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.
... are seen and treated in our society. The biggest part of the problem is the way people act about and to homeless people. It's ridiculous to treat anyone different because of their social status; it's pretty much racism. Simple things people can do is just treat people equally, no matter who they are, and not just basing it on how they look.Homelessness is one of the fastest growing epidemics in the United States right now. 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 homeless man or family, and before you make a judgement about them, just take a minute and think about how easily it could be you.
.... 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.
In “Brother, Don’t Spare a Dime,” L. Christopher Awalt says that homeless people are homeless on their own accord. He believes “many of them seem to have chosen the lifestyles they lead” (Awalt))).. This article states that most homeless people would prefer to escape responsibility rather than fix their social and economic problems. Awalt uses an example of a man who had been on the streets for about 10 years. He provided this man with resources to improve his life and within four months he was making progress. By the sixth month the man had checked himself out of the hospital and was back on the streets drunk again. Awalt does show a few people are the victims of tragic circumstances and will bounce back in a short period of time. Awalt believes homeless people have become dangerous to the public, and they do not deserve our money to help them out of their predicament. We do not agree with Awalt’s assumption that the majority of the homeless people in the United States are there because of their lack of responsibility. There are many causes of homelessness that cannot be avoided, and the majority of the people that become homeless will not be on the streets for long.
when it comes to seeing a homeless person, a common misconception is that they deserve the
?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...
The stereotype that I have held for quite some time is against the homeless. Although I’m not proud of this stereotype, I feel as if “normal” people, or people who aren’t homeless, view those who are homeless in a negative manner. Consisting of them being criminals, drug addicts, or having a mental illness. When you see a homeless person sitting on the side of the street, holding a sign begging for money, what do you see? Do you see a person dressed appropriately and clean cut or do someone with raggedy clothes and in need of a bath?
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.
The first reason why peoples became homeless is that people lost their jobs, their homes are destroying from tornados, and mudslide and other young teenagers like to run away from home because of alcohols and addiction to drugs. Second, is they are family became mental illness and could not afford the health care. People should respect and show courtesy to homeless. There is a saying, “You Can’t Judge a book by it cover” it is the English idioms and it is a figure of speech. The person that says the quote was George Eliot. The meaning is people only see the outside appearance is like the covers of the book are sometimes boring. However, people need to get better acquainted with each other to see inside a person is similar to when people open their book or their heart. The homeless people could get help to treat their addictive to alcohols and drugs. The government has programs for the homeless to have the social welfare of inexpensive for a rent a house, food stamps for foods, and affordable health care. There are men, women, LGBT, and children could become homeless. Most individual of homeless will either go to jail or would drink from alcohols and drugs. Most of the U.S. states are banned the homeless from the streets. People prevent homeless people if they addictive to alcohol or drugs are not letting them buy in their stores. People who
It is true that some individuals are homeless not because of bad habits one might have, but because of financial reasons. A lot of society that is part of this problem is because they simply do not make enough at their low
Stereotyping is something that everyone subconsciously does, and sadly, something that people are very good at. The common view on someone that is homeless is that they are dirty and disease ridden, but they are still human beings that are not as lucky as the rest of us. It is not just one mistake or bad choice that causes someone to end up on the street, it is a series of mistakes, and a little bad luck, that turns these peoples lives from bad to worse (Thibodeau). More often then not most of the things that put people on the street our things that can normally be dealt with alone, but when faced with these challenges it is easy to find a bank account drain quicker than it can be replenished. Most people can afford to make mor...
Economic problems such as being laid off work, or the rise in the cost of housing had lead people to live on the streets. 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. These people get kicked out of their homes and are to ashamed to go to their families because of their illness, so we see them on the streets struggling to stay warm. Teenage mothers are also forced to live on the streets because their families will not help them. The fathers are not there and that forces them to live on the streets. So they must resort to prostitution to pay for the food that their young ones need to stay alive. There are many other people that become homeless for many different reasons. Some of these people can not help becoming homeless. Some of these people are the illegal immigrants that come here from other places to get a better life but end up not having enough money to make it in this hard world that we live in.
Homeless individuals are known for taking hand outs and they prefer to plead for money rather than to go work for it. People assume most of the the money that is given to homeless people they spend it on drugs and alcohol because of the fact that many homeless people have drug and alcohol addictions. It is not uncommon to come across homeless youth and older homeless population that are known to abuse substances like drugs and alcohol. Because of the fact that homeless people have substance abuse problems, they tend face illnesses and infections. Many hard working Americans ask themselves “why don’t homeless people just get jobs?” The assumption is they are just lazy and unmotivated. Homeless people choose to live the life they live. Everyone goes through problems but not all people take the path homeless people do. The problems homeless people face is not an excuse for them to be helped and maintained by other hard working people. Although homelessness might be a choice to some, no one knows the hardships these people have gone through. Some assume these people are just lazy but in reality a lot of these homeless people have jobs of their own, they just can’t afford housing and a decent life. Everyone has their own opinion on homeless people, but that does not change the fact that one should still serve the homeless. Not because homeless people need help but because we are
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.