In Search Of A Home ---- The REAL **Housing Crisis**

[bobbolink]

"Bill and Gwen are on a list for public housing. What they don't know is that 200,000 names are onthe list ahead of theirs. They believe that, if they do things right, they will soon be living in a project. What they do not know is that the waiting period is eighteen years. Driven by economic forces she cannot control and is not sufficiently informed to understand, Gwen obeys the rules, fills out the forms, goes each day to search for an apartment she cannot afford, diligently combing a diminished housing market in which minimal rents exceed the limit she's permitted by at lear $100. Like a well-conditioned animal within a research lab, she pursues each channel of improbability that is presented. Every channel she explores returns her to the place where she began."

RACHEL AND HER CHILDREN
Jonathan Kozol, p. 34

For some of the reasons WHY

this Housing Crisis

came to be, please read:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=3339108&mesg_id=3339108

"No matter what other factors may come into play in any individual’s experience of homelessness – without housing, that person will remain homeless."

"No matter what other factors may come into play in any individual’s experience of homelessness – without housing, that person will remain homeless."

"No matter what other factors may come into play in any individual’s experience of homelessness – without housing, that person will remain homeless."

"No matter what other factors may come into play in any individual’s experience of homelessness – without housing, that person will remain homeless."

"No matter what other factors may come into play in any individual’s experience of homelessness – without housing, that person will remain homeless."

"No matter what other factors may come into play in any individual’s experience of homelessness – without housing, that person will remain homeless."

"No matter what other factors may come into play in any individual’s experience of homelessness – without housing, that person will remain homeless."

"No matter what other factors may come into play in any individual’s experience of homelessness – without housing, that person will remain homeless."

"No matter what other factors may come into play in any individual’s experience of homelessness – without housing, that person will remain homeless."

[Sapphire Blue]

1. Thank you for posting this dose of reality, bobbolink. I hope some eyes are opened today.

And some hearts.

And I hope that people reading this will do more than just shake their heads, and say "Oh, how terrible." Or "That's what you get when republicans run the government." Or "Somebody should DO something about this."

Somebody SHOULD do something about it. That somebody is US.

"open the door and look outside; there's a whole world that needs your attention, a whole world that needs fixing. Do whatever you can, in any way that you can, whenever you can. So many people need you desperately." - Sapphire Blue



"No matter what other factors may come into play in any individual’s experience of homelessness – without housing, that person will remain homeless."

"No matter what other factors may come into play in any individual’s experience of homelessness – without housing, that person will remain homeless."

"No matter what other factors may come into play in any individual’s experience of homelessness – without housing, that person will remain homeless."

"No matter what other factors may come into play in any individual’s experience of homelessness – without housing, that person will remain homeless."

"No matter what other factors may come into play in any individual’s experience of homelessness – without housing, that person will remain homeless."

"No matter what other factors may come into play in any individual’s experience of homelessness – without housing, that person will remain homeless."

"No matter what other factors may come into play in any individual’s experience of homelessness – without housing, that person will remain homeless."

"No matter what other factors may come into play in any individual’s experience of homelessness – without housing, that person will remain homeless."

"No matter what other factors may come into play in any individual’s experience of homelessness – without housing, that person will remain homeless."


Indigo Blue (Sapphire Blue's daughter)

[bobbolink]

4. This was published in 1988! Imagine how much worse it is NOW?

Yet, this doesn't qualify as a HOUSING CRISIS?!

[Sapphire Blue]

9. So much worse, considering the cost of housing.

Why is it so hard to understand the need for low-income housing?

Why is it so hard to understand that not everyone has an income of 3 times whatever the rent is in any given housing market, the income required by a landlord? What a name, landlord! They do lord it over us, don't they?

And what happens to people in these circumstances, people who become homeless because they don't have an income of 3 times the rent? Well, getting blamed for their circumstances seems to happen a lot. Poor choices. Drug addiction. Mental illness. Alcoholism. I've seen it right here. Doesn't matter if none of these labels applies; it's just easier to blame. Okay, pour on the blame. Then LOOK at the people you're blaming. The children. The elderly. Disabled people. Foster children thrown out into the street when they reach majority. Veterans coming home (?) from war. Young mothers and fathers with babies. Is it really easier to blame? Does it relieve our guilt when we blame them and turn our collective backs on them? Isn't it better to turn around, look and listen? It might be uncomfortable, but I guarantee it's worth it.

