Why do we ignore the homeless?

That sounds like one hell of a research paper. I hope you got an A. I've written (and published) many poems about being mentally ill and/or homeless. When I still was able to do readings, people would often shake their heads. I guess polite society isn't ready to hear about such things?

QP

 

It only costs a buck to buy a homeless newspaper from a street person. Are you saying that's too much?

QP

 

Wow, I'm glad you survived. And helping the homeless on a one-to-one basis - is something that most folks can afford to do. At least it's working towards a solution to the problem, instead of just ignoring it, etc. So I'm all for it. It's pretty obvious our government couldn't care less about the issue. It's up to us. Being homeless does not make somebody a bad person. :sunny:

QP

 

so, bc you saw it or experienced it then, it must be true huh? that must mean that all white dudes are pussified, shaggy haired, body-obsessed twats. b/c that's the only type of white boy i know, so it must be true.

false universalism is probably the weakest argument you could make. nice try, but you still suck!

 

I am not sure if one is being truly charitable if they feel it's appropriate to even try and make a distinction. "Judge not lest you be judged." Why is it TARP was handed to the banks with no stipulations or conditions, but charity to the poor is riddled with them?

 

We slavishly followed America in throwing open the doors of the psychiatric wards, the drug and alcohol rehabs, and half-way houses. (If Americans commited mass suicide their corpses wouldn't be cold by the time we faithfully followed suit!)

Now, much to my delight, the White Picket Fence People, who applauded and voted the idea in, are bleating about "drug addicts - their generic term for those they disenfrancised - frightening their slothful barge-arsed wives, their totally sedentary, totally spoilt, Fat Albert-like snot gobblers, and their white mice-like lap dogs.

Now we are punishing these "drug addicts" by putting them in overcrowded prisons. How long before decent folk turn a blind eye while their police shoot homeless kids out-of-hand, like they do in Brazil?

I have long ceased looking for political or practical reasons or excuses for why conservatives are such pitiless pricks, for "is there a particular philosophy that these turds use to justify the heartless interpersonal apartheid they practice?" And I know you know the answer I came up with! :reddevil:

 

Good point. Each day, I had to attend 2 Christian church services (even though I was not a religious person) at the shelter I stayed at. And if I failed to attend, then I was not given a bed for the night. The word sinner was slung around rather a lot. It seemed to me that the homeless were the ones being much sinned against. And I think this is still very true.

QP

 

You don't have to ignore the homeless because everyone else does. I've met some cool guys who didn't have a home. They'll be the first to light a spliff and talk about this sort of shit in my experience.

 

I've come to the conclusion that most conservatives hate their jobs, resent paying property taxes, and it's safer for them to take their frustrations out on the destitute and poor. They need to feel morally superior, just to make it through each wretched day.

QP

 

Christians aren't interested in feeding the hungry or helping the homeless, all they're in it for is the recruits. In 1983 I was stranded in El Paso without food for three days. A kind gentleman pointed me to The Mission, where I was told I couldn't have any food because I missed the first half of the sermon.

Then there were the Muslim children in that tsunami who were put into Christian orphanages, and the American church that tried to take Haitian children out of the country to be raised by their church members.

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Your experience is much like my youngest daughter, Mandy, had when she was in the Sally Army rehab about 20 years ago. Unlike the men, who were taken to A.A. by bus each night, she, and the other women, were told to dress demurely and attend chapel, or get out. I'll never forget how the OIC of the unit, a Sally Army psychologist named Stella Mountjoy, informed me, by this time 5 years clean and dry and a member of A.A., she'd prefer if I'd stop visiting Mandy as I was "upsetting the programme they has set for her."

Needless to say, ginger beer and Jesus didn't do Mandy an ounce of good and she was soon back on the streets doing every drug known to mankind. Don't ask Mandy about so-called Christian charity and compassion, unless you want a blistered ear!

PS: As of this Armistice Day (11-11-1918) Mandy has finally reached 12 months clean and sober. Unfortunately she is now, among her many illnesses, a chronic hepatitis sufferer and paranoid schizophrenic, who is sure the CIA watches her every move. :sad:

 

Right on. That's been my experience. :sunny:

QP

 

That totally sucks. And that's why many homeless people avoid the shelters. The lunch is far from free. Good to hear Mandy has a year of sobriety. That takes a lot of strength. :2thumbsup:

QP

 

I love this thread and the posts that have been going on...

It is so indicative of our societies...

I am going to change my answer now...

Some people ignore the homeless because they are just so damn busy in trying to raise awareness about the homeless issue that they ignore the fact that not only does everyone else NOT ignore the homeless, but that some of them even make concrete offers of help...

Which are promptly ignored...

 

Wow, I'd never heard about the last part. Seems like robbing children of their religion should be considered a sin.

QP

 

Often for good reasons.

QP

 

Really? What are the reasons you ignored the fact that in this very thread, someone made a very concrete offer of help, the same offer they have been making for over a decade?

 

Think about it. You're an intelligent man.

QP

 

Apparently I'm just not that intelligent.

The only reasonable answers to it (that I could come up with) would be things like...

As we said in our posts, people shouldn't be preached to and called a sinner as a cost for a meal... I saw no references in the offer to help in regards to religion of any type, and the person who made the offer would likely get more bitchy then you ever have if someone tried it...

or maybe...

We think the offer was false and you are just a figment of someones imagination... I don't actually have an answer to this one besides, come see...

The only other reasons I could come up with, wouldn't have anything to do with the offer or the person making it and more to do with the people ignoring it... things like... a solution isnt wanted, a conversation is...

 

Not even close. And that makes 3 strikes.

QP