End Homelessness

Since homeless people have unfortunately been victims of violence, the bill which would add homelessness to the list of federal hate crimes must become law. Hopefully this month, the Senate Judiciary Committee will advance the necessary bill that will most likely be signed by President Obama. It's unfortunate that attacks against homeless people have risen from 2002-2005 in the hundredths of percent but the bill will make sure homeless people who've been attacked see better justice.

" Human diversity makes tolerance more than a virtue; it makes it a Requirement for survival.

                                                  Rene Dobose

In Asheville, the majority of hate crimes against the homeless are perpetrated by the police and sheriff's departments...  we need to decriminalize homelessness NOW!

There is an answer to homelessness but society isn't ready for it.

If there is a history of mental illness in the direct family line, such as the mother or the father, there has to be planning for the future that the child or children will be susectable.  They should be examined carefully and monitored by a specialist until about age 18 and told that if they ever feel depressed, anxious or like isolating themselves, any sign at all, they should go to the person or agency monitoring them. People who don't come into contact or who never came into contact with mental or emotional illness are totally uneducated in this respect. The mentally ill are vunerable to being robbed, having their government checks stolen and used after being forced to sign them and "hand them over"; their housing is often compromised and they are teased and tormented. The police can't watch them 24 hours a day. In areas where the homeless live, there should be police supervision and help nearby. Gradually as the homeless person sees they are taken seriously and people care, they might get the strength to get out of their situations. Not all homelessness is caused by mental illness. Some people live in their cars, some spend the day at friend's houses, some even look for jobs and shower where they can find it. Some homeless actually have means but do not want to be a part of society. They just want to escape from life. Each case is different. However, there once was a woman who went to the YWCA. She had a suitcase filled with her savings. She got a room. Within 24 hours she was murdered and her money was gone. Mental illness? Bad judgement? Not enough security? Why did they let her take that money to her room rather than insist that she put it in a bank?  "Where are the families" some ask in a sanctimonious manner?  In all probability, the families are deceased or in institutions themselves. They may not want anything to do with a sick child who inherited a gene from 3 generations back. A wealthy Westchester family threw their sick child out on the street because they just didn't want him around. A social worker had to come in this emergency situation and find some sort of housing for this unfortunate individual whose illness interfered with his parents interests.

Each case is different.  If it takes an entire village to raise a child, it takes an entire society to deal with the mentally ill since "the village" was not apparently willing or able to help.

The homeless are the most susceptible to being labeled "mentally ill" whether they are or not.  And this label allows them to be victimized by the most powerful group in our society - pharmaceutical companies and their shills, the doctors.  There is no evidence that psych drugs are helpful for 90% of the patients taking them, and lots of evidence that they do a LOT of harm.  As a psychiatrict survivor myself (on some prescribed psychoactive drug or other, or a combination, for 39 years, and now 6 years clean), I am functioning with damaged kidneys but at last have my full mental faculties.

If we're going to talk about societal issues, all it will take is for society - perhaps led by Congress - to decide it's more important to deal with the issues being experienced at home than it is to start a war somewhere.  The problems with homelessness, education, and malnutrition could be solved many times over on what we have spent on Iraq in one year.

Not all homeless people are mentally ill .. most of the mentally ill are part of the goverments and those who has money.. Being homeless is not always a choice, sometimes things happens in a persons life and they become homeless. Just as not all homeless people are drug addicts, since alot of the ones who are drug users are rich people.

I have been homeless in the past  and I am not mental ill nor was I ever an alcoholic or a drug addict... People needs to stop labeling people, because karma one day can make a person homeless by their words of actions.

Again and again where can I go and help these unfortunate people??????

Lara, I did not say all homeless are mentally ill (assuming you were responding to my post).  "The homeless are the most susceptible to being labeled "mentally ill" whether they are or not." The homeless are the most vulnerable part of our society, and any group may prey upon them.  The most likely groups to prey upon them are the law enforcement and mental health industries.  If you label someone with a mental illness at their most vulnerable, you damage them later should they find housing and get their needs met, as the label tends to sabotage attempts to get gainful employment.

I have been labelled "mentally ill" for most of my life, and was on some psychtropic medication or other from the age of 12 until I took myself off the drugs just prior to my 51st birthday.  Prior to removing the medications from my life, I researched and began to apply the use of supplements to replace the drugs.  I have helped hundreds of people do the same, and have been free of these drugs for 6 years now.  But the damages from the drugs have made me not employable, and my age now works against me.  I do not want to see someone have to go through what I did when they are already at their most vulnerable.

Lara,

I, too, am a Pagan, initiated into Wicca in 1983 and part of the IndoPagan movement.  If I read your note correctly, you are not only not calling me a hypocrite but mostly agreeing with me.  It is odd that Christians can say "there are no Pagan charities" and then actively ignore their own teachings, including the local County Sheriff (who openly proclaims his Christian Values but looks blankly when someone suggests Jesus' mode of living).

Asheville Homeless Network was founded by Pagans, but welcomes people of all faiths.  Indeed, our next President may well be Christian, which would not harm the organization at all so long as our bylaws are kept.  We do not claim to be a "Pagan Charity", just an organization whose founders were pagan.

Homelessness is not limited to Christians, non-Christians, atheists... it is a problem of PEOPLE.  I do not want those people labelled at all -- calling them Homeless as a label is just an umbrella for all the other denigrating labels.  Yes, I use the term, but always as a generic term, not a label.  It's hard to have a conversation where you're always taking time out to define your terms.

OK, I think I've monopolized this conversation far too much already.  If anyone would like to talk more with me, my address is ashevillehomeless@yahoo.com

Moss

I am not wiccan. I follow the path of both light and dark of many pagan paths, since 1983.

Moss  I was not calling you a Hypocritic.. the ones I do call are the people in this country who profess they love thy neighbors as thy self, but yet make fun and discriminates against people who are homeless.

I am not saying ALL Christians are like this, but if you think about it a person who goes to church has no issues in giving 10% to a preacher who pockets the money for himself, but when a homeless person ask for help they automatically say things like "GET A JOB"  or some other lame words knowing there are NO jobs in USA. Those are the people I have no respect for because they are hypocritical and ignorant  of what it means to do good for others.

I am glad where you live you have a pagan charity who helps everyone, because this proves not all Pagans of different traditions and paths are bad people. Because we actually care for others.

Peace to you Moss

Lara

Hello to ALL

ATTENTION IN TEMPLETON MA A HOMELESS MAN HAD TRIED TO FIND A PIECE OF LAND WHERE THERE WAS NO OWNER OF RECORD.  HE FOUND THAT LAND AND HE BUILT HIMSELF A HUMBE ABODE OF WOOD, WITH A DOOR, TO STAVE OFF THE WIND, RAIN, AND SNOW.  HE WAS FEELING GOOD ABOUT HIS SMALL HOME, AND MADE LITTLE IMPROVEMENTS, LIKE A MICROWAVE OVEN.

TODAY THE STORM TROOPERS FOUND HIM, THE LAND BELONGS TO TEMPLETON-- THEY BROKE DOWN HIS DOOR. ARRESTED HIM, AND THEY TORE DOWN HIS LITTLE HOME.  I HOPE THEY ALL CAN FEEL SAFE NOW THAT THEY'VE DEAL WITH PUBLIC ENEMY NUMBER ONE, WITH SUCH BRUTAL ABUSE OF THEIR POWER.