Homelessness

Which of these do you think the homeless need the most to get off the street? Why?

If everyone in the world got a good education I belive that homelessness would cese, or at least let up majorly.

I agree, and before I go any further, I'd like to go on record by saying that I chose all of them as well as the "other" option. I think that in order for us to truly eradicate homelessness, we'd have to educate ourselves on why people are homeless to begin with.

Most people have the preconceived notion that they are there as a result of their own laziness, but in all actuallity, that is just a stupid stereotype, and a fucked up one at that.

I think that in order to eliminate it, we must understand the 7 reasons why people in this country are homeless. I am more or less speaking from personal experience on this issue and this is a sensitive subject for me.

I have posted this before in another thread, but I am restating it as the points in it apply to this one. As I said before, I know what it is like to be homeless.. as in on the street, not having a pot to piss in, and not knowing where my next meal was coming from.. I know what it is like to have to sleep with one eye open to avoid getting raped, and i know what it is like to have to stretch a dollar to last throughout the day just so that I have enough to eat. I also know that there are some genuinely kind people out there. People who will help you even when you didn't ask for it.

People like to justify their own selfish behavior, and condescending attitudes toward the poor by playing into, and perpetuating a stereotype as a means of justification for their own unwillingness to help out those in need, citing that the poor would spend their money on drugs, alcohol, and other frivolous items, when in all actuallity, that is just not true.

I have known quite a few homeless people, and i know a lot of poor people. And NONE of them use the money they would recieve from generous people, or the money they got from combing the street, or turning in soda cans, to buy drugs.. or alcohol.. what little they get from these means, they are thankful for it.. they use the money to buy what ever they would need to feed themselves or their children.. some would rather pawn personal possesions, or family heirlooms before resorting to these measures.. (my mother hocked her engagement ring.)

As I said earlier, in order for us to eliminate it, we must understand the main reasons for homelessness in this country, as it is our biggest problem, and the number of those homeless in this country, could very well be the highest in the entire world. And it really is a shame that with all of the money we spend on frivolus items, or even for foreign aid, that we neglect our own citizens. The rest of the world sees it, but we don't seem to give a thought to our own homeless, because we are too busy trying to help those who need it in the countries that we have the most to gain from.. but, I digress.

As with any other problem, the only way for us to truly eliminate it, is to understand the reason behind it, and work on preventative measures, as well as a means of resolving it. We must do this with the homelessness issue. In my opinion, to say that the homeless people are on the street as a result of their own laziness, is just a social myth that people tell themselves, so that they can feel good about not helping those in need.. when in all actuality, if you don't want to, then you don't have to, but by the same token, you shouldn't perpetuate a messed up stereotype, to hurt them, and justify your own selfishness.

The MAJORITY of those who are homeless are those who were:

A. Screwed by the state and government programs intended to help those in need.

Meaning that while they were working to take care of their family, the government would supplement their income by paying a portion of the rent.. someone screws up in the office, and it never gets corrected, and the result is that while that person is working and busting their ass to take care of their family, and need some help with their rent, thinking that the program will do their part, that person and their family end up getting evicted because the back rent and piled up due to a MAJOR f--k up on part of the program, and instead of them owning up to it, and then compensating for it, they just say that they are not going to cover it because the back rent is too high.

B. Evicted from a mental institution because no one was paying money to keep them in there, and new patients (whose families paid for them being there) took precedence over the ones who had no family and no means of paying.. and so they were released in the street.. (these are the people who end up raping or murdering civilians)

C. Released from prison [guilty or innocent] and found that their family had moved on without them, and so, they had no place left to go.. and let's face it, guilty or innocent, society snubs ex-cons.. if you have been in prison, even for something that you didn't do, you are still guilty in their eyes.. and so, you'll be passed up for jobs and apartments because of it.

D. Screwed over by their families.. yeah it is f--ked up, but i have met a lot of people who were screwed over by their families.. this has happened to a lot of elderly people..

E. They are burned out of their homes and have no family members that they can stay with, and are displaced because due to the extensive damage to the structure of the building, they cannot return to their apartments.

F. War Veterans/Released P.O.W's. They fought, they served their country, they came home only to find out that their family had moved on without them, or their benefits from the military had ceased, or don't cover their living expenses for whatever reason. A lot of homeless men that I have spoken to, had shown me their papers, id's and badges indicating that they had served in the military. There are more than 200,000 homeless veterans in this country.. most of them being from Vietnam, and that number will increase.. It is very hypocritical, and kinda makes you wonder if it was even worth risking your life fighting for a country that doesn't have the decency to take care of its' veterans as a sign of gratitude. The support your troops idea is not just for those over seas, but those at home as well.

Unfortunately, A thank you, and a pat on the back, won't put a roof over your head.

