So, about the homeless.....

[Bonzi]

A nation isn't considered great by the way it treats its most fortunate, but by the way it treats its least fortunate.

A lesson to consider for all those claiming we are a 'Christian' nation.

we are clearly NOT a Christian nation now.

Either way, we should be helping homeless to become skilled and clean.
Not giving them things to enable them to continue to be homeless and drug addicts.

 

[Bonzi]

I think we should take care of our vets. And apparently a big majority of homeless people are vets.

True, but many are homeless by choice, choosing to spend any money they get on cigs, booze, drugs etc while we pay for necessaries. Both in tax dollars and philanthropic giving. Are we really just enabling them?

Yep. Also, a lot of those need mental help. Mental illness contributes to addiction.

Agreed. I think they need help, but a different way / kind of help.

 

[RodISHI]

True, but many are homeless by choice, choosing to spend any money they get on cigs, booze, drugs etc while we pay for necessaries. Both in tax dollars and philanthropic giving. Are we really just enabling them?

Having been a step away from homelessness in years past I can tell you it is not all black and white as each person is an individual. As an employer when I made it to that point in life I came across many people who were homeless. Some just needed a lil' help to get them onto there next step in life, a car, a safe place to stay and wash, a job, a lil' cash, or maybe even some food and others were totally mental and beyond anything I could do to help. A few I helped get into jobs, cars, and homes were convinced to cause me excessive problems by a few state employees that couldn't stand me for one reason or another (those state employees were resentful and generally had been caught in unethical behavior of some kind or another. One state employee was even taking sexual favors from one of my employees. She evidently thought it was more convenient for her to give bj's in the backroom to the state supervisor verses do her job). The thing is you can just put one big label on the problem and think it will all go away.

Why do you think it's important to provide shelter, clothing etc to the homeless?

What else would you do with people who are incapable of taking care of themselves? Euthanasia isn't a viable option.

How many can't, and how many just won't?

If estimating I would say most likely that there are more that can be helped under the right conditions than those who cannot be helped. If we as a society though do nothing to start treating the symptoms that are creating the problems in the first place the problems will continue to grow.

 

[Coyote]

Why do you think it's important to provide shelter, clothing etc to the homeless?

There but for fortune go you or I....

You make your own fortune. No one in this country need go hungry. Even on the streets you have much more than many all over the world. I'm not saying we don't give money .... I'm just saying the money we DO give should be towards making those that CAN work, employable.

and those that can't?

 

[Bonzi]

Why do you think it's important to provide shelter, clothing etc to the homeless?

There but for fortune go you or I....

You make your own fortune. No one in this country need go hungry. Even on the streets you have much more than many all over the world. I'm not saying we don't give money .... I'm just saying the money we DO give should be towards making those that CAN work, employable.

and those that can't?

They should get unemployment a assistance to aid them with their disability. If it is a drug addiction, the should be placed in rehab

 

[bitter clinging swiftie]

I think maybe a more proactive, preventative solution to the homeless thing should be in order. Most of the time, by the time someone is under the bridge homeless, they are in a situation where they are unemployable, and physically addicted. Its damn near impossible to be able to have a place to live if you dont have steady work. and its almos timpossible to have a regular 9-5 when you cant bathe, wash clothes and can only sleep in hour or two intervals. so IMO, the focus should be on the people who arent yet homeless but are at risk.

 

[baileyn45]

This is a tough subject. While I hate the idea of people forced to live on the street, I don't have a good answer to it. Vets bother me greatly but no where near as much as children.

A friend of mine about 10 years ago bought and renovated a double in my home town. He was going to sell it when he found out one of his waitresses was living in her car with her 4 year old daughter. This is in Cleveland, not a nice place to live in a car in winter. God love him he made the rounds to a bunch of us that own businesses and started our little club called WCST(We Can't Stand This). It costs me $50/month to keep the house going. The original young lady has since married and moved on but to this day there are two single mothers in that house. My other "big" donation{a whopping $120) came in the form of a freezer which we take turns filling.

The best move we made was working with a local church. Many times you find out the hard way why some people are homeless, namely they just don't care and just want to free load. Through the church we've always found really good people just down on their luck. Probably the best part is that as a group we are all small business people with all kinds of connections. Out of, I think, 9 ladies 3 worked for one of us, 2 waited tables for my sister and the others found work on their own or through the church or county programs.