[Raksha]

77. Dearest Indigo Blue, thank you for taking up the cause

for your sainted mother, along with her screen name. You sound JUST like her! I know that has nothing to with your post--I'm only telling you that because I never posted on any of the condolence threads when she passed away. I'm not sure why not--sometimes I just get too choked up to offer even the conventional words of sympathy.

It's obvious that her spirit is very much alive in you, and that's a tremendous comfort to all of us.

[glowing]

2. Thanks for the real issues.. You are 100% correct...

I had a conversation with someone.. they said, "you know what I don't get, why can't they just get a job? McDonald's is always hiring." AND I said, "how do you fill out the paperwork, when you don't have an address? How do you wash yourself and get a good night sleep, if you don't have a home?" Typical response, "stay at a homeless shelter". I said to them, "do yourself a favor, go stay at the homeless shelter across town without your car, sleep with one eye open protecting yourself and your few things, get up and catch the bus with the spare change you begged for, work a 8 hour shift, and return to the homeless shelter without food and tired from your shift." That's when they decided that I was right.. Then they said, "So, why doesn't our govt do something?" AND I said, "because many people don't think about anyone other than theirselves and their immediate circle. If you and your friends don't care and don't demand for change, then the govt won't do anything."

Perspective. Most people have not faced this. It will be coming with a force unseen before, and then the govt will do something. In the meantime, we must continue fighting for those without a home... for those without a voice... for those who'd like to work and participate and count in society... for those who need medical and mental health services. Homlessness is the greatest fear of a lot of people. We know that if you lose it all, then there is no back up. AND because there is no back up, people become centrist in their mind to protect themselves (me, me, mine, mine). Now is the time to create the back up. Now is the time to recognize people as equal to the basic necesities in life. Now is the time to act. Now ist the time realize the Power of The People. If you think, YES WE CAN... then you all must start DOING what we can now. You must take the call to action and DO this NOW. Many will not make it another 8 months... More will slip... Life will errode.. Fear will set in.. and the CAN, won't.. and the HOPE will whither.. and America will be enthralled in Civil Unrest. YES WE CAN, YES WE MUST, YES WE MUST DO NOW!!!!!

NOW GO TO WORK!!!!

[bobbolink]

3. Yes, McDonalds is the great savior.. the ANSWER to all...

:sarcasm:

When will people begin to THINK?!!!

As former HUD secretary Andrew M. Cuomo observed, there are many "$6.00 an hour jobs in today's economy, but not much $6.00 an hour housing" (Housing and Development Reporter, 1998).

Thank you, glowing, for GETTING IT!

Thank you for speaking out to the impossibly ignorant on my behalf!

:yourock!

[glowing]

8. Thanks, but bobo... you ROCK..

And you are exactly right about the $6.00 jobs that don't pay for anyone to live. People like to work towards a better and brightere future. People, in general, like to contribute to society. But far too many jobs are about the money. People work too long, too hard at many jobs that they do and don't like for things like healthcare, food on the table, bills... our society would be much better, far more creative, and have genuinely nicer people if people were allowed to thrive in "jobs" that they were happy doing.. in "jobs" that paid the bills... in "jobs" that pay far more equal that allow one to live in dignity and retire in dignity. People need to feel useful and content. People need to function as a whole and realize that everyone has an importance for being on this earth. Everyone should be able to do what they like to do and still be able to have food, shelter, healthcare, education, and transportation that allows them to move around.

John was great in bringing those who were in the shadows into the light. Obama has this inspirational message. He beleives that people should give to people and to this country and to people around the world. So, when he says Yes We Can! I want more to take heed that its not just a slogan that sounds good, its a life expression. Its a call to action. Its a statement that is made to make people get off their behinds and build a better world. So, I like to say Yes We Can, Yes We Must, and NOW is the TIME to GO TO WORK!

How are you doing? How can I help you to make a bigger difference? I know you have great ideas... Whatchya workin' on?

[lonestarnot]

5. "slicing the poor out of the bloated budget with knives sharpened on chicken mcnuggets."

Cake.

[bobbolink]

6. Whose quote is that? How do we grow these ugly people without hearts????

:cry:

[lonestarnot]

54. Lyrics from a Cake tune.

[undeterred]

7. This morning I heard someone talking about homelessness

and they were relating it to addiction and mental illness. That may be a small partial truth, but it misses the bigger picture: Money, jobs, a nonexistent safety net.

