Will you give this question some serious thought before answering?

Question

I asked in Law and Ethics. Only 3 responses. Two wanted to be funny. I'm serious. I know the wording may have something to do with it. Maybe too much detail, or maybe they thought I wanted opinions on the book that inspired the question. Anyway, I'm reposting here with a lot of editing in hopes of serious answers.

Has anyone read John Grisham's 'The Street Lawyer'?

It was first published in 1998 so I'm a bit late. I know it is a work of fiction, but art imitating life, I'm sure quite a bit of it is factual concerning the politics of homelessness. In several passages Grisham pointed out how the system perpetuates the situation by using city ordinances to make homelessness a crime such as: loitering laws, pandering, etc.

I want to do more, but it seems that until we begin to legislate to end this cycle of disenfranchisement of our fellow citizens we will never get rid of this horrifying human tragedy.

Are there any legislative movements that I can support locally?

Answer 1

As an older American I have observed the homeless situation over many years. The number of truly homeless families is a small number. There are plenty of church based organizations ready and willing to help.

The other homeless situation are those that live on the streets as a result of drug and alcohol abuse. There are shelters for them as well but most prefer to pan handle for drug and beer money and remain on the street.

Citizens and governments have a right to control the vagrants and pan handlers.

Have you been to San Francisco? I would not like my city to end up with streets full of winos and druggies.

Answer 2

I'm not sure what we can do. I think if we put in place programs to actually help, teach and educate that might be a start. I also think if we started to not treat homeless people like a disease or like they where "trash". The all came from a family. Something happened, they where struggling. I also think a lot of people who are on the streets might have mental illness. To this day mental illness is still taboo.

We need to fix the systems we have now and put new ones in place. I think people need to stop stereotyping the homeless. Stop thinking it is drugs, alcohol that made them homeless. When I was younger I worked and help with the homeless. I helped feed them and spent time with them. I would say 90 % of them just had somethign bad happen to them, lost thier job, where behind on bills, had medical bills. Some had mental illness. A few older women had their spose die and had no money in the bank and no family. What do we do with those people, we need to help them. I want to read that book now. I never heard of it before.

Answer 3

To fully understand the problem you need to read Foucault and see how power systems replicate themselves.  Most movements are band aids on a giant flesh wound.  A change in ideology needs to occur--so start with Foucault.

Answer 4

Legislation is certainly not the answer. Are you going to make it illegal to be homeless ? Hardly. There are so many factors that figure in to the homeless situation. Mental issues are a major factor.

Well-meaning church and civic organizations contribute to the problem also. By regularly feeding cooked meals and making scheduled deliveries of foodstuffs, these groups are perpetuating the cycle of homelessness.The homeless are fed and ministered to, without any permanent soultion, or personal responsibility being placed on the receivers.

:-0

Answer 5

Legislation to end homelessness?  

Please.  It's not going to work.

People are homeless for only a few reasons:  drugs/alcohol, lack of education, or by choice.  Of course, there are a few exceptions, but the majority of homeless cases can be put into those 3 classes.

None of those reasons fall upon the shoulders of the public at large.  Individuals control their own destinies in America.

Answer 6

If you legislate that there can be no homeless as a way to discourage it, you are leaving out the solution.  Make criminals out of them and remove them from society is one solution.  Building houses for them so anybody that doesn't want to work gets a free house is another solution.  Both solutions are not good.  

The worst thing to do, if you don't want homeless people around is to support their lifestyle with a handout that gives them just enough to remain in that state.  Giving away houses doesn't work because of the vast number of people that want something for nothing.  

People have to do something to bring themselves out of it.  Handouts don't work and just makes it worse.  Many will not do what it takes to get out of that situation.  Some like the lifestyle.  I know someone personally who lived that way for 10 years and he was very bright.

Answer 7

Legislation is not and never has been the answer to the homeless problem. The system perpetuates itself through welfare.

When a person goes on welfare, he draws a very small payment (almost enough to live on). If he gets even a low-paying job, he loses his welfare benefits. In this situation, you ave no-way to improve.

Answer: stop giving people welfare. Did you ever wonder what we did before welfare? People went to their church and neighbors for help, and they got it. Going to actual people instead of the faceless government made you accountable for progress/or l;ack thereof in your search for work. It also gave you people to help you find work.

The homeless problem will continue to exist as long as WE as private citizens allow it to exist. The government is incapable of solving the problem.

Answer 8

An old roommate of mine is an Art Teacher and during the summer one year, he worked on a large construction project to make extra money.

He told me that the project hired from the ranks of homeless but they generally quit after two weeks and he asked some of them why?  They told him that was enough money to live off of for a year, since they had no rent, no insurance or most other bills.  For many, it is a choice.  

I applaud you for your desire to help, as there are many who are legitimately just trying to recover from a hard hit in life, but we must also accept that some see this as a very cheap way of life and also that some "professional beggers" (seen a report on this at one time) actually live a better life than we do.

The answer is to help those that have a desire to help themselves "learn how to fish" rather than to give those that have no desire to do for themselves "fish" because they have chosen that lifestyle.

My answer may sound cold but really it's not.  Homelessness will never be completely eradicated because *many* choose the lifestyle rather than being forced into it.  Even though they have little in the way of assets, they have zero in the way of bills and liabilties so their net worth is actually higher than many Americans who have many debts and little in the way of money again due to their own decisions.

I'll add that I've seen some of the national and international charities at work and for me any non-profit has a high bar to jump before I donate money to them because so many have NO concept how to actually help.  I prefer to help one on one with the people who actually want to help themselves or have just taken that hard hit in life.

Hey, set up your yahoo 360 and send me a message (make sure you have it set to receive messages) and I'll try to give you more in depth and concrete examples.  I don't think legislation is the way.  I believe the best way (and most rewarding) is really one on one.  I haven't read that book, but remember all books, movies, media is designed to teach a moral and cause you to come to a conclusion.

Answer 9

I don't feel guilty about homelessness.  I have put no one on the street.  I do feel that there will always be some homelessness, because some people do not want a home.  Between those who don't want a home and those who are barely hanging on to a home are many who for some reason can't figure out what to do about their situations.  No government, and no religion either for that matter, will ever be able to solve this problem completely.  Some people will take advantage of the opportunities that come their way.  Some people will accept shelter and use it as a steppingstone to personal success, while others will accept shelter and look around for more gifts.  It is human nature.  There is a limit to our obligation to the homeless.  If we make shelter, food, job training and so forth available, then people who use those options as tools will get out of this condition eventually.  Some people just don't know how to do that or they don't know how to want to do that.  It is a fact of life and human nature.  That doesn't absolve humans from trying to help, but it does absolve us from guilt when we have done all we can.