I have been told this more than once. But, they are completely wrong. There is no such thing as authority. We have laws of course, but everyone has to decide for themselves if they will or won't obey them. Most people obey the law and if the laws are reasonable this is not a problem. Or if something is illegal that you are not in anyway inclined to do then it is not a problem. I am not inclined to rob a bank even if it was for some extremely stupid reason not illegal. Most people don't need the law to tell them to behave properly, being out and about in society is usually enough to teach people how to conduct themselves. The point is that people who have violent tendencies are going to be violent. People who don't will tend to not be violent, the law doen't determine behavior, only what to do when someone breeches the law.
It is true I don't always respect the expectations of other people. They may or may not have a reason for those expectations. If we have no contract I have no problem not meeting an expectation not even a teeny tiny problem with it. If they have unreasonable expectations I have no problem confronting them on that. I really really don't. I might even raise my voice. I might even sue them if they are violating the law. I did that a couple times and won. Boo yah.
One of my favorite bosses got me, he really did. He asked me to not do something once, I am pretty sure it had something to do with an ongoing feud I had with an extreme slacker and then "But, I am pretty sure you are just going to do what you want anyway." Of course, he was completely correct. I did change my course of action though cuz I do that. I decided to be nice to the guy. Well that completely freaked my boss out it freaked out the guy I was fighting with and we were put in different areas of the store to work. Yeah, I still don't know what happened there. But, the point is most of us are going to do what we are inclined to do anyway. We can be infuenced by a variety of factors. But, we really can't be forced to comply. Many people have died because an authoritarian personality type has decided that they should do something that is against their religion or because they refused to convert to a religion or because a fascist made them a scapegoat. Many have died defying laws that were against what they believed was right. I totally get that. I hope that if I am confronted with an extreme situation like that I have as much courage.
The fact of the matter is though most people do comply with unreasonable requests. We have a huge problem with income equality in this country, It effects everything from the quality of life for the vast majority of Americans to the environment. Yes, the environment it turns out that selfish people ruin the environment. It effects what judges are appointed, if effects what bills are introduced to congress, it effects the health care debate. Unreasonable requests are literally killing people. I don't have a solution for this other than we need to have the political will to change this. We need to have stronger laws against companies being able to offer sub-living wages. We need to have stronger laws against companies and individuals not paying their fair share of taxes. We need to have LE that is much more responsive to the needs of the community rather than being trigger happy.
In short what we need is not more authority and a not more laws against people being people. We need to have a more compassionate society where looking out for one another is the norm rather than the exception. Peace out.
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Hug a hippie today
Then beg them to teach you their ways. Because those dirty hippies were right. Scientists have found that countries with a higher number of people who are compassionate have better environmental records in this study; "Nation's 'personality' influences its environmental stewardship..." http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/10/141023193608.htm. People who are compassionate and care about the environment also tend to have better mental and physical health. Of course there is not a 100% correlation, but when more people are compassionate and this statistic becomes significant then health benefits tend to rise.
This doesn't mean you have to go out and hug everyone. But, the more you can incorporate kindness in your life the better off you will be. The "Pay it Forward" concept is a good model for this I believe. Small acts of kindness can grow into habitual kindness. The reward for habitual kindness is better health and possibly happier communities.
I am one of those people who rarely give money to people who just ask. I probably will still not give out cash. But, there are other kinds of kindness. In my city there is an organization that assists homeless people, with shelter, food, and clothing, they also direct them to social services that can provide more comprehensive care. Many of the homeless are also in need of mental health services. But, lets say there is nothing like that where you live. Perhaps give them a dollar. But, just as important I believe perhaps more important treat them like human beings. I wish I had given each person who asked at least one dollar. I don't always have cash on me, but I can always stop a minute and talk and let them know they are still a part of humanity, that they are still seen and they have not become invisible. They need people to care.
