Homelessness In America

[Wicked Pilot]

Time for me to throw my two and three quarters cents in.

There are some homeless out there who have legitmate physical or mental problems. The government needs to fully take care of them.

The others who are work able should be given by the government the oppertunity to pull themselves up through their own initative. If they supply the will, then the government should supply the resources. If these people however do not want to do what it takes (develop a work ethic, kick the drugs or booze, etc) to leave the streets, then boo fucking hoo for them. And if these people cause a neausance to society or commit crimes, then they need to be sent off to jail.

[haas mark]

You've done a good job it pointing out the stark difference between individuals who cannot work and those who will not work.

I've met quite a few of both. I've got no sympathy for the latter, but quite alot for the former, and end up serving meals for both.

Question: What is your opinion on those (like myself) on the verge of homelessness, but can't get a job because the economy is shit? I don't much have a choice BUT not to work because there is no one hiring.. But I am prefectly willing and able to do so..

[XPViking]

I think that since you are willing to work Verilon, then you will find something sooner or later. You seem to have a work ethic. That's the way I see it anyway.

XPViking

[haas mark]

I think that since you are willing to work Verilon, then you will find something sooner or later. You seem to have a work ethic. That's the way I see it anyway.

XPViking

That's not all there is to it.. I am trying my damndest to find a job, but I've also been looking since December for a job, with no luck.

[Gil Hamilton]

Question: What is your opinion on those (like myself) on the verge of homelessness, but can't get a job because the economy is shit? I don't much have a choice BUT not to work because there is no one hiring.. But I am prefectly willing and able to do so..

My opinion of people in your situation is the same as my opinion of myself. Since I graduated, I haven't found anything except odd jobs for friends and relatives. Getting hired nowadays is pretty hard, even for stuff like Walmart or McDonalds, and I haven't found any throwaway jobs to give my bank account a bit of weight before I leave (hopefully, as mentioned in this thread). Some of my friends are in a similar situation as you, as they have gotten degrees and there is no work for them at all, except at McDonalds. Best anyone can do is swallow their pride and put in long hours at an ungrateful job, even take two jobs, and possibly even beg friends and relatives for a couch to sleep on while ends are being met.

What may disturb or unsettle you is that many homeless of this last type look literally no different from someone who has a home, specifically because they want to get hired and get off the street, and looking like the homeless prevents you from getting away from that life.

Yeah, I know... one of the guys down at the Men's Shelter looks like a dead ringer for an English professor (including clothing, though I've had some pretty scruffy professors) I have and is completely normal looking and sounding. I don't know much about him except that he was really polite, as I never got much of a chance to talk with him.

[Shinova]

Anyone been to Los Angeles lately? When you walk around downtown, you have to step over a homeless person sleeping every couple of steps. It's pretty bad.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, you have the small, super-clean, suburban city I live in. We have quite a lot of homeless people but our police force is so good at rounding them up that you almost never see them out in public.


Kinda scary if you think about it.

[haas mark]

Question: What is your opinion on those (like myself) on the verge of homelessness, but can't get a job because the economy is shit? I don't much have a choice BUT not to work because there is no one hiring.. But I am prefectly willing and able to do so..

My opinion of people in your situation is the same as my opinion of myself. Since I graduated, I haven't found anything except odd jobs for friends and relatives. Getting hired nowadays is pretty hard, even for stuff like Walmart or McDonalds, and I haven't found any throwaway jobs to give my bank account a bit of weight before I leave (hopefully, as mentioned in this thread). Some of my friends are in a similar situation as you, as they have gotten degrees and there is no work for them at all, except at McDonalds. Best anyone can do is swallow their pride and put in long hours at an ungrateful job, even take two jobs, and possibly even beg friends and relatives for a couch to sleep on while ends are being met.

Dear, dear Gil... The only problem with that is that the shit jobs AREN'T hiring.. I tried at McDonald's.. and I'd do telemarketing again, if I could handle it.. but seriosly, there's no one hiring..

[Slartibartfast]

No, because we have fat poor people too.

What kind of country do we live in where the majority of the poor are obese? Fat poor people. Good god...

Maybe they ate their wallet?

[Shinova]

Re fat people:


I don't see how people who barely eat could be fat. Perhaps they were fat in the first place, or maybe they have that condition where the belly gets bloated.

[Raoul Duke, Jr.]

Hopefully, those are just based on nerves. As I get time, I'll PM you some links about the Coast Guard.

We never found out what they were based on, except that for some reason I tended to get them in high school and on weekends. *shrug* It's just that the recruiters made it clear that migraines are one of the things that could get me disqualified from service.

And thanks a ton, any information you can give me would be great.

On another off-topic (but similar) note, I've tried several times to join the military, primarily for the educational benefits -- no luck. Non-correctable optic nerve damage in one eye. Sucks to be me.

