Excuse me?? What the heck does that even mean?Quote:
Originally Posted by Tiam
Printable View
Excuse me?? What the heck does that even mean?Quote:
Originally Posted by Tiam
Redfox....what do you think it means?Quote:
Originally Posted by redfox
What I think it means is you're a [fill in fav adjective] with zero understanding of people who are living miserable, desperate, shortened lives, and that you lack compassion. I sincerely hope I am wrong.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tiam
Where I live there are thousands of homeless who live in the local forest. They don't want government interfering in their lives. Some are veterans. There has been a huge campaign here to give the kids backpacks, school supplies, clothing and food. To give the adults food, clothing, and blankets. There are two pastors who live among them who have spent 20+ years working with this population. I am not an ignorant dolt, but I do believe there are some people who want to live outside societies norms. Some are mentally ill. Some are anti social. Some are conditioned not to trust the establishment. I was talking just the other day with someone who has spent time trying to help this population, and her viewpoints were so interesting to me. She was walking the walk and invited me to come with her on her journey of helping these folks. I think I will take her up on it but I can't presume that my expectations are their expectations.Quote:
Originally Posted by redfox
Well, Redfox, I don't think I lack compassion, and I don't think I am ignorant. You see, when I was in my early 20's I was homeless. With two very young children.Under the age of 5. I worked I didn't any assistance. But I had no home. I lived in a campground. I had to move every two weeks because the campgrounds don't let you stay more than that. I was homeless for about a year. In that time I was IN the homeless community. I lived with the homeless community. I knew homeless people. I was one of the homeless . We ate together, lived next to each other. Helped each other. (or ripped each other off, or hurt each other. Not me, but it happened.) Everyone around me was homeless. The homeless were my community. And most of them were by choice. Not the other homeless families. They were not wanting to be homeless. But there was a huge community that was. In fact they would talk about hitching the next ride or jumping the next train to the next town down the line that had the better soup kitchen, or that they were in this town because the homeless mission was giving away sleeping bags and they had heard about it and that's why they were there. It was a choice. A lot of drug addicts, alcoholic veterans. One even admitted to me he had a PHD in philosophy. He just dropped out. They had food stamps. They went to the missions and food kitchens and free clinics.Quote:
Originally Posted by redfox
Now my kids are grown, and I work for a social agency that works with low income families. What I see is that the families who are homeless are never on the street. They may live in a car or in a campground, or couch surf, but they are not on the streets hanging out. Where I live there is a small mom and pop market about a football field away from the mission. In the morning when the mission turns them out, they go line up at the little store and wait for it to open and spend their food stamps and ask for spare change from the customers. Or, there's a huge contingent that lives on the local bike path in the bushes. You don't step off the bike path in my area, because you'll walk into a camp. Nothing's changed from 30 years ago, really. It's their choice to live this lifestyle to a large degree. Some are mentally ill, or have other issue, alcoholism and drug addiction not being the least, and those are huge challenges and the agencies struggle to help them.
The title of this post was about getting homeless people off the street. My take on that was the actual street homeless, not homeless in a general sense. I think I'm pretty accurate.
I could understand how you might feel that I am ignorant with zero understanding, but it's not true.
Actually, Redfox, I think your response shows that you care. That's a good thing.
Even though, for a moderator, calling me an ignorant dolt might not be along the forum guidlines.:D
I remembered that you had recounted a time in your life when you were living in a campground and therefore do have some personal insight into homelessness, but I'm thinking redfox did not remember your story. Regardless of your insight into the homeless situation, and even if you were "ignorant" of all facts, it's not ok to label you a dolt.Quote:
Originally Posted by Tiam
Well, it was definitely with the hopes being disabused of that notion! Thank you for your response. How do you think rural homelessness differs from urban homelessness?Quote:
Originally Posted by Tiam
Quote:
Originally Posted by redfox
Well, I don't think you see the street homeless in rural areas. In fact I think they move into urban areas. But there are rural homeless. They usually want to be more off the grid. But that doesn't mean they don't use the system to support their lifestyle. They could be just more anti social or mentally ill, or any number of things. They may go to the city for a while or a day to get what they need.
Here are some articles about the rural poor that private clubs and churches are trying to help near me. If you Google Ocala forest homeless you can find lots of,articles of people ( government and private) that are trying to help. I am perplexed why so much effort has gone towards helping this population and the problem has not seemed to lessened.
http://www.helpagency.net/About-Us.html
http://www.ocala.com/article/2012012...9722?p=1&tc=pg
tiam, I am glad you saw your way out. I believe that your observations are accurate having worked my life as a nurse.