This is something I have started a while back, not far enough back, but a while back. That I would do something nice for other people I usually don't make it known. But, when they find out they are usually happy that I have made an effort. Having chronic fatigue limits me a bit, but being nice costs very little and it doesn't take a lot of energy. It costs nothing to breath first and snap back with harsh words later. I don't know how many arguments I have avoided doing this, but it is very rare these days for me to have words with people. That doesn't mean don't ever stand up for yourself, please do I wouldn't want to see a nation of doormats. But, what I have observed is this, the nicer I am the more effective it is when I stand up for myself. The person I have become assertive with stops for a bit and looks at my point of view with a bit more respect. One of my favorite bosses lived this concept a bit too well, we learned from each other. She learned assertiveness, I learned to temper my temper better on the job at least. We both ended up more effective on the job.
In Liar Liar, Jim Carrey faced a dilemma his career practically depended on him being able to appear to be especially nice. But, he wasn't actually all that nice. He had to get along well with his co-workers, his boss, and his clients. He had to learn how to tell the truth, but in a way that wouldn't hurt people's feelings. I think he did it in an extreme way and ultimately a superficial way, but there is a lesson here. If you have to say something say something nice. If you feel compelled to tell the truth tell it in a neutral way, deflect from the question at hand if you must (although that seems a bit like lying to me). The question of "does this dress make me look fat" can be answer in different ways that can still be yes, but not in a mean way. Such as "I don't think that dress is you it's a bit too ____" Fill in the blank with whatever you think is most appropriate. For me it's a little to feminine works.
If you want to make a bigger impact, there is no shortage of places that need volunteers. There is no shortage of charities that need donations. There is no shortage of people in politics that need people to help with their campaigns. There is no shortage of platforms to reach out and encourage people to find it in their hearts to do the right thing, If nothing else start a blog and spread a positive message no matter how small your audience is that one or eight people know other people and they know other people. Peace out.
This doesn't mean you have to go out and hug everyone. But, the more you can incorporate kindness in your life the better off you will be. The "Pay it Forward" concept is a good model for this I believe. Small acts of kindness can grow into habitual kindness. The reward for habitual kindness is better health and possibly happier communities.
I am one of those people who rarely give money to people who just ask. I probably will still not give out cash. But, there are other kinds of kindness. In my city there is an organization that assists homeless people, with shelter, food, and clothing, they also direct them to social services that can provide more comprehensive care. Many of the homeless are also in need of mental health services. But, lets say there is nothing like that where you live. Perhaps give them a dollar. But, just as important I believe perhaps more important treat them like human beings. I wish I had given each person who asked at least one dollar. I don't always have cash on me, but I can always stop a minute and talk and let them know they are still a part of humanity, that they are still seen and they have not become invisible. They need people to care.
This is something I have started a while back, not far enough back, but a while back. That I would do something nice for other people I usually don't make it known. But, when they find out they are usually happy that I have made an effort. Having chronic fatigue limits me a bit, but being nice costs very little and it doesn't take a lot of energy. It costs nothing to breath first and snap back with harsh words later. I don't know how many arguments I have avoided doing this, but it is very rare these days for me to have words with people. That doesn't mean don't ever stand up for yourself, please do I wouldn't want to see a nation of doormats. But, what I have observed is this, the nicer I am the more effective it is when I stand up for myself. The person I have become assertive with stops for a bit and looks at my point of view with a bit more respect. One of my favorite bosses lived this concept a bit too well, we learned from each other. She learned assertiveness, I learned to temper my temper better on the job at least. We both ended up more effective on the job.
In Liar Liar, Jim Carrey faced a dilemma his career practically depended on him being able to appear to be especially nice. But, he wasn't actually all that nice. He had to get along well with his co-workers, his boss, and his clients. He had to learn how to tell the truth, but in a way that wouldn't hurt people's feelings. I think he did it in an extreme way and ultimately a superficial way, but there is a lesson here. If you have to say something say something nice. If you feel compelled to tell the truth tell it in a neutral way, deflect from the question at hand if you must (although that seems a bit like lying to me). The question of "does this dress make me look fat" can be answer in different ways that can still be yes, but not in a mean way. Such as "I don't think that dress is you it's a bit too ____" Fill in the blank with whatever you think is most appropriate. For me it's a little to feminine works.