[Tom_Aurum]

A lot of the time, especially in an economic climate such as the one we currently live under, being on the verge of homelessness is often the result of a much larger web of discrimination and general bigotry. It's not as blatant as it used to be in, for instance the fifties or sixties, but quite often you see it still there.

Ever notice how a lot of these charities that exist to help get the homeless out of their situation have strong ties to some particular christian church? And, if you've ever been there, you will also notice that some meal services for the homeless involve making you sit through a sermon. Almost every chapter of Alchoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous have strong links to a christian church as well, often one of the steps is confessing belief to a higher power. Ever notice how for most people, cleaning up and finding jesus are almost the same thing?

Verilon, I'm sorry to say, most likely will have to return to the closet to find a job. Both in regards to his religion and his sexual orientation. I lost my own job, most likely, because I didn't fit in the predominantly black, predominantly christian crowd. Not to say that there weren't other contributing factors, but there were other employees at the job that had similar employment records and managed to stay on the job. Not that the economy helps. But this country has a long way to go, still, in regards to discrimination.

[haas mark]

Verilon, I'm sorry to say, most likely will have to return to the closet to find a job. Both in regards to his religion and his sexual orientation.

I will say that I don't let on unless someone asks or it's a personal situation. That, and they technically can't disqualify me for these things. In regards to sexual orientation, I am much more masculine-seeming than most other gay guys..

[Asst. Asst. Lt. Cmdr. Smi]

Re fat people:


I don't see how people who barely eat could be fat. Perhaps they were fat in the first place, or maybe they have that condition where the belly gets bloated.

Well, in many industrialized nations, "poor" doesn't necessarily mean "starving". They could just be spending a higher percentage of thier income on food.

[haas mark]

Re fat people:


I don't see how people who barely eat could be fat. Perhaps they were fat in the first place, or maybe they have that condition where the belly gets bloated.

Well, in many industrialized nations, "poor" doesn't necessarily mean "starving". They could just be spending a higher percentage of thier income on food.

Right. Poverty level income is about $8 an hour ~ minimum wage is $3 less than that. Plus, there are governmental services which have been in place in order to help out (like welfare and Food Stamps). Poor doesn't necessarily mean homeless ~ but it does not necessarily mean foodless either. Then again, you can't transition the obese people being all homeless ~ what about all the people that laze about at home that don't need to go out and exercise?

[Andrew J.]

Re fat people:


I don't see how people who barely eat could be fat. Perhaps they were fat in the first place, or maybe they have that condition where the belly gets bloated.

Actually, the cheapest food (McDonald's, KFC, sundry fast food places) is usually the most fattening.

[Wicked Pilot]

I don't see how people who barely eat could be fat. Perhaps they were fat in the first place, or maybe they have that condition where the belly gets bloated.

As to poor people being overweight, I don't think one causes the other. I would hypothesize that they are both the sympthom of a larger problem such as laziness and/or lack of drive and self discipline.

As to the cost of fast food, it is still more expensive than groceries.

[Raoul Duke, Jr.]

I don't see how people who barely eat could be fat. Perhaps they were fat in the first place, or maybe they have that condition where the belly gets bloated.

As to poor people being overweight, I don't think one causes the other. I would hypothesize that they are both the sympthom of a larger problem such as laziness and/or lack of drive and self discipline.

As to the cost of fast food, it is still more expensive than groceries.

This is true -- what you gain in convenience, you lose in quantity, as well as quality.

[LadyTevar]

Right. Poverty level income is about $8 an hour ~ minimum wage is $3 less than that. Plus, there are governmental services which have been in place in order to help out (like welfare and Food Stamps). Poor doesn't necessarily mean homeless ~ but it does not necessarily mean foodless either. Then again, you can't transition the obese people being all homeless ~ what about all the people that laze about at home that don't need to go out and exercise?

The problem is if you make that extra $1-3, chances are you won't get food stamps, or you'll get only $20-$50 in stamps. While that's a help, it's still just a small help. And Heaven help you if you have a car, because they count that as an 'Asset' as if it's something that *gives* you money, instead of costing money to run.

[haas mark]

Right. Poverty level income is about $8 an hour ~ minimum wage is $3 less than that. Plus, there are governmental services which have been in place in order to help out (like welfare and Food Stamps). Poor doesn't necessarily mean homeless ~ but it does not necessarily mean foodless either. Then again, you can't transition the obese people being all homeless ~ what about all the people that laze about at home that don't need to go out and exercise?

The problem is if you make that extra $1-3, chances are you won't get food stamps, or you'll get only $20-$50 in stamps. While that's a help, it's still just a small help. And Heaven help you if you have a car, because they count that as an 'Asset' as if it's something that *gives* you money, instead of costing money to run.

