Chapter 4: Why is it so hard to stop being homeless?
A couple days ago I was having a discussion with a homeless gentleman in Salt Lake City, UT who brought up some interesting points. He was an exceptionally bright and vocal person who really got me thinking. It was a welcome surprise as I was having difficulty figuring out what this chapter should be about. He and I talked for over an hour about the Legal Implications of being homeless.
Once you become homeless, as previously discussed, it is virtually impossible to get "off the streets". In previous chapters I discussed the social and economic reasons why, but in this chapter I am going to tackle the "legal reasons" why homelessness is also "hopelessness".
City, County, State and Federal laws are all designed to protect (and help) businesses, property owners, etc. It is legal (almost everywhere) to discriminate against homeless people. Employers have the legal right to deny you employment (or fire you) for being homeless. Housing authorities, home owners, apartment complex's, etc. all have the legal right to deny you housing if you are homeless.
Even cities like Salt Lake City, UT that are very friendly to the homeless have programs (which might be illegal) designed to discourage and discriminate against the homeless. For example it is a misdemeanor to give money to a homeless person (that is panhandling) in Salt Lake City. The city has a campaign running with signs, posters and even fake parking meters designed to collect people's spare change for Social Programs (aimed at the homeless) and to discourage people from Panhandling (or giving them money).
Many cities across the United States, and in some other parts of the world, it is illegal to feed the homeless as well. Some places it is illegal to even be homeless and many homeless wind up with lengthy criminal records for trespassing, vagrancy and a slew of other obscure laws used to "control the homeless population".
Almost every city in the United States has food banks (which are only good for people with homes that can cook), shelters (which are always filled with violent and drug addicted people; but little to no actual support or assistance for the homeless that are trying to better themselves and get "off the streets". This is a major problem and stems from the social stigmatism that is prevalent in society.
I myself, during my recent stint being homeless, encountered repeated discrimination, hatred and bigotry; some of which I have already mentioned in previous chapters. I was fortunate, this time, and was only homeless for approximately one month. Had I not had a steady source of income from my writing/photography on Steemit.com I would have no doubt been homeless a lot longer. My only saving grace was income that allowed me to find a "room for rent" and get off the streets (no longer sleeping in my van).
The fact of the matter is that most people who wind up homeless have no money, no income and find it virtually impossible to find work to earn money and save up to get off the streets. Most homeless wind up having their belongings, identification and dignity robbed while they are homeless. For many this creates a feeling of "hopelessness" which paralyzes them and traps them "on the streets" until someone is kind enough (if ever) to help them get back on their feet.
Thirty years ago, when I became homeless the first time, you couldn't get anything from anyone if you where homeless. I wound up spending the better part of 10 years homeless because of that. Until someone helped me out and got me back on my feet.
Even today the social stigmatism surrounding homeless is prevalent and severe in a large portion of society. Truth is only those who have been homeless or had friends/family that where homeless can truly understand and sympathize with the plight of a homeless person. Even those people are slow to assist and very untrusting of homeless people.
Until humanity, as a whole, opens their eyes and realizes that every single person on Earth could end up living on the streets, sleeping in a gutter, digging through trash for food to eat or worse getting treated like trash for being homeless things can not and will not change.
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very hard situation to be homeless
WOW, very eye opening. I had never considered any of this. Sounds like there is a need big time. Thank you very much for sharing. It will change the way I look at things and people from now on. Best wishes from VA. Keep Steeming forward!
I'm very concerned that people can ignore the homeless and refuse to help so much that they don't even understand the need and the lack of proper help available. We, the United States, are fucking disgusting. I will happily sell out, overthrow, subvert, destroy, and confuse the government and corporate leaders. I will happily commit high treason while burning the garish, ugly piece of fabric that our people worship along with their precious dollars.
People of the US: You've given freedom for false safety. You've given the CIA the legal right to propagandize you. You've given power to whosoever should claim an ability to help, while they grab the control from you. You've sold yourselves out directly to your own slaughterhouse, and you're too fucking stupid to get it. Our government and others want 500,000,000 total populous. We have 7,000,000,0000 right now. They have no intent of helping Anyone.
A lot of truth in what you said. Once you are down and out in that system it is very hard to move up. Thanks for sharing.
I am sure that it is a struggle. But stay strong.
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Thank you so much for saying what people don't want to believe. Help those in need, ya bastards.
Sounds like your pretty fucked if you loose your house haha!