If you want to make a bigger impact, there is no shortage of places that need volunteers. There is no shortage of charities that need donations. There is no shortage of people in politics that need people to help with their campaigns. There is no shortage of platforms to reach out and encourage people to find it in their hearts to do the right thing, If nothing else start a blog and spread a positive message no matter how small your audience is that one or eight people know other people and they know other people. Peace out.
Sunday, October 26, 2014
The Economic Gas Chamber
Just in case the title of this essay has not given away the plot, I will say it outright, I am not going to be polite about this. Thousands of people die each year due to being homeless. There is no age group, gender, family situation, mental health status, physical ability status, religion, or ethnic group that is immune. The one thing they do have in common is that they face a much earlier death than the general population. Many people think that the homeless are the deserving poor, that is they deserve to be poor. The punishment for being poor is to live in substandard housing or no housing. It doesn't matter if the person is physically disabled, has cancer, has a mental illness, has children, is a veteran, a battered spouse, or a child who has run away from abusive parents. They all deserve it by gosh they should have worked harder, especially those freeloading children. How dare they cost the hard working public a dime to care for them. How dare they be abused. How dare they have a mental illness. How dare they lose their jobs. How dare they have a job that barely pays for food let alone a roof over their heads. How dare they live when they aren't producing goods or services for the powers that be.
More than 600,000 people in this country are sent to an economic gas chamber each night. Most of them manage to survive. Finding the actual number that doesn't make it is a tough proposition. The CDC doesn't track that particular statistic. Numbers I have found vary from between 10,000 and 30,000 dying each year. We used to have a concept that some people were worthy of assistance. It was a horrible concept. It separated people who lost a spouse and or a job and just needed temporary help, people who at least recently had value according to society and then there was the undeserving people who were able bodied but for whatever reason didn't have a current job. Of course at this time minority groups were always undeserving even if they just recently lost a job or had some other hardship. This is not an unfortunate by product of capitalism in this country it is a feature. It is a welcome feature for the powers that be. As long as we have homelessness in this country people who need workers can continue to abuse them and work them into high stress levels, they can demand an outrageous amount of productivity. They can do it because one of the biggest fears poor people have is not making rent. Every month can be a nightmare, especially the last couple of weeks. Some play at bill juggling, getting behind on one or two bills, catch up then let a different set of bills get behind then catch up, just barely keeping ahead of being cut off from electricity, water, or the telephone (which is usually a cheaper cell phone now), and then there is the food rationing. At the beginning of the month or whenever there is the most money in the bank account the cupboards are full of food. After a couple weeks of eating PB&J sandwiches and Chili and corn bread or whatever else is very cheap, there is a period of eating "high on the hog". I know this pattern well. Even after doing everything that can be done, spending is cut and the budget is down to the last dollar accounted for. Someone loses a job, someone gets sick, or even worse someone needs to escape abuse, they now face the streets. Many homeless are families who are escaping abuse. But, they are still useful to the powers that be. See what happens if you don't conform. Never mind that it's something they can't conform to.
From those that have the least we expect the most. Poor people are supposed to mold themselves in the image of Horatio Alger. They are supposed to pull themselves up by their bootstraps. Never mind that the system has cut the bootstraps in half. Never mind that most people never escape the economic situation they were born into. People who were born into relative comfort don't seem to understand what a leg up they have on not falling into extreme poverty. Many will wail about how hard they work at their one job. Homeless people often do have jobs. They have jobs that pay minimum wage sometimes a bit higher. Those jobs don't pay enough for even a basic apartment in so many cases. Families who rely on one or two adults in the family who make minimum or just a bit more aren't just struggling, they are drowning. They are drowning while people snug in their heated homes, with full bellies, watching their big screen TVs, complain that poor people are just lazy. If they aren't demanding that the government keeps running the economic gas chamber they are at the very least not complaining about it, they are not seeing homelessness as an issue of economic injustice that leaves 600,000 people facing the elements every night. Most of them having committed no other crime than being poor.
