safety.

[NormanYorkstein]

6. but they won't stay!

Unless you let them abuse drugs in this "safe place" they are going to go out and find drugs. When they want to leave will you prevent them? Or prevent them from coming back?

Drugs are the problem, that and mental illness. It's not a lack of housing (although in central CA maybe it is...)

[Monkeyman]

10. There are some programs that worked Bush cut the budget for them

[Mojorabbit]

18. This is not true

I do some work with feeding the homeless and I am seeing families with children and a lot of young people, as well as the mentally ill and those with substance abuse problems. It has changed in the past few years.

[NormanYorkstein]

19. it was true when I did work with the homeless

but that was a few years ago. I would require some evidence to believe that drug abuse and mental illness are still not the major cause of homelessness.

[Monkeyman]

21. Drug Abuse is part of it mental problems like PTSD is one other

But with help it can change. We have done it here. I still work with homeless vets. One major problem is funding. I agree that we can not help allot of the homeless but we should not stop trying. Homelessness also is women on the run from abuse. Lack of jobs. Kids being tossed out like garbage. Allot are working poor who cannot afford a place to live. And now everyday working people get sick without health care and lose everything. With Bush's cuts to programs look for that number to sore. By the way some returning troops are going homeless because of waiting list. 151,000 of these kids are on that list. About 1/4 will be on the streets.

[Erika]

4. Republicans have taught the homeless are unworthy

of any kindness. They've built a society where w worship the rich and have nothing but disdain for the poor.

[Monkeyman]

5. Welcome to part of my world

I been pushing about Homeless Vets. But I been out there on the streets of Chicago trying to help. People just don't care. Homelessness should never happen in this Country but it's getting worse. A lot have mental problems. But others are working poor. And like you said wife's are running from abuse. Gays are being tossed out by families. Lets face it when I came home from Vietnam there were factory jobs they are gone now. There have been a few Dem's step up. One was Obama on vets. Edwards has been out there on the issue. But you just don't see it from others like we should.

[Jcrowley]

8. Kick and Rec n/t

[Vidar]

9. A perverse part of the puritan doctrine of the elect ( who gets int heave)

was that the material wealth was a strong indication that one was one of the elect. Never mind that pesky jesus guy. Later the robber barons latched on to this, combining it with a strong dose of social darwinism. Of course the doctrine is pure excrement, but it is embedded all too deeply in the American psyche.

[azurnoir]

11. The sad but true fact is that

for most people born after 1970, homelessness has become a norm. There is no reason for homelessness in this country the housing exists, much of it would need work to be inhabitable but really I don't think that is a problem, the real problem are those that are so worried about someone getting something for nothing that they will see people freeze or starve to death and say they deserved it.

[Monkeyman]

13. Ya not to be flip but cops call them bum pops

[NoodleBoy]

12. there are--and I believe this is a minority--some homeless who can't go back

I know there are some people who say that all homeless people want to be homeless, and I'm not saying that.

What I am saying is that, for some homeless people, they can't fit back into society very well, so they prefer to stay homeless. Alot of these are vets with PTSD or people with drug, alcohol, or mental problems. It is just genuinely hard to give them homes, because they've been out for so long. In some places, where they have sort of halfway homes for homeless people, every room has to have big bay windows because the people there are so used to being outside in the weather it's hard for them to adjust. Some have been out of housing for so long that they don't know how to fit back in-- they feel uncomfortable finding a place, furnishing it, getting jobs, some even with using public transportation.

Some homeless people who go into programs that try to help them back into housing voluntarily leave thr program because it's too hard for them.

So the way I feel is, we should definitely try to help every homeless person, except the ones who genuinely do not want housing. But then, you get into an ethical jumble, because I don't think any child should be raised homeless. But definitely try to help-- and if after two or three times it doesn't work, just make peace that, yes, there is a small minority of people who prefer to live that way, and have some respect for it.

[Monkeyman]

14. Here is one shelter small but we vets got it done

http://www.helpaveteran.org Its one on one and works with Vets with PTSD

[greyl]

15. Worse than that, we seem to be accepting it. nt

[TahitiNut]

16. Some of my childhood heroes were portrayed as homeless. The Lone Ranger, for example.

How times have changed. :shrug:

[dysfunctional press]

17. because we have homes.

and we don't want to share.

[tech3149]

20. Those of us that do tolerate it are victims of the culture that was allowed

to grow over the past few decades. The information and infotainment age has allowed us to live our lives separated from those around us and degraded the sense of community. Add to that, the need to work longer and harder to take care of your basic needs, many don't have the strength and resources to worry about their neighbor. Then there's the perception management since the great St. Ronny that "greed is good" and you were justified to look out for your own self-interest above all else. I got to watch it first-hand as my ex grew more callous and self-absorbed living the life of a corporate exec for two decades. It's too easy see yourself as better than others after years of being insulated from hardship.

Most people don't realize how tenuous their grasp is on their comfortable life. It can change in a second through no fault of your own.

[calimary]

22. Dear Lord, your parents threw you out because you came out to them?

You made yourself extremely vulnerable to them because you trusted them, and they threw you out?

I can't imagine that. As a parent myself, I just can't imagine that. I'm so sorry to hear that. Your home and your mom and dad should be the ultimate safety and shelter.

I don't understand why Democrats aren't making more noise about homelessness, either. It's OUR issue, certainly - when would you EVER see a republi-CON championing the needs of the downtrodden???

John Edwards is making an issue of poverty. Which is a good thing. But it seems to me that poverty and homelessness often go hand-in-hand.

Could it be that some Dems just feel so overwhelmed by all the fuckups they now have to fix? I could easily see that, since bush has left wreckage and ruin wherever you turn.

[Matamoros]

23. Good solution

During the golden era of Socialism in the Eastern block - subsequent to the rebuilding of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe after WWII, they made great progress in this area.

In Poland, anybody who had more than 110 square meters of living space for a family was required to take in another family which had no place to live. This worked remarkably well at leveling society.

America could eliminate homelessness with this one simple law. All people with large homes, whether they be apartments or houses should be required to divide their homes in half and put a less privileged family in there. Homelessness would be eliminated overnight!

Nobody needs more than say 1,200 square feet of living space. Any more is pure capitalistic greed and excess.

Socialist methods can be used to redistribute this largesse.