Something I am quite passionate about is homeless people. Having been there myself, I am very aware of how awful people can be to someone without a home. I'm not sure why people think they have a god given right to treat someone like crap just because they don't have a bed to sleep in, but it is ridiculous. Now I'm not saying everyone should jump off their couch and go give the first person on the streets they see twenty bucks, but a little bit of compassion can go a long, long way.
Picture this. It's December, Christmas is coming up, it's -30 degrees outside, and by some odd chance someone was feeling generous and gave you a couch to sleep on for one night. Their house is on the edge of the down. Come morning you have to leave, you have no money, no clothes, and most likely you don't even have a wallet with i.d. You know the closest homeless shelter, or food bank is downtown, which is a 6 hour walk from where you are. You have three options, you can illegally hop on the transit system, risking the chance of a ticket you can't pay, which would mean you get to have a warrant for your arrest, go to jail, and have a criminal record. You can walk downtown, get frost bite, and have no idea if the place you are going even has room for you. Or you can ask some strangers for some change to either get something to eat, or hop on the train and get where you need to go. Most likely you're gonna ask someone for the change. 9 out of the ten people you ask are going to tell you to get a job, give you a dirty look, or yell at you. That tenth person is going to lie and apologize and say they don't have any change on them. You are now stranded, left with two horrible options, and feeling like a disgrace. Your embarrassed shamed, depressed, and worst of all, cold and hungry. And believe it or not, if those 9 people would have just been nice to you, you're day would have been turned around. They didn't have to give you money, but hope that the human race is able to treat others with respect.
Granted, not all homeless people are really just looking for some help, or someone to be nice. Sure alot of them are looking for that next high, or bottle of booze. But how do you know ? And frankly, they arent going to be doing drugs and passing out on your couch. You don't know what just happened in their lives. And they are going to be spending that night on the streets, that bottle of booze is going to help take the edge off. I don't really support giving anyone money for alcohol or drugs, what I'm saying is, just be nice. Theres no need to call anyone disgusting, or yell at them for begging for money. You don't know that the person who looks like a crack head hasn't cleaned up and is just looking for some help. You have no idea how hard it is to get out of the homeless situation.
Get a job? Good advice....This guy has to find a place to shower, shave, be able to afford new clothes, travel to places that he is going to apply too, make and print a resume, and then keep up the effort day after day until he gets a job. Then he has to keep it up until he gets a few pay checks and is able to afford a place to live, THEN he has to provide references from past landlords...(wait? past landlords? this guy was homeless) All of this is very easy to type, but incredibly hard to do. Yeah sure, some people are able to do it, in fact, ANYONE can do it, given they are determined enough. Unfortunately given their current situation, they probably feel like giving up before even starting.
It's not your job to help all the poor people in the world, it's not your job to tell them how to fix their situation. You aren't going to open your home to these people who need a hand, so why do you think it's okay to call them bums? To tell them they are lazy? To refuse them the right to eat something? It's so easy to judge them while you are sitting in your warm home after having a big meal.
Okay okay. Right now your all saying "but amber, theres a ton of resources for people who need help, theres homeless shelters, theres offices to help with resumes, theres places to go to get food, to get set up in affordable housing." Sure are. Generally, the wait for affordable housing is about 7 years. And all those resources well how did you hear about them? The internet ? T.V? Maybe someone you work with? Do these sound like things a homeless person has at their disposal? Can you ramble off the names and addresses for places to help homeless people? I sure can't. And fact is, most of these people don't even know where to start to find a place like this. You can think with common sense, homeless people usually don't. Not because they are stupid, because they are overwhelmed. So much wrong has happened in their lives, and they are so scared, that they are usually unable to figure out where to start. I've never heard a homeless person ask me for fifty bucks, or if they can move into my house. But I don't think it's a stretch to give them those two dimes in my pocket. Or donate to a food bank, or at least say "no, sorry I can't help. But good luck"
I'd love to see some of you live on the streets for a week. You're entire view on life would change.
End. Rant.