More than 600,000 people in this country are sent to an economic gas chamber each night. Most of them manage to survive. Finding the actual number that doesn't make it is a tough proposition. The CDC doesn't track that particular statistic. Numbers I have found vary from between 10,000 and 30,000 dying each year. We used to have a concept that some people were worthy of assistance. It was a horrible concept. It separated people who lost a spouse and or a job and just needed temporary help, people who at least recently had value according to society and then there was the undeserving people who were able bodied but for whatever reason didn't have a current job. Of course at this time minority groups were always undeserving even if they just recently lost a job or had some other hardship. This is not an unfortunate by product of capitalism in this country it is a feature. It is a welcome feature for the powers that be. As long as we have homelessness in this country people who need workers can continue to abuse them and work them into high stress levels, they can demand an outrageous amount of productivity. They can do it because one of the biggest fears poor people have is not making rent. Every month can be a nightmare, especially the last couple of weeks. Some play at bill juggling, getting behind on one or two bills, catch up then let a different set of bills get behind then catch up, just barely keeping ahead of being cut off from electricity, water, or the telephone (which is usually a cheaper cell phone now), and then there is the food rationing. At the beginning of the month or whenever there is the most money in the bank account the cupboards are full of food. After a couple weeks of eating PB&J sandwiches and Chili and corn bread or whatever else is very cheap, there is a period of eating "high on the hog". I know this pattern well. Even after doing everything that can be done, spending is cut and the budget is down to the last dollar accounted for. Someone loses a job, someone gets sick, or even worse someone needs to escape abuse, they now face the streets. Many homeless are families who are escaping abuse. But, they are still useful to the powers that be. See what happens if you don't conform. Never mind that it's something they can't conform to.
From those that have the least we expect the most. Poor people are supposed to mold themselves in the image of Horatio Alger. They are supposed to pull themselves up by their bootstraps. Never mind that the system has cut the bootstraps in half. Never mind that most people never escape the economic situation they were born into. People who were born into relative comfort don't seem to understand what a leg up they have on not falling into extreme poverty. Many will wail about how hard they work at their one job. Homeless people often do have jobs. They have jobs that pay minimum wage sometimes a bit higher. Those jobs don't pay enough for even a basic apartment in so many cases. Families who rely on one or two adults in the family who make minimum or just a bit more aren't just struggling, they are drowning. They are drowning while people snug in their heated homes, with full bellies, watching their big screen TVs, complain that poor people are just lazy. If they aren't demanding that the government keeps running the economic gas chamber they are at the very least not complaining about it, they are not seeing homelessness as an issue of economic injustice that leaves 600,000 people facing the elements every night. Most of them having committed no other crime than being poor.
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Living with Dignity: Why Brittany Maynard's choice is a celebration of life.
I have to admit it Brittany Maynard's story gets me. I am writing this with a lot of sadness. She is 29 years old and by all accounts loves life and she had just gotten married, she also has a beautiful dog and a loving mother. Her dying wish and cause she is working on is to give others the chance to chose how they will live the last days of their lives. She makes an eloquent case for her choice to not be called suicide. I agree and further I would say she is not dying with dignity she is living with dignity.
Terminal diseases can end your life long before you die. Your personality can change from being in constant pain and from being on pain management medications. You need to have constant care from nurses and doctors. You can't do the things that you love to do. There is not much that resembles a functional and enjoyable life. Brittany is living her life right up to the moment it no longer resembles a life. When the pain is too much and outweighs the benefits of life she is going to succumb to the cancer that is killing her. She isn't hastening her death. The fact that she is going to die happened when cancer started ravaging her brain and a tumor gave her headaches so bad she sought medical treatment leading to the discovery of the tumor that is killing her. She was given a six month prognosis of death and she chose a date close to that time. She may as she says push the date farther back if she isn't in extreme pain. Good for her she doesn't have to keep the date it is a calculated date based on her prognosis. Sometimes doctors are off a bit and that is alright there is no calendar under the microscope, just a view of damaged cells.