[I Have A Dream]

10. K&R! nt

[seemslikeadream]

11. I want to build these homes

and I want to live in one. They are tiny but there is no wasted space, they are very nice, and they are affordable but I don't know where to start or where they can be put because of the zoning.

http://tinyhouses.org/houses/

[bobbolink]

13. How do you propose elderly and disabled people navigate the stairs?

Why can't we have actual HOMES?

[glowing]

15. I think the poster was implying that the tiny home was the type of home

she/ he would like to have for a living space. Everyone should have a home that fits their needs. People with disabilities should have homes that work for them. People with large families should have homes that allow for living space. People should have what they need.. At the same time, environmental factors should be thought about when creating all housing.. ie, public transportation options, energy consumption, wildlife habitat destruction, pollution, resource needs (clean water, sewer, etc).. Housing needs to be green and accessible and affordable.

[bobbolink]

16. I understand that. However... it's always here on DU the assumption that poor folk

can get by with less than what is needed.

"Housing" like this really isn't practical for most people.... it just wouldn't work.

What is needed is REAL housing. This is the richest country in the world. Having REAL housing for everyone is justice.

[seemslikeadream]

20. I am not poor and I would like to live in one of these

It IS practical and it CAN work

[bobbolink]

23. You are free to do as you wish. I CANNNOT and don't wish to have it thrust upon me.

The same as SROs.

It's time to recognize that homeless people are PEOPLE and have the same needs and same value as other people.

[seemslikeadream]

27. I'm certainly NOT trying to trust anything on you

I have no idea where you are coming from, I want to live this way so I do not become homeless

[seemslikeadream]

19. "we" can't have actual homes because "we" are so materialistic

and are so selfish that "we" are wasting resourses when "we" could be conserving and sharing with others, and if you noticed one of the homes (and to me they are ACTUAL homes) has a downstairs bedroom, at least it is a safe sheltered place and a person would not be out in the street.

[bobbolink]

24. Oh, I am, am I? I'm materialistic because I want an actual home.

Good way to judge.

It's so interesting that "liberals" and "progressives" don't take out after those who are REALLY wasting.. the rich, the corporations, the corporate politicians.

NO, they want poor folk to pay the price for it all, as if our sacrifice is going to save the planet.

[seemslikeadream]

28. I have no idea where you are coming from

It was just one small way I can live and maybe a few other people might want this over the street, and at this point we need a lot of different solutions

[bobbolink]

30. I was quoting you. So, maybe that is where to start.

[seemslikeadream]

34. You know you have just misunderstood everything I was trying to say here

and there is probably no way to straighten this out.

[KillCapitalism]

25. Holy cow! 75 sq. ft. for $37K!!!

That's not very affordable at all for the poor. The most someone making min. wage would probably be able to afford would be a $25K home. I don't find 75sq. ft. to be very livable, my little dorm room in college was twice that size. If they could come up with something around 300 sq. ft. for $20K, that would be a lot better for our poor.

[bobbolink]

26. Not to mention, where would you put it???? Land costs, too.

It's not like some nice muddleclass person would say, "Sure, put it next to my house, on my lot."

:rofl:

[seemslikeadream]

32. Why do you have to be so odd about this?

These littles houses can be a good solution for WHOEVER would want one. Maybe you could have checked the link

[bobbolink]

I said ENOUGH with the personal attacks. It's seriously out of place in a thread like this.

I warned you twice now.

another attack and it's time to alert.

Go in peace.

[seemslikeadream]

41. I am NOT personally attacking you so STOP saying that

I've said I found it odd, like I don't understand why the hostility.

[bobbolink]

42. You want to offer an apology????

seemslikeadream (1000+ posts) Wed May-28-08 03:15 PM
Response to Reply #31
33. You are really odd

That's a personal attack, which I'm sure you know.

Now, apologize or get put me on ignore.

[seemslikeadream]

43. This is the THIRD time I have apologize to you now, I am sorry

is that enough?

[bobbolink]

46. You call defending your actions an apology?????

IS this how "progressives" act concerning homelessness??

[seemslikeadream]

47. No I have used the words sorry and please forgive me, apologize etc

5 times now

[seemslikeadream]

44. This is what I meant by odd

curious
peculiar
strange
unusual
weird
Causing puzzlement
perplexing
Occurring unexpectedly




It was not personal, if anything you took my suggestion on what I personally was doing and trashed it, that seems kinda personal to me

[bobbolink]

45. You need to learn some communication skills.

Calling people any of those names is a personal attack.

