Comments on: America’s homeless population: Protected or punished? http://matadornetwork.com/change/america%e2%80%99s-homeless-population-protected-or-punished/ travel culture worldwide Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:49:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Alyssa http://matadornetwork.com/change/america%e2%80%99s-homeless-population-protected-or-punished/#comment-50416 Alyssa Mon, 28 Mar 2011 12:18:33 +0000 http://matadorchange.com/?p=4427#comment-50416 Mark, thanks for this response. I think you bring up really important points. It's so important to think of cause and effect versus correlation. It's not always 'alcoholics become homeless'; It's quite often the homeless turn to alcohol to forget, and I think people overlook that. Thanks again for these insights. Mark, thanks for this response. I think you bring up really important points. It’s so important to think of cause and effect versus correlation. It’s not always ‘alcoholics become homeless’; It’s quite often the homeless turn to alcohol to forget, and I think people overlook that. Thanks again for these insights.

]]> By: Mark http://matadornetwork.com/change/america%e2%80%99s-homeless-population-protected-or-punished/#comment-50415 Mark Mon, 28 Mar 2011 06:41:32 +0000 http://matadorchange.com/?p=4427#comment-50415 This is in response to the comment made by Reggiebean. Have you ever considered that homeless alcoholics might drink as a way of self-medicating their mental problems? Humans have been using alcohol to take the sting out of life for a very long time. If I was riddled with mental problems, had no family/social support, no job skills and no place to call home - you can bet I would drink to alter my conscious state-of-mind. Especially if I knew that the general population thought of me as a "bum". How great is that for one's already depleted self-esteem? Also, 99%? Come on. Let's stop tossing out baseless numbers. Meanwhile, I often hear people stating that the USA is the greatest country in the world. Sorry, but I believe no country should be able to even be considered for that title until they have the smallest homeless population in the world. We actually have people in jail who commited crimes just so they could get free mental health medication. How sad is that? This is in response to the comment made by Reggiebean.

Have you ever considered that homeless alcoholics might drink as a way of self-medicating their mental problems? Humans have been using alcohol to take the sting out of life for a very long time. If I was riddled with mental problems, had no family/social support, no job skills and no place to call home – you can bet I would drink to alter my conscious state-of-mind. Especially if I knew that the general population thought of me as a “bum”. How great is that for one’s already depleted self-esteem? Also, 99%? Come on. Let’s stop tossing out baseless numbers.

Meanwhile, I often hear people stating that the USA is the greatest country in the world. Sorry, but I believe no country should be able to even be considered for that title until they have the smallest homeless population in the world. We actually have people in jail who commited crimes just so they could get free mental health medication. How sad is that?

]]> By: Community Matters: A Look at Alternative Economies http://matadornetwork.com/change/america%e2%80%99s-homeless-population-protected-or-punished/#comment-51096 Community Matters: A Look at Alternative Economies Fri, 03 Dec 2010 13:11:26 +0000 http://matadorchange.com/?p=4427#comment-51096 [...] in the local economy. This way one can donate money for a good cause that will help locals (e.g. fighting homelessness) and still have the same buying power to purchase goods and services they need from local [...] [...] in the local economy. This way one can donate money for a good cause that will help locals (e.g. fighting homelessness) and still have the same buying power to purchase goods and services they need from local [...]

]]> By: Karen L http://matadornetwork.com/change/america%e2%80%99s-homeless-population-protected-or-punished/#comment-50578 Karen L Sun, 29 Aug 2010 14:09:49 +0000 http://matadorchange.com/?p=4427#comment-50578 Wonderful article. San Francisco is quite famous for its homeless population. I walk through a homeless encapment every morning when I go to work. The first thing a lot of toursits comment on are the homeless and being harrassed by panhadlers. There definitely needs to be more resources for the homeless but we should also recognize that many homeless refuse to receive help even when it is there. Wonderful article. San Francisco is quite famous for its homeless population. I walk through a homeless encapment every morning when I go to work. The first thing a lot of toursits comment on are the homeless and being harrassed by panhadlers. There definitely needs to be more resources for the homeless but we should also recognize that many homeless refuse to receive help even when it is there.

]]> By: Alyssa http://matadornetwork.com/change/america%e2%80%99s-homeless-population-protected-or-punished/#comment-50414 Alyssa Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:30:45 +0000 http://matadorchange.com/?p=4427#comment-50414 Hmmmm... well I supposed that's your opinion and everyone is entitled, but we'll have to agree to disagree. To me, it doesn't really matter if someone is homeless through fault of their own, it's still important that we care and try to get them the help they need, rather than criminalizing them in any capacity. Regardless, thanks for the insights. Hmmmm… well I supposed that’s your opinion and everyone is entitled, but we’ll have to agree to disagree. To me, it doesn’t really matter if someone is homeless through fault of their own, it’s still important that we care and try to get them the help they need, rather than criminalizing them in any capacity.