Brittany has given a face to terminal illness. She has helped an unknown number of people to eventually have the right to live with dignity, to choose. That is what a life with dignity is the ability to make choices. It is one of the first urges we have as humans. The terrible two's are all about a child wanting to make choices. It is when the parents and families needs, wants, wisdom, and experience often baffle the young child and they just want what they want. Life is a series of choices if we are lucky. We will try to choose the thing that makes us the happiest either in the short term or long term. Often we are wrong, but that isn't near as devastating as not being able to make the choice at all. Brittany did not choose to get a brain tumor. She didn't choose for it to be terminal and make dying at an appointed time look like a better option than a slower lingering painful death at which time she has already lost the capacity to recognize the people she loves. She wants to be with and be fully engaged with life. At some point in the near future she will have lost that. She will have lost more and more of her ability to choose for herself as the disease progresses. She will not be able to choose doing the things she loves or choose to be with the people she loves as these things are not possible in a nursing home or hospice. They just aren't. You don't make choices when you are in extreme pain the only thing you do is manage the pain if possible or feel the pain and nothing else. This is not living with dignity in so many ways it's not living, it's dancing with death waiting for the final twirl as death takes in it's arms and bends you backwards for a final look at life upside down. Then the curtain falls and leaves devastation in it's wake. Brittany wants to be with her family for that final dance to be fully engaged as she passes to live with dignity up to the very last minute.
Terminal diseases can end your life long before you die. Your personality can change from being in constant pain and from being on pain management medications. You need to have constant care from nurses and doctors. You can't do the things that you love to do. There is not much that resembles a functional and enjoyable life. Brittany is living her life right up to the moment it no longer resembles a life. When the pain is too much and outweighs the benefits of life she is going to succumb to the cancer that is killing her. She isn't hastening her death. The fact that she is going to die happened when cancer started ravaging her brain and a tumor gave her headaches so bad she sought medical treatment leading to the discovery of the tumor that is killing her. She was given a six month prognosis of death and she chose a date close to that time. She may as she says push the date farther back if she isn't in extreme pain. Good for her she doesn't have to keep the date it is a calculated date based on her prognosis. Sometimes doctors are off a bit and that is alright there is no calendar under the microscope, just a view of damaged cells.
Brittany has given a face to terminal illness. She has helped an unknown number of people to eventually have the right to live with dignity, to choose. That is what a life with dignity is the ability to make choices. It is one of the first urges we have as humans. The terrible two's are all about a child wanting to make choices. It is when the parents and families needs, wants, wisdom, and experience often baffle the young child and they just want what they want. Life is a series of choices if we are lucky. We will try to choose the thing that makes us the happiest either in the short term or long term. Often we are wrong, but that isn't near as devastating as not being able to make the choice at all. Brittany did not choose to get a brain tumor. She didn't choose for it to be terminal and make dying at an appointed time look like a better option than a slower lingering painful death at which time she has already lost the capacity to recognize the people she loves. She wants to be with and be fully engaged with life. At some point in the near future she will have lost that. She will have lost more and more of her ability to choose for herself as the disease progresses. She will not be able to choose doing the things she loves or choose to be with the people she loves as these things are not possible in a nursing home or hospice. They just aren't. You don't make choices when you are in extreme pain the only thing you do is manage the pain if possible or feel the pain and nothing else. This is not living with dignity in so many ways it's not living, it's dancing with death waiting for the final twirl as death takes in it's arms and bends you backwards for a final look at life upside down. Then the curtain falls and leaves devastation in it's wake. Brittany wants to be with her family for that final dance to be fully engaged as she passes to live with dignity up to the very last minute.
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Michael Savage Is Sick
I was going to use the whole title from this article. But, I realized that it works much better in an abbreviated form. Michael Savage who never served a day in the military nor a day in combat is tired of our combat troops whining about PTSD. PTSD as it turns out is relatively easy to get, you can get it in several ways. The most common way is to be directly exposed to a violent event either manmade or natural. But, there are other ways, seeing a person you care about treated violently so another words maybe seeing your best friend or someone in your unit blown up. It can happen if you hear about an act of violence as well such as hearing your mother was murdered by your father. So fortunately it is not a common thing to get, 11 percent of U.S. combat troops get it, 5 percent report having it before being deployed for combat operations. It isn't so surprising that 5 percent already have it given the rates of domestic violence in this country. I can only imagine how difficult it is to come from a violent background only to be put into an even more violent situation that sounds like a surefire way to end up with severe PTSD.
