It’s not a blue state only issue
I’ve been seeing various attacks on Nancy Pelosi showing areas of California that are a mess due to homelessness. Tents everywhere and people sleeping on the street are disturbing. I’ll give you that. The attackers make it seem that Pelosi is somehow responsible for the low wages/high rent/mental health issues that are major elements of the homelessness problem.
If you take a look at this link though, https://www.azfamily.com/news/investigations/cbs_5_investigates/rising-rents-are-forcing-phoenix-area-workers-into-homelessness/article_8cd31bd2-52c8-11ea-a948-2f4fad1bf05d.html?fbclid=IwAR236O0pLY5ag7sk-TlbJSpExTq2OhiG9kUDIwKQn0Pjs69bKxDN3QUivhQ ,
you’ll see that homelessness isn’t just a blue state problem. This is Phoenix, Arizona — a firmly red state. The homeless suffer in this state as well and for the same reasons. Even in my small town, homelessness is an issue, along with panhandling.
Everyone says something needs to be done. As though the panhandlers and the homeless are some sort of monsters stalking the city, looking for people to mug. Is it unsightly? Absolutely. Are these people a danger to the citizens? Probably not. But the self-righteous have a point. Something must be done.
How about some healthcare so the mentally ill aren’t kicked out of bedless hospitals with no where to go? How about affordable housing so people working two or even three jobs can find a place to live? How about better medical care for the many veterans that comprise a significant part of the homeless? We sent them into wartime situations, and they’ve come back wounded, so it’s incumbent on us to take care of them when they get home. How about making public toilets available so there’s somewhere for people to relieve themselves, with running water so they have a place to wash and drinkable water to take with them to stay hydrated?
Financial experts say that just about every middle or working-class family is just a month or two away from complete destitution if any major medical or other problem comes up in their lives. A company folding, illness, downsizing, a weather disaster, an economic downturn, a death of either parent in a young family, any one of these could cause a family to find themselves out on the street.
I actually heard a person say of the panhandlers out on the street that the dog with them looked healthy enough. They’re probably just saying they’re homeless to get free handouts. I couldn’t believe my ears. They’re taking care of their dog, so they aren’t homeless or destitute? What the hell? How ridiculous. On a local forum I heard people say that they recognized a woman panhandler. She was pregnant when they saw her in another city. She just doesn’t want to work.
Um. Okay? Women don’t stay pregnant forever. I’ll make a big assumption here that she had the baby and now it’s even harder to get work because if she’s a single mother, how can she afford childcare? Another huge expense, by the way, that keeps parents from finding or taking work.
The complete lack of understanding, compassion, or even simple common sense is astounding. Saying that back when they were young, they could find a job in a day or two. “These people” just don’t want to work. What a crock. Finding a good paying job now is hard. Especially if a person has medical issues, childcare requirements, or just no place to clean up to be presentable at an interview or for work.
Answers need to be found and not just some holier-than-thou platitudes about they could work if they wanted to. Outside of the box thinking needs to happen. Affordable healthcare, housing, and childcare would go a long way to helping people get on their feet. Town codes need to be addressed that discriminate against small houses, apartments, or condos. Each of us needs to remember that these are human beings. They have a right to respect and understanding. Lack of money shouldn’t be a crime. What are you doing to help?