G. They are immigrants, students, or visitors from another country.

I've passed by these guys quite often on my way to work, and school..

They either :

1. Got kicked out of their dorms, and have no money to get home.

2. Are [illegal] immigrants from other countries, where life was so bad in their home country, that they'd rather face homelessness and poverty on the streets here, than live life there.. even if they'd have better odds.

3. Came to this country from their own, and got robbed, lost everything, and have no way of getting home, or even contacting their families at home for money to return home.

The student can get a job yes, but that would not solve his or her problem with homelessness.. and they would not be able to save up for an apartment.

The immigrants, and visitors would have to have a residence to apply for a visa, and even then, visas are hard to come by, due to the higher ups dragging their feet, as well as the result of 9/11 being that they are issued on a limited basis.

A job would be a nice solution, but it is not the only solution.. most of the programs out there, are geared toward women and children only.. so if you are a man, then more likely than not, you are screwed.. as the shelters are already beyond capacity as it is already.

There is still the education.. you can't get a good job without one, and you can forget about any job that you can get with little to no education, to pay for an apartment.. because it wont happen. You'd still have to save your money, for a security deposit, as well as the actual rent, and utilities if you have them.. and well, how can you do that if you don't have a roof over your head and have to keep buying food to feed yourself?

A roof over their heads would be a great start, since you'd have the biggest problem taken care of already.. they'd also be able to buy food and keep it for longer periods than they would on the street, that is if that roof turned out to be their own apartment.

A homeless person not only needs a job, but they need an education, a roof over their heads, a medical, as well as a psychiatric evaluation to determine their eligibility for work, and reliable programs that will help them every step of the way so that they can get their lives back on track.

It is easy to pass judgement on others when you haven't been in their shoes before, and it is what pisses me off about those god damn people who protest against the very thing that just might help solve the issues involving world hunger.. such as fruits and vegetables that have been genetically altered to produce more per acre.. I guess it is easy to do that when you don't have to worry about dying of starvation hunh?

I am not going to lie, I have seen drunks, and druggies on the street asking for money for their next fix, claiming to be hungrey.. but they are easy to differentiate from those who really need it. So, I offer them food.. if all they really wanted was nourishment.. they give me odd looks sometimes, but if they refuse when I offer them the food, then tells me what they really intended to do with the money.. And if they take it without hesitation, and ate it, then they will find the money I wrapped in the napkin, and put in the paper, before I handed them the hero sandwich.. at least I'd know that they would spend it on food, and perhaps, they may think they got lucky, and will feel good, even if it is for a little bit because of it (since they didn't know I put the money in there to begin with..) However, I do not ASSume that all of those who are homeless are like that.

But to those who choose to believe the stereotype, and perpetuate it, I say this:

Unless you have first-hand experience of what it is like to be in this predicament, or at the very least, an education or some knowledge on the subject matter, you REALLY don't have a clue, and should not say anything about those who are unfortunate.. what ever people tell you about them does NOT compare to the experience.. that would be like me telling you that I know what it is like to wake up with "morning wood" and so whoever thinks that all homeless people are there as a result of their own laziness needs to shut the f--k up.

I would say that what the homeless need the most is a job in the first place. Education should be something that should already come with the "package", so i don't think that that matter needs any priority more that jobs. A home? well, in order for you to get a home you need money, and i'm talking about honest money, so a job will be obviously required. But hey, let's not forget about one fundamental thing: People are what they want to be, and people have the right to make their own decisions...and what does that mean? You simply have to fight hard for everything you get, you can never back down on anything and pitiful excuses like "I'm so unluky" or "why trying to get a job when i know that i'm not going to get it!" are only signs that reflect your own lack of effort and careless about what life really is. So people, never give up on your dreams no matter what...that's what i've always been saying since i've arrived here

A job would be ideal, but they'd still be on the street, they wouldn't be able to save their money up because their money would be spent on food to feed themselves immediately.

They would not be able to buy food, and then store it because they are on the street..

First and foremost, they need programs that will actually help them get off of the street.. and put a roof over their heads.

Second, they need a medical, and psychiatric evaluation to determine their eligibility for work as well as SSI. You can't work if you have a learning disability, as well as having a severe psychological disorder.

Third, if able bodied, then they can of course get a job, as well as an education.

Any job that they can get with no education would not be enough for an apartment anyway, and at best, would be barely enough to last them the entire week. <= Mind you, this is not even taking into account that they will be targetted and robbed by others who are just as bad off as they are and their money stolen as a result of it. I have seen it happen.

Let's say for instance that they did make a pretty penny, how would they save it? You can't have a bank account without a residence, and even if they had the option of using the address of a friend or relative, don't you think that if they had that option, that they wouldn't be on the street in the first place?

