HOMELESS!!!!

In my last blog, I talked about my observations of the "Cup Guys". But since then I was seriously thinking about what it must really be like to be "Homeless". I mean just think of it. What if you were at a friends home visiting, it was time to leave, and YOU had nowhere to go? No home to go to, no furniture, no apartment, no personal items except what you could carry on your back, and certainly NO mailing address, no TV, no heat, no electric, no shower, no bathroom, nowhere to wash your face, brush your teeth, NOTHING!!!

WHAT WOULD YOU DO? A better question would be what goes on in your mind. How do you cope? How in today's world did you get in this dilema in the first place?

I know a lot of folks might think that when they see a homeless person, there is something wrong with the person, a mental deficiency, they must be criminals, alcoholics, or druggies, PTSD Vets, etc. OR....... could it be as simple as they are the byproducts of today's poor economic times????

I really think today's sociologists are collecting the wrong data. In other words, what percentage of those that are homeless are simply because they lost their jobs, looked and looked, but meanwhile their unemployment ran out, they could no longer pay their bills, lost their homes, and are now out in the cold, as opposed to the other reasons previously mentioned above.

Even among the homless we have a couple of social levels of hierarchy. What are they you might ask? Well..... there are those who might have a car, or those who still have a job. How can someone be homeless and have a car or a job? Because when they became homeless, the car was an asset that was already paid for, so they already had it before the travesty hit them or they were downsized in the workplace with a cut in pay. Are they more better off that those who don't have a car or a job.....well somewhat. How so, you state? Because it provides them with some mobility, provided they can put gas in it, insure it, etc. Now if we are talking about the person with a job, it might provide them with some perks like insurance, dental, or other benefits, but not enough income to provide enough financial stability. Remember, homeless might mean that one does not have a home, but it does not necessesarily mean they have no income whatsoever.

There are the elderly who might be on Social Security. They get a monthly income, but it's not enough to afford an apartment or room, or there are others who might be on SSI, but it still isn't enough to completely make ends meet. Did you know there are those who lost their homes due to the simple fact that their income has not kept up with the economy cost of living increases, or real estate taxes, food costs, mortgage payments, etc.

This evening, while in the car, I was listening to one of Chcago's Alderman on the radio. He is running for Clerk of the Courts. It was interesting to note that one of the things he was saying was that in his Ward there are 56 forclosed and vacant home in a four block radius. There are many instances of four to six families living in the same apartment. Is this what America is all about, he said? He also said one of his main goals was to enlist the aid of the community to help out and get these homes occupied. Otherwise the neghborhood will certainly be reduced to decay. When that happens crime increases too. Is this what America is all about? Certainly not! But right now, it's what we have to deal with.

So what can we do? It has become appearant to me that, there might be less homeless in other cultural societies where they have very strong family units, and strong family ties. They would think nothing of taking in their kinfolk and providing them with shelter. They would not ask themselves whether it was a long term or short term committment they are making, they just do it, and don't ask any questions when asked to commit. However, conversly it also seems to me that in some third generation American family units, that concept, of making that family sharing committment, seems to have eluded them. Although they might sympathize with the plight of their relative in the beginning, they would never share their home with them on a long term basis. Evntually there would be the development of stress on th, who might become homeless, e head of household, or other members of the original family unit, and the new family tenant would simply have to go.

There is no real solution to the points that I bring up. At least not at this time. All I can do here is to try to raise awareness of the plight of the homeless and how you might be able to help members of your own family if the situation should arise. I am hoping to get you to think differently about making the committment to helping a family member out, if there ever becomes an opportunity for you to do so, and you would be one of the champions of helping to avoid another person from living on the streets........