THIS IS A THREAD ABOUT HOMELESS PEOPLE, AND YOU HAVE HIGHJACKED IT FOR YOUR OWN PURPOSE.

Does that make you real proud of yourself?

I'm done with you. Learn to communicate, and have some respect for people who are really suffering.

Bye.

[seemslikeadream]

48. I had no intention of hijacking your thread but I was not going to let you personally attack me

and not answer you

[Flying Dream Blues]

78. I think they're beautiful, SLAD. nt

[seemslikeadream]

29. Do you have any idea how much money one would save in utility bills?

[bobbolink]

31. Of course. Because there's no place to hook into electricity or water!

You save a LOT on what you can't have.

We could all save a lot by not eating, too.

[seemslikeadream]

33. You are really odd

[bobbolink]

35. When you can't actually converse, you resort to a personal attack.

At that point, you have forfeited the conversation.

I will remind you that this is a thread about a very serious problem... homeless people in this country, the richest country in the world.

There is NO reason why this country can't house every one of its citizens.

This was not a thread about teeny trailers for people who wish to do something "different".

You have NOT replied to any of the actual comments about the viability of your idea. You resort to personal attack.

Have the last attacking word.

bye now...

[seemslikeadream]

36. I am sorry you feel that way I had no intention of offending you or arguing with you

Again I am sorry for the misunderstanding and giving you so much grief. It's just the way I will insure that I never become homeless, again

[I Have A Dream]

39. I'm sorry that you were homeless before, seemslikeadream.

I hope that things have gotten better for you so that you have more security now.

:hug:

[RebelOne]

76. $37K could purchase a luxurious double-wide mobile home.

[knitter4democracy]

63. Their bigger ones are similar in size to many in our area.

The biggest one at 770sf is about the size of our first house without the backroom that had been added on before we bought it. The 400-some sf ones are as big as the two apartments we lived in before we moved up here, but the plans are much, much better with better traffic flow.

You could build one, or you could get a house in Michigan already built on some decent land or in a nice area in town for about a hundred grand. That's still too expensive for the poor, though. We have lots of affordable houses in Michigan, though, as the houses haven't been selling and prices are dropping (that were low to begin with) for the near-poor and the middle class. If only we had jobs.

[RebelOne]

75. No wasted space, sure, but no space to store anything.

I live in a 40-foot long mobile home and that is getting too overcrowded for me and my dogs.

[gateley]

12. What a heartbreaking story -

as they all are.

I've sent this article and links to a couple of congresspeople and senators.

I'm hopeful that with a new administration we can make our voices heard.

It seems so overwhelming, but I always remember a quote of Mother Teresa's: If you can't feed a hundred mouths, feed one.

As we're working toward change on our national level, we have to do what we can in our own communities.

[bobbolink]

14. Change -- National Level or Locally? BOTH! Here is a story Sapphire Blue posted a few years ago...

I was unable to find it when I searched her journal, so I wrote it from memory. Indigo Blue, if you can find her version, please post it, OK?

Parable of the River

There is a modern-day parable about two fishermen who were out enjoying their favorite river. Suddenly they heard screams, and as the voice came nearer, they could hear someone crying for help. They waded out into the river and found a woman being carried by the swift current. They pulled her out, carried her to shore and covered her with warm blankets. Soon, they heard another cry, and pulled out a man who had also been carried down river by the current. As they were tending to him, they heard two more cries. The one fisherman again waded into the river to pull out the hapless people, but the other fisherman was walking along the river bank. "Why aren't you helping me? We need to get these people out!" shouted the first fisherman. The second fisherman replied, "You pull them out. I'm going to go upstream and find out why people are falling into the river."

With so many homeless people in the richest country in the world, it's time to find out why they are falling into the river.

We do BOTH.... we keep pulling people out, but we also ADDRESS the MAIN ISSUE....

Lack of Low-income housing!

[checks-n-balances]

53. K&R thanks for reinforcing your basic point with that excellent story

I had not hear it when Sapphire Blue originally told it. Actually, adequate supply of low-income housing would help pull people out and address the main issue at the same time. Thanks, Bobbie, for reminding us.

