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19 13

I've finally given some responses to the people who responded to my not thought out post about homeless people being lazy and/or stupid.

I apologize for such a shallow question. It stemmed from exhaustion and frustration with the homeless situation in my town.

Agnostic.com is a community of thinking people and it's refreshing to see. I intend to spend more time on it. This aging thing can be isolating.

For the record, after living in the UK in 1969 and 1976, I became a true socialist at heart. That didn't go over well here.
The travesty of our health care system, a truly inept public education system, gerrymandering and the disappearing middle class are evidence that America needs a huge overhaul.

marlayne 5 Oct 19
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19 comments

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1

It is great to be able to change your mind.

1

It goes to show how much the government and society ( from 1776 to the present) values a poor person. We are a disposable commodity. Use us up then toss us away, there's plenty more where that came from.

0

Absolutely.

3

The majority of homeless are women and children. Many fleeing abuse.

with 300+K "christian" churches in the US, why are there any homeless?

The quotation marks provide a clue.

5

After living in the Netherlands, I too am a fan of democratic socialism. I didn't see your post on homelessness but will say so many US citizens have no empathy. It's sad situation.

@Infoguy211 So would people in the city. It's a shame. So many people are one paycheck away from being homeless

2

I used to believe the same way. As I got older and I allowed my mind to expand, I realized I was wrong. I'm blessed to have a daughter that isn't afraid to tell me I'm wrong (and explain why), which she has done many times.

4

so true we need a complete overhaul but one thing is this. If our religious segment really believed in what they espouse , we would be a lot better. If we allowed all people to vote and welcomed science along with education, we would be better off. We used to be great and that is a fact but now we are fighting with Canada and going to bed with dictators. We no longer have an educated people, we have a endorsement of stupidity.

EMC2 Level 8 Oct 19, 2018
2

Neither pure socialism nor pure capitalism function effecively. For a healthy economy and society, what is needed is compassionate liberal capitalism.
BTW, the current political climate in Canada is almost as disfunctional and confrontational as it is in the U.S.

0

Hey, this is the best post of the year. Massive respect!

9

I have often wondered, if homelessness is a choice, where are all the wealthy homeless people?

A good point!

In the PNW. I shit you not, there are hipsters in the tent communities because they 'don't want to support capitalism' or because they 'want to learn something' like those white people who go to some African country and take selfies with the locals and think they're 'helping.'. They're just giving the conservatives more ammo.

2

Without reading your reference post... And not accusing you or judging you of anything... You are "your experience" may it be first, second or third person. To me Homeless is a "Mental Health" issue that puts the individual in a different plane of actions... In that condition, you can't work or contribute to society... add to that or contributing to that are the other vices that some of us can deal with it on a daily basis and still function in our society. Do not feel Bad... nothing wrong with Socialism other than Capitalists and Communists... those Two Ugly Schemes. And Communism I can see Fixing with Right Leadership and removal of Greed... Capitalism? There is no Fixing as we can see. It is a system based on Greed... I remember the 90's living in 3 European Countries and always having to deal with the same question asked... Why there was any homeless in ameriKKKa? Why we allowed it to happen? ameriKKKa! There is enough food on this world to feed Everybody... Enough Housing on this world to house Everyone... Not enough Capital to Pay All Debts of this World. You Figure. I Feel You. Thank You for your Post... You Okay.

6

I grew up in Canada, went to college there and happened to come to America in my 20’s. Canada has a well established safety net for people. As an RN, woman and mother it was heartbreaking to see the amount of homelessness in America. There is some by choice of course.. most not. America does not have the basic safety nets that we grew up thinking were expected of a society. I volunteer 3-4 days a week to raise money at my boys schools for things that public funds don’t provide.. and I live in a great school district. Those things are unheard of in Canada.

1

Don’t sweat it. Some of ‘em ARE lazy and/or stupid. On the other hand, some people just like the freedom of sleeping outdoors. After all, it is cheaper.

@Wellspring Please provide a source to support your statement or it is just your personal opinion, which you are entitled too of course.

@Wellspring yes. Please provide a source to that statement.

@Wellspring You couldn't be more wrong. I volunteer a lot of my time at a homeless shelter, and they go through a screening process for warrants, drugs etc.just to make sure every one there is safe.
These people are not lazy. Many people have lost their jobs, and or homes because of medical problems, and many other reasons.

And if you want a source, here you go: [pinellashope.org]

Let's accept your statement of some being stupid. Then what? Who hires the 'stupid'? How do we expect them to care for themselves? Make good choices if they aren't mentally capable? Whose responsibility is it to ensure their safety and health? I'd have to say our current system is failing miserably if not criminally.

@weelittleone

Maybe they could be politicians.

I had this all written and it disappeared when I went to verify that marlayne is a woman. I wanted to comfort her and assuage her guilt because what she said is partly true, which you acknowledge.

I in no way would withhold aid from those who are trying, who are seizing the day. There are many avenues for those people and they generally succeed. In this vein, an idea I favor is to have a lifelong subsistence income for all citizens, funded by a massive public trust fund, managed by government on behalf of the people. That way all would be treated equally and those with handicaps would not be abandoned.However, such a plan would take many years to implement.