Regardless, thanks for the insights.

]]> By: Reggiebean http://matadornetwork.com/change/america%e2%80%99s-homeless-population-protected-or-punished/#comment-50413 Reggiebean Mon, 26 Jul 2010 10:26:13 +0000 http://matadorchange.com/?p=4427#comment-50413 As someone from Colorado, I can say that our homeless population is getting ridiculous. It's about time that it becomes illegal because you can barely walk down the sidewalk without having to step over someone trying to get money from you. Granted, there are those few that have become homeless through no fault on their own and need help, and shelters exist for that reason. I used to volunteer at one, so I know how they work. If someone genuinely needs help, something can always be done, even if we were at capacity. But 99% of our homeless population really are bums, who lie around all day trying to get money for their next drink. Something needs to be done to get them off our streets, once and for all. As someone from Colorado, I can say that our homeless population is getting ridiculous. It’s about time that it becomes illegal because you can barely walk down the sidewalk without having to step over someone trying to get money from you. Granted, there are those few that have become homeless through no fault on their own and need help, and shelters exist for that reason. I used to volunteer at one, so I know how they work. If someone genuinely needs help, something can always be done, even if we were at capacity. But 99% of our homeless population really are bums, who lie around all day trying to get money for their next drink. Something needs to be done to get them off our streets, once and for all.

]]> By: Alyssa http://matadornetwork.com/change/america%e2%80%99s-homeless-population-protected-or-punished/#comment-50287 Alyssa Sat, 10 Jul 2010 00:59:18 +0000 http://matadorchange.com/?p=4427#comment-50287 Hey Somchai, Thanks so much for these insights. Mental health is definitely a huge factor in homelessness, and one that needs to be addressed at that. Totally with you on that. Hey Somchai, Thanks so much for these insights. Mental health is definitely a huge factor in homelessness, and one that needs to be addressed at that. Totally with you on that.

]]> By: somchai http://matadornetwork.com/change/america%e2%80%99s-homeless-population-protected-or-punished/#comment-50286 somchai Fri, 09 Jul 2010 00:24:38 +0000 http://matadorchange.com/?p=4427#comment-50286 When I was young America had almost no homeless. Then Reagan emptied the mental hospitals. You can't drink in the shelters in Boulder, so many stay out so they can drink. Of course getting plastered and sleeping out can kill you when it's cold. Boulder is a great town for panhandling, all those guilt ridden rich folk. You can pan handle for a couple hours and make $20, and Liquor Mart on Canyon has great deals on booze. The links are great, but even more importanty we need to recognise mental health as a vital health care need and to provide for those not able to do so themselves. Only when we as a country decide we no longer want to see the mentaly ill self medicating and sleeping rough like dogs will we put a dent in the problem. When I was young America had almost no homeless. Then Reagan emptied the mental hospitals.

You can’t drink in the shelters in Boulder, so many stay out so they can drink. Of course getting plastered and sleeping out can kill you when it’s cold. Boulder is a great town for panhandling, all those guilt ridden rich folk. You can pan handle for a couple hours and make $20, and Liquor Mart on Canyon has great deals on booze.

The links are great, but even more importanty we need to recognise mental health as a vital health care need and to provide for those not able to do so themselves. Only when we as a country decide we no longer want to see the mentaly ill self medicating and sleeping rough like dogs will we put a dent in the problem.

]]> By: Alyssa http://matadornetwork.com/change/america%e2%80%99s-homeless-population-protected-or-punished/#comment-50284 Alyssa Thu, 08 Jul 2010 23:36:31 +0000 http://matadorchange.com/?p=4427#comment-50284 Me too, Nancy! I'm glad you found this useful though. Thanks for reading :) Me too, Nancy! I’m glad you found this useful though.

Thanks for reading :)

]]> By: Nancy Harder http://matadornetwork.com/change/america%e2%80%99s-homeless-population-protected-or-punished/#comment-50283 Nancy Harder Thu, 08 Jul 2010 19:22:33 +0000 http://matadorchange.com/?p=4427#comment-50283 Thanks so much for this article, Alyssa. I'm often saddened by how America treats their homeless population both in legislation and prejudice. Thanks for the info on how to help. Thanks so much for this article, Alyssa. I’m often saddened by how America treats their homeless population both in legislation and prejudice. Thanks for the info on how to help.

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