[caseycoon]

17. K&R It's much worse now.

I finally heard on MSM today that the middle class are losing their homes & more & more are becoming homeless.... All I could think was 'Are you just now finding that out?' But just the fact they even mentioned it was amazing to me. Homelessness is one of those nasty little secrets Washington has been sweeping into the bottomless pit of it's dirty tricks & screw-ups.
:grr:

[bobbolink]

21. Do you suppose those muddleclass people who are now becoming homeless will be accused

of being alkies, druggies, and "mentally ill"?

Or will the Blame Game change... just for them?

[glowing]

59. For a time, yes, because I'm watching it happen.... Many people do not

know what the face of homelessness or poverty look like in America anymore. If they realized what it looked like and what was the cause of it, we'd have swifter change. For the time being, it is swept under the rug still.

AND yes, when a large proportion of middleclass become homeless, it will be called a depression... because there are no jobs.

BUT when that happens, change happens. When something affects enough people, hard enough, change happens. The great leaders of this world try to inspire and motivate many to move before the realization comes to fruition... Unfortunately, most of them are mowed down before they get too far.

[bobbolink]

69. Oh, it'll change for the muddleclass, alright. For us poor folk, not so much.

I'm having a hard time finding a lot of sympathy for those who have ignored me all these years.

They had a chance to care.

They had a chance to have a heart.

NOW they want sympathy for themselves.

:shrug:

[Flying Dream Blues]

79. How can you justify calling people muddleclass when complaining about lack of

compassion and respect for the poor?

[balantz]

18. It doesn't matter what got a person to homelessness.

Neither our personal judgement nor the official propaganda to tie homelessness in with "failure to be a good and proper citizen" are real and accurate.

The fact is: People are homeless, they need help, and our society must have a hand in caring for ALL of its citizens.

More resources must be allocated to help get people out of this tragedy.

The corporationms that reap off of the poor must be controlled.

What are we worth if we are not a compassionate society?

What is a "Democracy" that doesn't care for ALL of it's citizens?

[bobbolink]

22. "More resources must be allocated to help get people out of this tragedy. " Absolutely!!

BUT, most of the population thinks that the "resources" need to be MORE shelter, MORE "treatment", MORE "oversight" of those who they see as "flawed".

"What are we worth if we are not a compassionate society?"

Poor people are poorer in the U.S. than in other industrialized countries.

We aren't worth much.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

61. I remember reading an article some time ago about one city

(I forget which one) that placed a priority on putting homeless people into apartments. Lo and behold, their alleged problems with "mental illness" and "substance abuse" improved or disappeared because they were no longer under such stress.

[FirstLight]

37. K&R for you Bobbo!

You are right, this IS a HUGE problem, and it will get worse before it gets better with the housing bubble still not even close to the worst it can be...so there will be even more people losing their homes.
I think you are right to feel that the problem here is Corporation and greed that allow for this to happen. It has been a bone of contention for me for a long time that the "poor folk brought it on themselves"

If I didn't qualify for a section 8 voucher, I'd be in the car or the streets now with my 3 kids. The only thing i had in my "favor" was an abusive husband living a block away from us and a prosecutor that wanted me to testify..I couldn't because of my safety, then I got moved to the top of that long list... don't want to think about where we'd be :scared:

The thing I have noticed is the prejudice that still exists for homeless and poor, no matter what the contect is for their problems, folks always sem to think it is drug related or worse. I have had landlords come for surprise visits because they wanted to make sure I wans't running a brothel or crack house out of their place... no matter that we are just a family trying to live.

Those tiny houses upthread are a nice novelty - but we need a minimum of 1000 sq feet for my family, and my kids are still sharing rooms because of the sec 8 rules, so it ain't luxury baby... In my town we have lots of homes that are vacation rentals and some even stand empty for years on end...why can't someone with some ingenuity get a hold of the owner or something and work out a deal to fix up the place and get a discounted rent? why can't my city council spearhead a program of some sort?
I dunno, maybe it isn't profitable and that's why nobody cares

:hug: to you bobbo - keep bringing these issues to the light, someday we can find a solution...smart folks and survivors like us always do!

[kdmorris]

38. Didn't see that thread in time to recommend it

So, kick!

:kick:

[maryf]

40. K & R

And the other 200,000 are in the same boat! We must fight to get housing for all these folks, 18 years!! 18 days, 18 hours is too long, Thanks Bobbie!! Keep fighting the good fight! Rage on!!! :pals: Mary

[bobbolink]

49. Thanks, Mary. Contrary to those who would try to blockade the effort, we WILL keep on!

It's only going to get worse..

