Just because one homeless person has committed a crime or used the money he has collected on things such as alcohol or drugs does not mean that every homeless person is going to be like that. Many homeless people are Vietnam veterans, have a mental illness, or cannot survive in this economy which we are in. I have had a few experiences with homeless people but there is one which is unforgettable. It is much like when Nathaniel Ayres begins yelling at Mr. Lopez then proceeds to apologize later on (Lopez, 258). Most homeless people do not receive aid from the government or do not receive enough aid which is why they resort to panhandling. Seeing these many homeless people shows us how well our government is doing in protecting its people. It was a hot summer afternoon with the smell of fresh pizza out of the oven in the air just after lunch at around 4:30 pm when it happened. He was an African American man, about 5’9”. He looked and smelled as if he had not shaved or showered in months. He had on a stained navy blue button down shirt almost 2 sizes larger then him and wore saggy torn up pants which were held in place by a belt. As he asked for a cup of water I replied by saying all we had were bottled water and since it was not my store I had to have him pay for it. As I said this he began to get frustrated and started throwing whatever he could find to the ground then pushed over a large stand full of calzones causing it to come falling down and causing a huge mess. After being told that cops were on their way the man left the store and did not return for some time. The sun had just set and all the street lights had begun to turn on to help see through the dark alleys. Just before we began to close the store something surprisin... ... middle of paper ... ...although you cannot judge all homeless people this way because most of them just want money for alcohol rather then on food or clothes which is what they really need. Seeing a homeless person on the street asking for money does not necessarily mean that he is a lazy bum who has given up on life. There are many people who have jobs but are still homeless because they cannot afford things due to our very bad economy. Others are Vietnam veterans who have gone through so much in the Vietnam War that their lives will never be the same. The most common reason for people being homeless is people who are mentally ill. Some cannot pay to get treated and end up on the streets because no one will hire them which makes it almost impossible for them to receive money. You could be well educated and have a well paying job but still be homeless due to our current economic situation.
They use up their time playing on their $700 cellphones, only to try and blind themselves from reality in the virtual one. People need to get their heads out of the dark and start dealing with this problem one person at a time, and if everyone did it, the problem would be solved overnight. The problem is that, we as people, keep turning the homeless “into an issue, not a collection of human beings”. We, as a group of successful individuals, need to take notice of those individuals in need, treat them like the people they are, and stop dehumanizing the homeless. All they need is a shove in the right direction, and with a little help standing on their own, they will flourish as individuals and become just as successful as the
Homeless or not, we were all raised and taught not to do the things that would hurt people. The way homeless people are being treated in today’s world is out of hand and it needs to come to an end. The homeless are humiliated, assaulted, talked badly about, and overly stressed due to traumatic experiences.
Many of the homeless may have faced a loss in society such as losing a job, losing a loved one, they may also have drug and alcohol addictions where they lose all their money and then do not have money to pay off their bare necessities. Some homeless may even have a mental illness not knowing how to deal with the world or they may just have been simply psychologically abused and abandoned by their loved
Homelessness is not a disease. It is not a virus, not a condition, nor bacteria. Homelessness is a state where a person does not have a permanent residential. This includes people who live in shelters, motels and on the streets. They do not have homes because of the rising prices of housing. In New York City alone, 61,931 people are homeless as of September 2016. This is an epidemic in New York, not because of the sheer number of homeless people, but because of the lack of support from the local government. Homeless people are ignored by citizens, attacked by youth and abused by police officers. The New York Police Department even instituted Move Along Policy where homeless people who are idle for too long are forced to move their locations. This could be sitting on a bench for too long or falling asleep in a train station. So displaced citizens are not only homeless, but they are not allowed to reside in familiar locations without fear of being harassed by policemen. The youth of New York City find entertainment in harming homeless people. They would attack them, throwing bottles at them, hitting them, in hopes of knocking them unconcious. And these homeless people who do not have jobs often ask for money in the streets. And people just walk past them without even bothering with them. Because
So why shouldn’t people give money directly to pan-handlers? It is a common thought that the homeless will simply spend their hard “earned” money on cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs. It is debated whether or not this belief is based on any truth or not. One group in San Francisco decided to find out. They found that “25 percent are alcoholics” and “32 percent are addicted to drugs” (Keyes) thus they claimed that the homeless are spending the majority of their profits on food. However, other surveys say that approximately “80% of people begging do so to support a drug habit” (Doward). So here are two sources that disagree with each other. Which one is valid? The first results were come by after a team of GLS researchers to survey the homeless people on the streets and came up with the results by their answers. The second conclusion was made by looking at police records. In places where it is illegal to panhandle, police would arrest the panhandlers and, among other things, preform a drug test on them. The results of the second statistics were deduced from these ...
Many of the homeless are women that have become divorced or have left home because of physical abuse. These women have no education because they have not been given the chance to go and get the education that it takes nowadays to get the job, so they are forced to live on the streets. They have no family to help them, and they are left with no other choice. People with mental illnesses also become homeless quite often. These people are incapable of handling the stress of living on their own.
When people see a homeless person they probably try to walk the other way to avoid being asked for money. Many people don't think about the homeless; they just think about how to avoid them. People think "that doesn't affect me," but it does. Homelessness affects more than just the people suffering from it. Not many people know how much money they are actually giving to homeless shelters. Helping the homeless is a big deal and should be dealt with, but not with the way the government is handling it. The government throws an enormous amount of money around and builds a few rickety buildings and thinks this solves the problem, but it doesn't. Putting money into something that doesn't work is no way to solve a problem. There is approximately 3.5 million homeless people in the US ("Overview of Homelessness"). Americans are responsible for all of these people whether they know it or not ("Homeless Stats"). The government should be spending money to help the homeless become productive citizens, instead of on shelters that serve only as a temporary, ineffective fix.