According to Savage we need men like him who never served by the way in case I forgot to mention it, to save the country. Now I personally don't care if someone dodged the draft or didn't join the military. The military is not for everyone, nor should it be. In fact I think it is honorable to be a conscientious objector that also takes courage. I am happy that a number of men went to Canada. In fact violence is not usually the best policy. However, if you didn't serve and didn't otherwise object to the war, but refused to serve and instead say went to some other country and grew herbs for a failing business, then you are a sick person and no we don't need people like you to save the country. We need the opposite of people like this.
It takes courage to talk about the stigma of being labeled with a mental illness. It takes courage to talk about PTSD. What doesn't take courage is to yell at someone who has PTSD. It doesn't take courage to try to knock someone down who is struggling with the trauma of being shot at, or who has seen someone they care about killed in action, or who has been through the explosion of an IED bomb. That is truly a sick behavior. Of course this makes me wonder what kind of mental illness Michael Savage has, he has admitted to some sort of dysfunctional upbringing. I can do a bit more than imagine what that was like having been raised in a dysfunctional family myself. However, my experiences with violence have instead of making me react callously and brutally has given me a measure of compassion. Unlike Savage I will not say he is the problem with this country and try to lay a guilt trip, he is clearly ill and in need of help and compassion despite his violent and sick outburst. I would instead ask the people close to him, his family, his friends, his employers, to implore him to seek help. It takes more courage to examine why one would be so brutal with a vulnerable person than it does to continue to bully and smear the reputations of people who serve this country and then suffer for it.
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
One small step for Darek Fidyka, one giant leap for humankind.
Darek Fidyka was paralyzed after being stabbed in the back several times. But, he has recently become able to walk with the use of a frame. Stem cell researchers used cells from his nose to generate nerves in his spinal cord.
It is impossible to say who is happier, the researchers who are not seeking a profit from this breakthrough or the first man who has had actual cells in his spinal cord regenerate giving him back the precious ability to walk and hopefully someday regain his independence. I know what it's like to have that breakthrough in research, nothing scientific mind you, but still when you are tracking down sources for a paper and you find that right one it's magic. I also know what it's like to lose functions and then get them back even if it's not as good as before it's very gratifying. When my symptoms of Chronic Fatigue first manifested I lost the ability to concentrate long enough to read even one page in a book. I can read a few short chapters now. I used to be able to read a book a day. So, there is that. This is one of those stories where I wish I had been there.
Of course I am also curious as to what other problems this can solve. Parkinsons perhaps? The article doesn't say I am just spit balling here. This is the kind of thing I see bringing people together to solve a problem. Someone has a breakthrough now a lot of other people are going to want to see what else can be done. I hope this means more money for research and that it also means more people coming together from other countries and various backgrounds to solve medical problems that have a debilitating effect on people's lives. Whatever the outcome this story should bring hope to everyone. Especially to people who are paralyzed, their families, and their friends. It should bring hope to other people who will eventually benefit from stem cell research. But, it should bring hope to us all, because this isn't just about Darek Walking again which is absolutely a great thing. It is about triumph of the goodness in humanity, the drive to help others, the drive to overcome all odds. This is the essence of an epic story.
It is impossible to say who is happier, the researchers who are not seeking a profit from this breakthrough or the first man who has had actual cells in his spinal cord regenerate giving him back the precious ability to walk and hopefully someday regain his independence. I know what it's like to have that breakthrough in research, nothing scientific mind you, but still when you are tracking down sources for a paper and you find that right one it's magic. I also know what it's like to lose functions and then get them back even if it's not as good as before it's very gratifying. When my symptoms of Chronic Fatigue first manifested I lost the ability to concentrate long enough to read even one page in a book. I can read a few short chapters now. I used to be able to read a book a day. So, there is that. This is one of those stories where I wish I had been there.