Yes, I know.. [sighs] And if Im on a lease somewhere, it makes it harder.. BUT, I have potential at web designing... :twited: And as for no car, I know.. Grr.. And the extra cpuple of bucks probably would screw me over, yes, but there's not much I could do about it.

And the web design job = cash up front.. WISH ME LUCK!!!!

[LadyTevar]

Good Luck, verilon!!

[Baron Scarpia]

I live in New York City, so as you can imagine, I have to deal with the homeless on a regular basis. I did some volunteer work a while ago in a shelter, but I found it far too emotionally exhausting to continue. Seeing women with their kids in those situations really is heartbreaking. They are humiliated at being there, ashamed, and often just spiritually crushed.

A lot of them avoid the shelters because they have a nasty reputation for beatings, robberies and such. Several homeless men I've spoken with have claimed to have been mugged by gangs in the shelters. At night, there seems to be little control over them.

Mayor Bloomberg has investigated buying a retired cruise ship to park at the docks and use as a homeless shelter. Since the economic slowdown, NYC's number of homeless has swelled by 15,000.

And fuck Ronald Reagan, the bastard.

[RedImperator]

I was in 30th Street Station at quarter to five this morning. I saw several relatively clean homeless men sleeping in the food court--in front of a huge "NOW HIRING" sign at the McDonalds (the restaurant was open). Take what you will from this.

[Joe]

I live in New York City, so as you can imagine, I have to deal with the homeless on a regular basis. I did some volunteer work a while ago in a shelter, but I found it far too emotionally exhausting to continue. Seeing women with their kids in those situations really is heartbreaking. They are humiliated at being there, ashamed, and often just spiritually crushed.

A lot of them avoid the shelters because they have a nasty reputation for beatings, robberies and such. Several homeless men I've spoken with have claimed to have been mugged by gangs in the shelters. At night, there seems to be little control over them.

Mayor Bloomberg has investigated buying a retired cruise ship to park at the docks and use as a homeless shelter. Since the economic slowdown, NYC's number of homeless has swelled by 15,000.

And fuck Ronald Reagan, the bastard.

The top 1% of income earners were paying 20.3 percent of all personal income taxes when the Reagen tax breaks went into effect in 1983. By 1993, at the end of the Republican control of the White House, they were paying 28.7 percent of income taxes. Adjusted for inflation, poverty subsidization...oops, I mean aid to the poor programs from the federal government went from 140 billion in 1982 to 180 billion in 1991. Damn Reagan sure let those rich SOBs get away with murder, didn't he?

[Tom_Aurum]

Verilon, I'm sorry to say, most likely will have to return to the closet to find a job. Both in regards to his religion and his sexual orientation.

I will say that I don't let on unless someone asks or it's a personal situation. That, and they technically can't disqualify me for these things. In regards to sexual orientation, I am much more masculine-seeming than most other gay guys..

It's a little more than just being gay verilon. I'm very heterosexual and still, many times, have come under the same category of discrimination. It's more of a thing where you register to the person as not mundane, even being calm, clean cut, and polite as possible. They technically can't discriminate against you, but that hasn't stopped people from being rude and doing so anyways.

It's a rather simple, sneaky process, they say they'll give you a call later on and neglect to. Then when you try to get back to them they give you some brainless excuse, and say they'll call you back sometime next week. I think a great chunk of economic woes have been caused by this particular style of dishonesty.

[Raoul Duke, Jr.]

I live in New York City, so as you can imagine, I have to deal with the homeless on a regular basis. I did some volunteer work a while ago in a shelter, but I found it far too emotionally exhausting to continue. Seeing women with their kids in those situations really is heartbreaking. They are humiliated at being there, ashamed, and often just spiritually crushed.

A lot of them avoid the shelters because they have a nasty reputation for beatings, robberies and such. Several homeless men I've spoken with have claimed to have been mugged by gangs in the shelters. At night, there seems to be little control over them.

Mayor Bloomberg has investigated buying a retired cruise ship to park at the docks and use as a homeless shelter. Since the economic slowdown, NYC's number of homeless has swelled by 15,000.

And fuck Ronald Reagan, the bastard.

Actually, that's a pretty serious concern for most of the kids here in the East Valley, as well. The nearest shelter with services that could assist them in getting off the street is called CASS (Central Arizona Shelter System). It's located in one of the worst neighborhoods in south central Phoenix, where beatings, robbery, rape (of both sexes) and murder are commonplace. These problems are compounded by the extremely open drug trafficking in that neighborhood, which means that even the homeless who don't start out with addiction problems have a higher chance of ending up with them after going to CASS.

And the only shelter system in the East Valley is a halfway house for drug and alcohol rehabilitation... apparently the plan is, you go to CASS to get hooked on something, then come back to where you started in the first place to kick your new habit. :rolleyes: