Our Obligation to Help the Homeless

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The sun was already dipping behind the horizon, but the daylight still lingered in the sky. People watched with an unwavering gaze, as a fiery red orb of light slowly sank beneath the horizon, and threads of light pierced the sky, until all that was left of the sunset was darkness. Then, suddenly the clouds lingered together, becoming darker as time passed. Heavy rain flooded the streets. Fortunately, so many of us can be in the comfort of our homes avoiding getting drenched, but much more of us have to suffer with the agony of not having a real place to call their home. What if everything was suddenly snatched from you, forcing you and possibly your family out to the unpredictable streets with little to nothing? This might not even cross your mind as being a possibility, but this is reality for over 100 million people worldwide. All of us can do something to help those suffering. And it’s our sole responsibility to help those in need, including the homeless.
A common stereotype for the homeless includes being lazy or unwilling to help themselves. However, homelessness is often a direct result of poverty and a lack of affordable housing. But for those remaining they include substance abusers, the mentally ill, or more often than not caught in a cycle of hard times. 1 in 7 people were at risk of suffering from hunger in the United States. In addition, 3.5 million people were forced to sleep in parks, under bridges, in shelters, their cars, or right on the street. According to the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, in the last decade there have been more than 600 attacks and sexual assaults against homeless people. Tracy Kidder points out that, “Throughout the world, the poor stand by far the greatest chances of contr...

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...ther people may face. This is not a good state of mind to be in, we forget about mutual help and compassion. But if we continue to remember that we can do our part in helping the less fortunate, things would be better for everyone. So what will you do to help your fellow individuals in need?

Works Cited

n.d. An Obligation to Help the Homeless. 03 March 2014 .
Ascher, Barbara L. "On Compassion." Anderson, Chris and Lex Runciman. Open Questions: Reading for Critical Thinking and Writing . Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2005. 657-659.
Fairchild, Mary. "christianity.about.com." n.d. How to Help the Homeless. 03 March 2014.
Foxworth, Rodney. n.d. Our Responsibilty toHelp End Homeless. 03 March 2014.
Kidder, Tracy. "The Good Doctor." Anderson, Chris and Lex Runciman. Open Questions: Reading for Critical Thinking and Writing. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2005. 645-654.

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