How many must suffer?

How many must die?

What does it take to wake people up to the awful reality??

Thanks, Mary.. I'm needing your kind words! :hug:

[wellstone dem]

50. As Paul Wellstone said

"We all do better, when we all do better."

Thank you for a wonderful post.

I work at legal aid. The problem I can't solve is, but there isn't housing that I can afford, that is large enough for my family, that is safe.

I can help with unlawful evictions. I can help with poor housing conditions. And once in a while,I get to support an economic development effort that creates housing. But when a mother comes in, wanting to leave an abuser, who says "I can't find affordable housing," that's when I lay awake at night.

[bobbolink]

57. "that's when I lay awake at night." Oh, bless you for caring so much!

I can't for the life of me understand how so many others can ignore all this!

Why do these issues NOT get more attention, more action, right here at DU?

How can clergy in this nation be so ignorant, and ignore so much that is right under their collective noses, and for which they bear direct responsibility?

How can this party, which used to be the party of the people, turn their backs on this much pain???

:wtf:

Thank you for your beautiful heart!

:hug:

[pamela]

51. K & R n/t

[Mnemosyne]

52. ... n/t

[calimary]

55. Well worth kicking!

This is well worth remembering, too. No housing? Then it's flat-out homelessness.

[G_j]

56. I hear ya

having been through two evictions in the last few months

[bobbolink]

58. .

:hug:

:hug:

:hug:

:hug:

:hug:

:hug:

:hug:

:hug:

:hug:

:hug:

:hug:

:hug:

[maryf]

60. Gotta add a kick to those hugs!!

too important to lose this thread! Mary

[bobbolink]

62. Poverty and homelessness gets lost easily at DU. :( Thanks, Mary!

I'm at a loss of how to make this more important to people.

:(

:hug:

[Sapphire Blue]

64. It IS important to a lot of us.

Others? How to make them understand? Take away their incomes and their housing. I'm not kidding.

[maryf]

66. In the works...

I think that plan is being laid by the powers that be...

[bobbolink]

67. "Take away their incomes and their housing." I wish I thought you were right about that.

Look at housing.

For DECADES, there has been a low-income housing crisis. Did it get any attention??? Naw.. just keep repeating "shelter, shelter, shelter.."

Now, when the muddleclass is suffering some losses, suddenly there's a Housing Crisis.

BUT.. does it get any attention drawn to the low-income housing crisis?

NOPE.

I don't see any change happening.

I don't see it at DU, I don't see it in the party, I don't see it locally.

It's only about the muddleclass.

"It IS important to a lot of us."

I'm very grateful for the few who are so loyal, and persevere in the face of so much isolation and ignorance. I appreciate all of you more than I can say. :loveya:

BUT.. it's the same "faces" in these threads... it doesn't seem to gather people who haven't paid attention before. It doesn't gain more people to take action, even on the simple "Please make this call".

Yes, there are some great committed people.

We just don't have the voice to take it much further.

:cry:

[Sapphire Blue]

73. It's a "Housing Crisis" now because it's the middle-class, people with money.

This is the 'ownership society'. If you own, you have status. If you don't, you don't count. If you lose what you own, you MIGHT get help. If you have nothing to lose, you get a kick in the ass.

Giving people the benefit of the doubt, I really think that a lot of people just don't know how bad it is out there. Yes, they hear the stories on the news, and they shake their heads, and say "How terrible!" Then they turn the channel. Instead of looking into WHY things are so bad, looking into their own communities to find out what's there, what isn't, and doing something to bring it there. How many people go to city/county council meetings? How many people contact their legislators? How many people do more than just shake their heads, and say "How terrible"? Sympathy is good. Empathy is better. Action is best.

Realistically, I don't see enough people taking action until it hits them. So... for the others who can't seem to get it, take away their homes, take away their incomes... take away any help from anywhere, blame them for their situation... then give them a kick in the ass. They might just get a clue.

[bobbolink]

74. You got it right... "The Ownership Society". Correct.

"I really think that a lot of people just don't know how bad it is out there. "

You are kind hearted, and give a LOT of benefit of the doubt. :)

Your mother, now you, me and a few others have been doing our damndest to make CERTAIN that DUers know just how bad it truly is.