A great many poor homeless people are addicted to drugs and alcohol. You cannot make them change. Give them stuff and you merely enable their behavior. The desire to change would have to come from them, which brings the question: If they are living for their addictions, then why do you want them to change? Could it be that it is you who has the problem? On the day they decide to change they’ll reach out for help, and that help is there, waiting to be given.

Believe it or not, a lot of “homeless” people are living their dreams. They enjoy being outside and they relish their freedom from structured jobs. They might get by on occasional day labor or by panhandling, but IMO they are not to be pitied or judged Ill.

That leaves the mentally ill, and I fully support public treatment for them and assistance with living expenses if they need it. I wish there were better ways than to give psychiatric medication. Counseling by professionals is needed, but even more, they need friends who will treat them with respect and love. I don’t have figures, but a large percentage of mentally ill people do get well.

I’m not in agreement that our system is totally broken. I live in a rural Alabama county, and we have a health department dedicated specifically to helping those with mental illnesses. Also I know of many people who receive public assistance. The question is how much should be done, and how it will be paid for.

@Wellspring such an expert!

@Wellspring I can tell it will be a lousy one. ☹️

Most of america is one illness away, one mistake, one layoff away from homeless.

"There are many avenues for those people and they generally succeed."
There are actually, laughably few. The ones that do exist have some seriously insane and piccune rules that take deep research to decide which ones would apply to your situation and which ones you qualify for. And that is if you can find out the help even exists. It is not like there is a central database for all the places that offer help. You have Zero idea of what you are talking about. My father died while living on the streets.
Since I've grown up I've done research into this. You have no idea what you are talking about and are apparently lacking in basic compassion. Please tell me how one is supposed to get a job, without an address (which is required) or without a shower every day, or without a means to get to the actual job, or any of the other hundred little things you take for granted. It is incredibly easy to fall out of society. Look at how many people our prison system chews up and spits out, making a large portion of the population unemployable. Look at all the mental health facilities that no longer exist, leaving the vulnerable out on the streets. Look at how quickly an illness in the family leaves a family on the streets. How many of our elderly have had their life savings ripped out and now are facing homeless. How difficult it is for children or women to escape abuse and majority of the reason is fear for their lives and fear of homeless? (both valid, statistically, fears)

@CommonHuman In that you have researched the problem and have such intimate involvement, I’m sure that you know more about it than I do. My opinions are based on my limited experience—what I’ve observed and learned from talking with people who live outside.

The avenues I was thinking of were not government type bail-out programs. Right now in my area there are multitudes of people who have lost their houses. They are scrambling around, living in tents or refuge centers, eating at soup kitchens, etc. Most of them will improve their lots day by day, and eventually regain a reasonable standard of living. There is a lot of community involvement, but the biggest thing in their favor is that most of them are buoyed by positive attitudes. They can see their way out.

I try to promote optimism whenever I can. It sort of irks me when people make hopeless, pessimistic appraisals of life situations—display victim mentalities and blame wealthy people or society at large or “capitalism”.

@WilliamFleming how will they positive their way to having a shower to attend work every day or even an address to fill in on an application?

2

Failing schools reflect failing communities. Public schools in rich neighborhoods do very well. Those in poor neighborhoods don't do well. We have an inept society, not public schools. Blaming the latter is a sexist scapegoating of this female profession…

4

I'm glad you've clarified your thoughts and reconsidered the phrasing of your original posting. If that was all I had read, I might have thought you were a bigot.

8

I believe that we have been led to believe that socialism is wrong in this country. Many people relate it to communism. Americans are told socialized medicine does not work which is not true. I think if Americans really knew what socialism is they would be all for it.

2

Very true.
i'm not a socialist but the system here is broken beyond repair.
i spent 3 yrs in germany & know the average person was better off there then.
but the refugee crisis + all the govt debt will pretty well ruin their financial system as well.
social programs, including pensions in europe & here are not properly funded.
unfortunately, a great reset is necessary. people should at least try to prepare for it.

7

when i was sick and recovering from surgery in brooklyn, new york, my best friend told me he wanted me to come live with him, and he would take care of me. i went to california to live with him. i didn't know he was multiple (and i had clues, too, but that's another story) until the day his alter beat me up. i left but had only enough money for one night in a hotel. a friend found me a spot in a shelter for abused women, which is not what i was, actually; the incident had been a fluke. for a couple weeks, i was homeless, albeit in a shelter. what if my friend hadn't found me the spot in the shelter? i'd have been on the street. i am not lazy or stupid. i think, from this post, you know that homeless people can become homeless so many ways, but mine was so weird and seemingly random i thought i should share it.

g

... 'Multiple?' Oh, bloody hell. ?

@memorylikeasieve yeah and i am kicking myself for not following the clues. the meaningless lies, the confession early on that he had blackouts, the mood swings.... i just should've known. he was my best friend. but in my defense i think he hid it well despite the clues. i know when he told me about the blackouts he didn't know, himself. he was an extremely intelligent man. hell, we both saw and read sybil. i think by the end (he died less than half a year after the incident i described) he knew. he had to have known for a while by that time. but i didn't. i figured it out later, and when i did, it was a light bulb going off. it explained EVERYTHING.

g

6

Very true. Having grown up in Canada, it is amazing just how ass backwards things can be here. Society focused only on capitalism and worship of the almighty dollar can never survive. Not everyone can be born to wealth, inherit health, make wealth, or steal wealth. There always has to be ditch diggers, and therefor someone that cannot affort to live a modest life.

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