When we think about poverty we think of countries like Haiti , Africa , and Brazil but we wouldn't think that the united states is also a part of great poverty.A lot of families all across the states go a day without food. When I think about this I ask myself what are we doing wrong and what can we do to as a nation to make things better? .
There are shelters all around but what I have noticed is that most of them carter to females and children. Men find themselves sleeping in the streets and no type of shelter.Build shelters that cater to men and offer more assistance to men. Some people say why don't the homeless get a job but what some people don't understand is that most of these men have serious problems that can not be addressed overnight. Some men have health issues or a drug habit I feel that the system doesn't give this men and option so they are left to do for themselves.
I believe that we should start changing things one day at a time, when ever we have the chance give a homeless man some help anyway that we can. Before judging someone laying in the streets try to put yourself in there shoes and try to feel what that person is going through because nobody wants to be homeless.
I agree with you on this. Many homeless people, weren't always that poor they had jobs and housing. But since the economy is going up so high, people are forced out of there homes with no place to go besides the street, or some sort of shelter. I remember this one story on TV about this lady who had lost everything she did have a family to go to for help, but wanted to do things on her own even if that meant living in the streets. So we don't know these peoples lives that well to really judge them of why they are like that. And instead of just talking about it, there should be action taken. We always seems to find enough money to help others around the world, but when it comes to people in our country we just seem to ignore it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you 100 percent. Many people are misconceived when they see a homeless person. People think that its their fault that their homeless and I hear many people say "why don't they just get a job." Well, you can really say that when our own country, "the greatest nation on earth", unemployment rate is at 10 percent and more. Now of days it is extremely hard to find a good paying job that will support you and your family. Besides, not all homeless people people were born like that. Them too had a loving family once, and they also when to the mall just like me and you, and them too looked at homeless people the same as everyone else and told themselves "that will never be me." As Dudlene Jean Pierre said many of them have health problems and need help. It is sad how a great nation (that we claim to be) will let this happen to our own people. We as a country need to start helping our own people before helping other counties in need because we too have problems of our own.
ReplyDeleteThis is so true when i see homeless people usually I'll give what i got.If the united states would just give a little it would make a huge difference but instead we dont stop to think about the homeless. This is a selfish world and the people in it onl thinks about what outcome they can gain.
ReplyDeleteThis is very interesting to me not only because I am a man but because I see not only this but nearly all programs are geared to benefit women and children. To me being a man is a representation of strength. As men we are expected to be providers and protectors, therefore people dont realize that we too have vulnerabilities. We fall too and as much as we put up a male bravado and act as if we are in full control of everything we need help too
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, a large portion of homeless men in Philadelphia are in their situation due to addiction and poor decisions. I challenge you to walk down Market Street with a hearty packaged meal in one hand, and a couple cigarettes in the other. If every time someone told you they needed money for food you gave them the option of one hand or another, I guarantee you 9 times out of ten they choose the cigarettes. I once thought I was being charitable by buying a large bundle of pretezels and attempting to hand some of them out to homeless men. It took me about 6 tries before i found someone interested in food rather than asking for cash or if I had any cigarettes. While I do agree that there must be more options for the men truly in need to find assistance, i think its important to remember that homelessness is not simply the plight of the misfortunate, but sometimes a product of poor decision making and downright stubbornness.
ReplyDeleteI agree with all of you and I especially admire Eric L. Response I've always lived by the saying "you can only help those who help themselves." I've had a few encounters with homeless people some positive and others leaving me stunned. However despite those other encounters I never would let that make me not help those in need. I feel that America needs to get it together it's sick that many are ready and willing to help out other countries and animals before our own. Not saying don't help others but I think you should always take care of home first then extend your hand to friends. A change needs to take place and soon because their are many Americans suffering, hungry, homeless, and in need of a helping hand.
ReplyDeleteIn some ways i agree but in other i don't. Because yes their are shelters but most of them ask for a drug test and because the homeless people are on drugs they don't want to take the drug test. Also, not all of the homelss really want help. For an example a homeless man asked my friend for change so he could eat. My friend went and got an extra sandwhich but the man just looked at her and threw the sandwhich out and said i asked for money not for food. This is a clear example that not all of them want help so if you do want to help those who are homeless help them get clean and not give change or money to them because you never know what they are going to do with the money you give them. Which is a pure shame because we as Americans have high hopes for those who fall behind but we should really face the truth that change doesnt work for everyone.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Eric on this one, it's pretty hard to find a homeless person on the streets of Philadelphia that isn't there for a reason. Alot of the times it's due to some form of addiction or another, and just like with Eric, the majority of the time I've offered food as an option over money, they just get pissed off and ask for money again anyway. One time I told a guy outside of a wawa that was begging me for change that I'd take him inside and buy him literally any food he wanted, and he told me just grab him a pack of smokes. I just gave him a disgusted look and walked away.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard for people to feel charitable and offer help when the people being offered help only want to ask for more than is being offered.
I am shocked (and a bit saddened) to see how quickly some of you have forgotten that all of our social problems have structural roots. Yes, individuals need to be accountable at some point, but we cannot simply chalk homelessness up to a couple of bad decisions. Think about structural inequality/barriers and life chances before you quickly judge an already stigmatized population.
ReplyDeleteJamie,
ReplyDeleteI'm not disagreeing with you or implying at all that the are no inequality/barriers/stigmatizations. I completely agree that we can not chalk homelessness, as a whole, up to "a couple of bad decisions." That wasn't my point at all. I 100% agree that homelessness has structural roots.
However, I am entirely convinced that even if ALL of the wealth in the country was equally distributed to every citizen. A large portion (certainly not all) of the homeless men walking our streets today would remain where they are now.
Again, I whole heartedly support, and would fight for, the argument that more resources must be allotted to assist the people truly in need, and its not our place to judge anyone. It's just hard to overlook the facts that many of us have seen play out in front of our eyes, especially in the city.
agreed it really sickens me to see people living on the streets scam or no scam when i see someone begging and i know i have it i give them whatever loose change or loose ones i have in my pocket i want them to do better for themselves but how can they with no help from the city with housing or clothing. you cant go to a job interview looking how most of them look so how can they do better without any help they need us and we are giving them the cold shoulder to some extent we all need to do better
ReplyDeleteI really liked this post. I agree with your position on this topic. One thing that I found particularly interesting was your point about women and children being helped more easily than men. I think this relates to gender roles. Women and children are seen as more fragile and in need of help. While men on the other hand, are expected to do for themselves, no matter how horrible their situation may be. They are expected to be "men" and to provide themselves with a stable lifestyle. A man who can not do this alone is looked down on. Another thing "I agree with is that we cannot expect all of these people to just go out into the work feild and find jobs. Many of them were born into poverty and do not have any real skills. And during a time where a college educated individual is finding it hard to get a job, a homeless person with very few skills and assests will find it close to impossible without some help.
ReplyDeleteAshley Rivera
I definitely agree that our society needs to do more to help those in need. Whether or not the people that are living on the streets are there because of drug addiction, bad decisions, or back luck they all need help in one way or another. This topic makes me think especially of the homeless service members around the country. So many of the men and women who dedicate their lives to serving our country are completely forgotten about when they come home. Many of the homeless veterans have issues that stem from mental, physical, and emotional problems and rather than getting the help they need and deserve, they are literally tossed out on the streets.
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