Of course I am also curious as to what other problems this can solve. Parkinsons perhaps? The article doesn't say I am just spit balling here. This is the kind of thing I see bringing people together to solve a problem. Someone has a breakthrough now a lot of other people are going to want to see what else can be done. I hope this means more money for research and that it also means more people coming together from other countries and various backgrounds to solve medical problems that have a debilitating effect on people's lives. Whatever the outcome this story should bring hope to everyone. Especially to people who are paralyzed, their families, and their friends. It should bring hope to other people who will eventually benefit from stem cell research. But, it should bring hope to us all, because this isn't just about Darek Walking again which is absolutely a great thing. It is about triumph of the goodness in humanity, the drive to help others, the drive to overcome all odds. This is the essence of an epic story.
Monday, October 20, 2014
Dreams come true in the world of art
Skid Robot, is an artist. Public walls are his mural. But, his real art is in his subjects, they become living dreams and inspiration. His project aims to bring the issue of homelessness out in the open again, to put faces on the homeless, and to remind people that homeless people have dreams.
The pictures are hopeful, uplifting, beautiful, and sad. The main thing they want is a bed to sleep in and to not have food insecurity, that means to not be hungry all the time or maybe have access to cooking facilities so they can make a hot meal rather than have cold sandwiches or whatever they can afford when they aren't close to a food source. It is sad that we have a society where income is destiny. There are 28 to 1 ratio of abandoned homes per homeless person. Not each family, that is for each person. In addition most large cities have large institutional abandoned properties that could be remodeled to become permanent housing for anyone who is homeless. Providing housing for vulnerable people should be a priority in a just society. Sadly it is not. We deny people basic necessities and then complain that they don't have those things. We call it a homeless problem. But, the homeless aren't the problem. We don't have a homeless person problem. We have a problem with victim blaming. We have a problem with judging victims. We have a problem with thinking people who are already rich deserve even more even when that comes out of our pockets in the form of tax dollars. The homeless aren't the problem. The problem can be found in a looking glass. Unless you are one of the homeless. Then you can find the source of your problem at city hall. That's right cities have the ability to find housing for their homeless people. They can set up services. They can get some money from the state government or not depending on how red the hearts of those officials are. I am just a lone voice typing from my attic office. But, if enough lone voices got together and if enough hearts opened up the will to end the problem of the powerful elite and the huddled masses being deaf and blind to the issues that lead to homelessness could change. We could start seeing homeless people as people as the deserving of assistance. Rather than those people who are a nuisance and have issues we don't want to deal with.
The pictures are hopeful, uplifting, beautiful, and sad. The main thing they want is a bed to sleep in and to not have food insecurity, that means to not be hungry all the time or maybe have access to cooking facilities so they can make a hot meal rather than have cold sandwiches or whatever they can afford when they aren't close to a food source. It is sad that we have a society where income is destiny. There are 28 to 1 ratio of abandoned homes per homeless person. Not each family, that is for each person. In addition most large cities have large institutional abandoned properties that could be remodeled to become permanent housing for anyone who is homeless. Providing housing for vulnerable people should be a priority in a just society. Sadly it is not. We deny people basic necessities and then complain that they don't have those things. We call it a homeless problem. But, the homeless aren't the problem. We don't have a homeless person problem. We have a problem with victim blaming. We have a problem with judging victims. We have a problem with thinking people who are already rich deserve even more even when that comes out of our pockets in the form of tax dollars. The homeless aren't the problem. The problem can be found in a looking glass. Unless you are one of the homeless. Then you can find the source of your problem at city hall. That's right cities have the ability to find housing for their homeless people. They can set up services. They can get some money from the state government or not depending on how red the hearts of those officials are. I am just a lone voice typing from my attic office. But, if enough lone voices got together and if enough hearts opened up the will to end the problem of the powerful elite and the huddled masses being deaf and blind to the issues that lead to homelessness could change. We could start seeing homeless people as people as the deserving of assistance. Rather than those people who are a nuisance and have issues we don't want to deal with.
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