04 April 2012 By Keith Johnson As Wall Street and their paid-for politicians
continue to loot the American people, more ordinary
citizens are finding themselves on the street for
reasons other than drug and alcohol addiction. Those who have never been on the street cannot
relate to the hopelessness one feels. I was once a vagabond myself, on the streets and
without money for several months. When you find
yourself without a home, the police get to know you
real quick–even if you aren't a trouble maker. After
awhile the harrassment becomes unbearable, and the
only refuge you can find is the one place you swore
you'd never end up: Skid Row! Once you're there, it's a hard place to escape.
Your hierarchy of needs takes over and you spend most
of your day standing in line for a meal, a shower and
a bed. Most of the churches that hand out meals
require you to sit through a sermon before you can
have dinner. I remember having to devote close to six
hours of my day going through the arduous process of
getting lunch and supper–grueling! It's pretty hard to
get back on your feet when most of your time is spent
finding nourishment. And the Mission (or shelter as it's called
nowadays)? Forget about it! You'll find a
healthier environment in the county jail. In fact,
it's not uncommon for people to commit crimes just so
they can go there to relax. Aside from that, in most
major cities, a Mission is harder to get into than the
Ritz Carlton during a salesmen's convention. I
remember a cold night in San Francisco when I waited
in line for four hours just so I can sit in a fold-out
chair for two. This is why this recent story by the Economic
Collapse moved me to both tears and rage: "What would you do if you came across someone
on the street that had not had anything to eat for
several days? Would you give that person some food?
Well, the next time you get that impulse you might
want to check if it is still legal to feed the
homeless where you live. Sadly, feeding the homeless
has been banned in major cities all over America.
Other cities that have not banned it outright have put
so many requirements on those that want to feed the
homeless (acquiring expensive permits, taking food
preparation courses, etc.) that feeding the homeless
has become "out of reach" for most average people.
Some cities are doing these things because they are
concerned about the "health risks" of the food being
distributed by ordinary "do-gooders". Other cities
are passing these laws because they do not want
homeless people congregating in city centers where
they know that they will be fed. But at a time when
poverty and government dependence are soaring to
unprecedented levels, is it really a good idea to ban
people from helping those that are hurting?" Read more here. I would wager that most behind the crackdown on
feeding the homeless are wilful participants in the
corrupt system that has put many of these people on
the streets. Not only do they refuse to take their
share of the responsibility, but they don't want their
virgin eyes to see the suffering they have caused as
they drive home to their gated communities, or subject
their precious ears to a plea for help outside their
favorite shopping malls. Most cities that are forbidding the feeding of
homeless people cite food safety concerns. This is
just an excuse–and there is a way to expose it as such
if we band together. Handing out gift cards to local eating
establishments is one way to get around the food
safety laws and also gives you peace of mind that the
money is not spent on drugs or alcohol. Another solution requires a concerted effort on the
part of concerned citizens and is modeled after Megabite,
a program that has worked effectively in the UK for
over 10 years. According to their website: MegaBite is an innovative way of
helping people in need on the street.
Donors can buy Meal Squares (a paper ticket
that a homeless person can exchange for a meal and a
soft drink) from a local Megabite project or by mail
order and pass them to a homeless person. The homeless
person can then use them to purchase meals and soft
drinks from agreed food outlets. The food outlet sends
the used Meal Squares back to the local MegaBite
project and is reimbursed. From there, perhaps we can expand the program to
include showers. As a former vagabond, I can tell you
that being clean is almost as essential as having a
place to bed down for the night. One way this can work
is to have volunteers with homes open their doors once
or twice a week to a family who has been pre-screened.
Sure, I can see some flaws in this approach–but,
hey–that's why I'm writing this. I'm looking to you
for answers. Give me some suggestions!!! The growing homeless population needs an
alternative to the degrading experience of soup
kitchens, Missions and shelters that are often dirty
and found in the most depressing parts of town. Making
a homeless person feel human goes a long way into
building their self esteem and maintaining mental
clarity. Aside from that–we should never allow city
managers, mayors, police chiefs, or the privledged
residents that butter their bread get the upper hand.
They must never be allowed to drive the less
fortunate members of their community from the place
they have always called home. These pampered government workers and their wealthy
masters should be forced to confront the depression
they helped create. They must be made to watch the
cancer metastasize and slowly encroach upon their own
sheltered lives. Only then will they come to realize
that the disease has become epidemic–and perhaps they
will start to wonder–could I be next? Comments 💬 التعليقات |