They'd end up spending more money on food, as they would be buying it as they would need it, than they would if they went shopping and brought food for the entire month.

We have the latter luxury, whilst their only option would be the former.

It is when there is an eminent threat of something bad happening, will people stand up and do what needs to be done.

That is especially true of lazy people. Meaning that the threat of an eviction, and living on the streets, will motivate even the LAZIEST person to get up and do something.

So again, a person being homeless is almost never a direct result of that person's laziness.

It all comes down to them needing a home first and foremost.. hence the term homeless.

For me, there are 2 types of homeless people (That I've heard of around where I live):

- Those who were forced into it (Some like BA listed- minus a few options though) and then there's;
- Those who chose it (Believe it or not, but this actually does happen, and quite frequently in the city where I go to university.)

The first type atleast here can get some help, there are programs to provide food, a place to sleep and jobs to help get them back on their feet. (Until they can get their own place that is. Or they can stay there and pay rent.)

But the second kind...

I'm not sure about other places like Canada, but those are the key reasons for homelessness in this country, as it is the biggest problem.

Everything I said is true, especially about there being more than 200,000 homeless vets in this country.

I shudder to think what that number will be once this war is over.

I have seen crackheads, and prostitutes on the street begging for money, but as I said, they are very easy to differentiate between those who are going through the listed circumstances.

But I have said it before, and I'll say it again, Canada is a much better country to live in than the U.S. At least, in my opinion it is.

Theres two sides to every coin, just as there are two sides to every story, everything has an oposite, and this applys too.

On one side, lets call it heads, there are the honist and true. needy people. The people who honist to god, have hit dead,rock bottom and need a push in the right direction. These are the homeless, they need our help, immdeatly.

Places like vacent bording houses, or unused apartments can easily be changed into houseing facilitys, I'm shure that theres some charaity somewhere that can do that...Right? Of course they would more then likely be cramped, due to the gross over-precentage of the population whom are homelesss. Many familys would have to live together, but a homes a home.

Then the coin is fliped, and Tails is shown. The people liveing on this side of our coin, which represents those without homes, don't even desrive to be called homeless. These people have sunk to there level, some even WITH the possibility of succedeing in life, knowing full well of the reproductions of there actions. This is the sterotypes of homeless people, otherwise known as "Hobos", but due to the reasons of there predicment I belive they desrive the term hopeless.

Those people give the truely needy people a bad name, and as Black Angel said, justify those who have change to spare not to do so.

For some its easy to deferentate these two sides, but unfotunally, over many years, this coin has taken the appearence of a sphere. Growing three dementional, and shades of grey are introduced, all the while it becomeing more and more unclear as to who is in need and who are less then deserveing. However due to so many shades of grey it has become unclear who belongs to which side of our coin.

As rude as it is for me to say things such as how some people arent as deserveing of help, you must understand that I only ment that those who are truely in trouble should be our first priority, but untill we learn to differentate that, some people who are helped may use the money or shelter for means another would have needed it for. Useing donations for druge, useing homes as "Safe Houses", its truely difficult to know if we are really helping or not...

So far, we are in agreement SWF, though about the vacant houses, I agree, though people would rather use those vacancies, for people with money, before they use it for nonprofit..

Unfortunately, money talks..

I also agree when you said some people shouldn't be helped.. and that is why I do what I do.. I know that it sounds like I am making them jump through hoops, and for that I do apologize, but it is the only way I know how to differentiate from those who are truly needy, and those who are looking for their next fix. <= they are the ones who also smell of urine, and dried liquor.. the ones who are true smell of urine, feces, and armpit funk.. at least, the ones I've encountered..

I don't belive that they don't need help, per sae. *Is refering to the ones only looking for there next fix* If we somehow manage to take care of the needy, we also need to help those who have abbused others help.

Its a smash that they can't simply be rehibilated, but to know who needs it and who doesent is a true problem.

P.S. SWF? XD
I auctually kinda like that nick name. But some people may get that confused with "Smash World Forums" so please just call me Seth. ^^

We can only help those who want to help themselves. If they don't want to seek help for their addiction, then they won't seek it, and we cannot force them to do so.. (unless it was court-mandated.) Some don't get the help they need, because they don't know where to look, while others don't get it because if they did then they'd have one less thing to use as a scapegoat.

And the reason I didn't call you Seth, is because we have a member here already with that name.

http://h-c.sytes.net/index.php?showtopic=551

That was why I called you SWF.. besides, I am sure that if anyone were to speak of that forum, then they'd probably use the full title as not everyone here is on or from that forum..

Aww snap, beet to the chase. XD

And I guess your right, ya can't force people to want help. I guess we can only really focus on those hwo want it, and need it.