Do you honestly seeing that having much effect? Do you see new faces all the time on these threads, learning what is what, and vowing to take action?

Do you see action request threads, right here on DU, which is accused of being "leftist", jam packed with "Done" replies?

Yes, you come by your kind hearted character honestly.

I wish you were right.

I just don't see it.

I don't really think it matters to MOST, and that includes DUers, the DEM party, and all the candidates.

[Sapphire Blue]

81. If you look back at what you posted from 'Rachel & Her Children'...

If you look at Bill & Gwen, who needed low-income housing & didn't know how bad it was out there, it's understandable that others, who don't need low-income housing & aren't trying to get into low-income housing, wouldn't know how bad it is, either. So, no, I'm not being kind hearted, just realistic.

I don't know whether it matters to MOST or not. I know that it matters a lot to some, and it shows right here on this board, others care when they understand, and that shows right here on this board, and others... like I said before, take away what they have, and they might get a clue.

If we keep plugging away & help others to understand, we might get to MOST.

[maryf]

65. Not only at DU

But unsurprisingly at the DNC. I received a survey from them in the mail. They asked me to rank 14 issues from 1 - 14. Poverty and homelessness were not given as an option; closest was Jobs/Economy, they listed Healthcare as well. In the trash... we have to keep educating! Hang in there friend! Mary

[bobbolink]

68. Could you have sent it back with a scold to that effect???

Unless and until a number of folks let them know they are losing support BECAUSE of their turning their backs on poor folk, nothing will happen.

"Poverty and homelessness were not given as an option;"

Yet people get angry with me when I say the party has turned its back on me, and I won't give any more effort, or vote for the chosen ones. "Remember the Supreme Court!!"

BAH.

Until they can let me know that my life is important, to hell with it. Let it all go down the toilet, and then let them come crawling to poor folk.

[maryf]

71. Yes...

There is a comment space, I actually pulled it out of the trash right after I wrote last, so I will spew
there. Plus I am going to write in Poverty and homelessness in the ranking list and make them top priority, BAH is right Bobbie, come on folks, Justice Now and that means homes, healthcare, and food for all! I'm ill, :grr:

[varelse]

70. Meh-this homelessness stuff - is all about choices really

As a nation, that is...

We choose to permit our politicians to borrow money from future generations to fund illegal, imperialistic wars that make a handful of the haves into "have-mores" - and make many thousands destitute, or dead.

We choose to believe in the "welfare queen" mythology, no matter how many times it is debunked, yet somehow the irony of corporate welfare on a massive scale, completely escapes our belief system and our sight.

We choose to see homelessness and poverty as being the result of the mistakes, lack of education, bad judgement, addiction, and lack of moral character of poor people, rather than seeing the roots of poverty buried and growing fat and strong in the enormous, ever-growing gap between the rich and, well, the rest of us. The inequity is built in to the "free" market economy now virtually a religion among conservatives and an untouchable icon even among erstwhile liberals and progressives, but we choose not to see its role in creating and perpetuating endless unnecessary suffering.

We choose to see poverty and homelessness as "somebody elses' problem" which for most of us, it frankly is... until it's ours. Many Americans are only a few paychecks or one major illness away from poverty - but looking over the edge of that abyss is so terrifying that most refuse to even take a glance in the general direction.

By choosing not to see the truth, by choosing to look away, by choosing to perpetuate the policies and the public opinions that keep millions of our own mired in poverty, we are all in some way responsible for homelessness.

Perhaps it is time to review these choices and discard them in favor of better ones not clouded by fear and based on a foundation of easily exposed lies repeated about our poor. If as a nation, we can manage this, we can finally put homelessness and poverty permanently in the realm of history.

[maryf]

72. Keep saying it!!

"By choosing not to see the truth, by choosing to look away, by choosing to perpetuate the policies and the public opinions that keep millions of our own mired in poverty, we are all in some way responsible for homelessness."

Thanks for this, Mary

[pengillian101]

80. Kick! n/t

[bobbolink]

82. Thanks!!

appreciate the kick!

[varelse]

83. putting some "back" into this one

:kick:

[maryf]

84. One more kick

for Bobbie...

[JANdad]

85. I'm curious Bobo...

If you could in a succinct bullet point fashion, explain what it is that you want/would do if given the authority/power do do so. I have read all your threads recently and would like to know how you would address poverty/homelessness?

thanks