Not exactly an answer to the problem but I sleep a little better. I always thought that when I decide to sell my business I'd maybe do the same. Probably not going to happen because my youngest is off to college in the fall and my wife will go nuts with an empty house. I keep hearing the A word pop up, adoption. Good thing I love kids.

 

[baileyn45]

True, but many are homeless by choice, choosing to spend any money they get on cigs, booze, drugs etc while we pay for necessaries. Both in tax dollars and philanthropic giving. Are we really just enabling them?

Having been a step away from homelessness in years past I can tell you it is not all black and white as each person is an individual. As an employer when I made it to that point in life I came across many people who were homeless. Some just needed a lil' help to get them onto there next step in life, a car, a safe place to stay and wash, a job, a lil' cash, or maybe even some food and others were totally mental and beyond anything I could do to help. A few I helped get into jobs, cars, and homes were convinced to cause me excessive problems by a few state employees that couldn't stand me for one reason or another (those state employees were resentful and generally had been caught in unethical behavior of some kind or another. One state employee was even taking sexual favors from one of my employees. She evidently thought it was more convenient for her to give bj's in the backroom to the state supervisor verses do her job). The thing is you can just put one big label on the problem and think it will all go away.

Why do you think it's important to provide shelter, clothing etc to the homeless?

What else would you do with people who are incapable of taking care of themselves? Euthanasia isn't a viable option.

How many can't, and how many just won't?

If estimating I would say most likely that there are more that can be helped under the right conditions than those who cannot be helped. If we as a society though do nothing to start treating the symptoms that are creating the problems in the first place the problems will continue to grow.

I don't know why your post reminded me of this but it did. Many years ago my father a small business guy had a pretty rough looking guy come in the door and gave him a sob story about needing money for gas to get back home. Well my father gave him like 40 bucks and figured what the heck it's only 40 bucks. If I remember right like 6, 7, 8 months later the guy walks back through the door to pay him the 40 bucks back. It has to be 25 or 30 years ago and my father still tells that story with the final line being you can't judge people just on appearances and 40 bucks isn't much of a gamble..

 

[Bonzi]

True, but many are homeless by choice, choosing to spend any money they get on cigs, booze, drugs etc while we pay for necessaries. Both in tax dollars and philanthropic giving. Are we really just enabling them?

Having been a step away from homelessness in years past I can tell you it is not all black and white as each person is an individual. As an employer when I made it to that point in life I came across many people who were homeless. Some just needed a lil' help to get them onto there next step in life, a car, a safe place to stay and wash, a job, a lil' cash, or maybe even some food and others were totally mental and beyond anything I could do to help. A few I helped get into jobs, cars, and homes were convinced to cause me excessive problems by a few state employees that couldn't stand me for one reason or another (those state employees were resentful and generally had been caught in unethical behavior of some kind or another. One state employee was even taking sexual favors from one of my employees. She evidently thought it was more convenient for her to give bj's in the backroom to the state supervisor verses do her job). The thing is you can just put one big label on the problem and think it will all go away.

Why do you think it's important to provide shelter, clothing etc to the homeless?

What else would you do with people who are incapable of taking care of themselves? Euthanasia isn't a viable option.

How many can't, and how many just won't?

If estimating I would say most likely that there are more that can be helped under the right conditions than those who cannot be helped. If we as a society though do nothing to start treating the symptoms that are creating the problems in the first place the problems will continue to grow.

I don't know why your post reminded me of this but it did. Many years ago my father a small business guy had a pretty rough looking guy come in the door and gave him a sob story about needing money for gas to get back home. Well my father gave him like 40 bucks and figured what the heck it's only 40 bucks. If I remember right like 6, 7, 8 months later the guy walks back through the door to pay him the 40 bucks back. It has to be 25 or 30 years ago and my father still tells that story with the final line being you can't judge people just on appearances and 40 bucks isn't much of a gamble..

I think that's an awesome story. Thanks for sharing

 

[RodISHI]

I think these videos are worth watching as it shows some of the problems poor people are facing and tells some personal stories of how people are coping with their situations.

 

[yiostheoy]

Why do you think it's important to provide shelter, clothing etc to the homeless?