Under the 1st Amendment protection of free speech homeless people should not be penalized for begging. The 4th Amendment protection from unreasonable search and seizure would support that law enforcement should not be allowed to confiscate and destroy belongings of the homeless. The 8th Amendment protecting citizenship, due process, and equal protection would agree that not taking someone who is a victim of a crime seriously because they are homeless is a violation of their rights. People who are already suffering are now being punished for their disadvantages and because of this they face even more barriers. The criminalization of the homeless does not do anything to address the issue of why people are living on the streets it is simply to get rid of the homeless who are viewed as an eyesore (Building a Movement to End Homelessness). The root causes of why people are becoming homeless needs to be addressed in order for this situation to
One cannot judge the homeless lifestyle if there is no insight. No one can understand the life of poverty and homelessness unless there has been exposure and have lived through that. Homeless children are living in poverty because of mistakes their guardians or parents have made. These children go through unimaginable events in their life. Most of the time, Homeless youth are either abused physically and mentally. They are innocent humans who have to choice but to grow up and live a life they did not choose to live. Children all around the world are living in hunger everyday of their lives. People are not willing to help. Even some law enforcement, who are leaders in the community show no compassion or empathy towards homeless individuals. The people who are depended on for the safety of the community are being ruthless towards homeless people in the community. Homeless people in this case are very vulnerable. Money should not define a person, but it comes to show that money sadly, does to have a tremendous impact on how a person is treated. Veterans coming home from war to live on the streets is unfair and inhumane. People need to step up to give humans the opportunities they
.... The homeless community is a growing problem that only worsens with time. If we don’t make an effort now, to help the most vulnerable among us, then we are only contributing to this problem. With our unsure economy, nothing is guaranteed, so just be considerate for others who are in an inferior situation, because who knows when you might need a hand.
There are over 3.5 million homeless people in the US now. Also, a quarter of people living on the streets are severely mentally ill, and must be admitted to institutions, and have the capability to if they were given or knew they had a chance. The poverty level is constantly rising, and is forcing more and more people onto the streets. We can just sit around and hope someone else does it, or we can take action. Next time you walk by a homeless man or family, and before you make a judgement about them, just take a minute and think about how easy it could be for you.
?Over the past year, over two million men, women, and children were homeless? in America. (NLCHP) Homeless people face an intense struggle just to stay alive despite the fact that society turns its head from the problem. The government makes laws that discriminate against homeless people, which make it, illegal for them to survive. The mistreatment of homeless people is an issue that is often ignored in our community. When you see a homeless person on the streets how do you react? Do you turn your head and ignore them? Do you become angry that they are living on the streets? Do you feel frightened and avoid the situation all together? Or do you see these people as human beings and treat them in that way? Homeless people are ?subjected to alienation and discrimination by mainstream society?. (NLCHP) Most alienation and discrimination comes from the lack of education about homeless people. There are numerous untrue myths about homeless people. Many people believe that homeless people ?commit more violent crimes than housed people.? (NLCHP) The reality is that homeless people actually commit less violent crimes than people with homes do. Dr. Pamela Fischer, of John Hopkins University, studied arrest records in Baltimore and discovered that even though homeless people were more likely to commit non-violent and non-destructive crimes, they were less likely to commit violent crimes against people. (NLCHP) The crimes that these people are committing are necessary to keep them alive. These crimes include sleeping, eating, and panhandling. Making it illegal to perform necessary daily activities in public when homeless people have no where else to go makes it impossible for homeless people to avoid violating the law. (NLCHP) Another myth about homeless people is that they do not work and that they get their money from public assistance programs. A study done in Chicago discovered that ?39% of homeless people interviewed had worked for some time during the previous month?. (NLCHP) Many of the people who do not work are actively trying to find jobs, but are discriminated against by the work force. In an interview done at the River Street Homeless Shelter I found many people who have experienced this discrimination. ?People can?t get a job without an address. When they use the shelter?s address they get turned down.? (Mike) Speaking...
...ome, or they lost their employment, or they fell ill, perhaps a combination of all three that led to a life of homelessness. In the state the world is in today, it is necessary that people should not be quick to judge, but quick to lend a helping hand. The government and volunteer agencies do a lot to help but not all are so fortunate. In one way or another everyone is struggling financially, and if it is not resolved soon, more people than ever might be heading down the path of homelessness. In the meantime it is indispensable to support charities in donations or volunteer some time for the shelters dedicated to those without a home. People should place themselves in the position of a homeless, and see how appreciative one would be for shelter, warm covers and a hot meal in a time of need. For in the long run, the words of the many must echo the words of the few.
today, homelessness is becoming illegal, so that cities can remove their homeless populations and increase the “status” or “prestige.” If a city has a larger population of homeless people, it can be given the stigma of being dirty, unsafe, or unattractive. While it is true that low income areas experience more violence, the solution is not to remove the low income people, but instead better their situation. There are recorded cases where police were told that as an alternative to ticketing a homeless person, they could give them a bus ticket out of town. The primary reason for these laws is so that cities with more appealing reputations get more visitors and, along with that more money.
Homelessness is everywhere, it is not a new trend and is a growing problem. Many people ask themselves should I help the homeless or not; it is easier to just ignore the problem than to give a helping hand. Every person needs help at one point or another in their life and homeless people should be no different. Assisting the homeless with healthcare, housing, and childcare are ways people are able to and should help the homeless.