Listen, I’m all for helping the homeless… people down on their luck through no fault of their own. But what I see, and what I’ve seen over the past couple of years, are people that look like straight up meth-heads. These aren’t families who lost their jobs and wound up on the streets and were forced to camp out in the open. These people have issues…
I’ve never-ever, NOT ONCE… seen a family at one of these camps that you find all over now. I’ve never seen a kid there, or a mother nursing a newborn baby. That shit would be different and I would be in full support of providing those people with a helping hand. But, what I see now, as I’ve seen for years, are the drug addicts, drunks and criminals. The only difference today is that the City has stopped all enforcement.
And don’t get me started on the OPB interview of Hazelnut Grove residents where 3 out of 5 people clearly stated that they were CHOOSING to live that way. Anyway…
From having sex in public, to intimidation, to drug abuse, drunk in public, trash, used needles, FELONS breaking parole or on the run, to finding guns (all documented offenses, by the way… look it up)… these camps need some type of enforcement. I think the city leaders really need to reevaluate their hands-off approach.
Of course, it’s easy to offer rainbow and lollipops when the homeless aren’t living in their neighborhood. I think these well-to-do politicians would think twice if a homeless camp was set up on their block.
So what’s your solution, Unenlightened? Other than to bitch about how disgusted you are with people who don’t live like you want them to live? And are you aware of the pretty universally acknowledged fact that addiction is an illness and requires intensive, consistent treatment to overcome, in most cases. I don’t think anyone needed a reminder of the bad behavior that can be documented (“…look it up”). What exactly are YOU willing to do to help improve the situation?
You are the Rip Van Winkle of IAs…yawn …whaaat? These homeless are mostly by wretched dopers, alcoholics, thieves, skells and predators.?! As for a solution, here’s one … Blankets and food, not bottles and bags. If they need more…Don’t even piss on em if their hearts are on fire–except for the truly insane–they deserve compassion. Avoid the outlaws and when you can’t, protect yourself. And Disregard all of the above if they ask for real help with their particular issues.
All for compassion… but why can’t churches offer space for homeless. They don’t pay taxes and are occupied mostly on the weekends. Claiming public land as homeless camps is no better than the armed occupiers in So. Oregon. The argument, “I choose to be homeless,” is bullshit. One resident at the Grove (from the article) said he was waiting for the next college semester to start so he can complete his Masters Degree in Library Science. Fuck that! Who’s paying for your encampment? the parks you chill in and the water you use to bath whenever you can. The alley’s you piss in = Taxes, not paid by homeless.
Some call it compassionate to turn a blind eye to the fucked up shit that goes on in and around homeless camps. ESPECIALLY the churches(fuck y
If my last post actually appears, call it a total technology meltdown. It’s all well and good to promote the welfare of others by ignoring the inherent problems at homeless camps, but just letting any schmuck congregate in some shithole to shoot up and fuck with passersby(not an uncommon occurance) does nobody any favors. I have personally known a number of homeless folks looking to get back up on their feet and letting all the junkie fuckers run amok gives all of them a bad name. A homeless camp shouldn’t be tantamount to a prison, where the general public stashes undesirables. Weed out the chaff from the wheat, I say. Turn the camps into sober living retreats and see how many of those sorry sacks of shit stick around.
@eprophet he offers a solution and I think it will work, set up the all new CAMP FRITZ where we move one of these camps to Amanda’s block and I bet all of a sudden she will have a bunch of solutions in place.
Me Tarzan. You unenlightened.