Why would you think it is not ??

 

[yiostheoy]

Homelessness is a city hall problem.

The cities need to build facilities for this class of vagabond peoples.

The homeless need shelter, and food, and medical care, and clothing, and sanitation.

Many cities shirk this problem, but every city must face it.

 

[yiostheoy]

if proven to be homeless they should be guaranteed a minimum 40 hr / wk employment for periods of no less than 1 year duration's at the skill level of their chosing.

Many homeless are completely incapable of doing anything productive.

Therefore nobody in their right mind is going to hire them.

Therefore your solution is impractical and impossible.

But you keep smoking that pipe and having those pipe dreams.

Booyah.

 

[yiostheoy]

As someone who deals with homeless on a daily basis, here are my limited but personal observations. Many homeless, when offered the services of homeless shelters, will refuse them. Most of the homeless I meet are substance addicted and/or have mental instabilities. Some, preferring hospitals to homeless shelters, will present themselves to police in late evening and claim to be suicidal or intent on harming others so police are forced to arrest them and submit them to medical authorities for examination. This typically happens after midnight so the hospitals are forced to keep them until morning.

I wish there was an easy solution for this, but there isn't.

One type of homeless shelter is called the jail.

If they won't go voluntarily they can be rounded up and sent involuntarily.

 

[RodISHI]

Some people just need a place to camp, a means to stay warm, a porta potty, some water, sleeping bags and some decent help until the people of this country get their heads screwed on straight.

Salt Lake area....& Texas areas

 

[fncceo]

If they won't go voluntarily they can be rounded up and sent involuntarily.

Actually, they can't. The laws don't allow it and the system isn't set up for it.

 

[Bonzi]

if proven to be homeless they should be guaranteed a minimum 40 hr / wk employment for periods of no less than 1 year duration's at the skill level of their chosing.

Many homeless are completely incapable of doing anything productive.

Therefore nobody in their right mind is going to hire them.

Therefore your solution is impractical and impossible.

But you keep smoking that pipe and having those pipe dreams.

Booyah.

Helping them to become employable is the solution.
Why is that a pipedream?

 

[Bonzi]

As someone who deals with homeless on a daily basis, here are my limited but personal observations. Many homeless, when offered the services of homeless shelters, will refuse them. Most of the homeless I meet are substance addicted and/or have mental instabilities. Some, preferring hospitals to homeless shelters, will present themselves to police in late evening and claim to be suicidal or intent on harming others so police are forced to arrest them and submit them to medical authorities for examination. This typically happens after midnight so the hospitals are forced to keep them until morning.

I wish there was an easy solution for this, but there isn't.

One type of homeless shelter is called the jail.

If they won't go voluntarily they can be rounded up and sent involuntarily.

I work in an area where there is a homeless assistance building and I pass it every day. They get their daily needs and then hang out in the park. No attempt to even try to pull it together. Put the to work for the city doing whatever they can, like cleaning police cars or something.

 

[Disir]

As someone who deals with homeless on a daily basis, here are my limited but personal observations. Many homeless, when offered the services of homeless shelters, will refuse them. Most of the homeless I meet are substance addicted and/or have mental instabilities. Some, preferring hospitals to homeless shelters, will present themselves to police in late evening and claim to be suicidal or intent on harming others so police are forced to arrest them and submit them to medical authorities for examination. This typically happens after midnight so the hospitals are forced to keep them until morning.

I wish there was an easy solution for this, but there isn't.

One type of homeless shelter is called the jail.

If they won't go voluntarily they can be rounded up and sent involuntarily.

I work in an area where there is a homeless assistance building and I pass it every day. They get their daily needs and then hang out in the park. No attempt to even try to pull it together. Put the to work for the city doing whatever they can, like cleaning police cars or something.

What daily needs do they get?

 

[Disir]

if proven to be homeless they should be guaranteed a minimum 40 hr / wk employment for periods of no less than 1 year duration's at the skill level of their chosing.

Many homeless are completely incapable of doing anything productive.

Therefore nobody in their right mind is going to hire them.

Therefore your solution is impractical and impossible.

But you keep smoking that pipe and having those pipe dreams.

Booyah.

Helping them to become employable is the solution.
Why is that a pipedream?

Many are mentally ill and/or have intellectual disabilities