Today in Washington DC ... [updated]

reply to post by schrodingers dog

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Jesus said "As you have done it unto the least of these, My brethren, you have done it also unto Me."

Bless you Dog, for caring. (and believe this, you WILL be blessed)

This why, i have learned, reading things like this, i ONLY buy what i need and willuse soon within he few months ahead. Any of us coudl be evicte tomorrow, and withhow peole are today, why give them yuor free blongings, ya know? Incase it ever hapened, you all aint gettin nuthin! You ASK first, then take, not vice versa friends. With the way things are going, SHTF may or maynot be coming its wise to keep yuor stach of stuff WELL hidden and buried somewhere where only YOU know where it is.
When i was about 19/20 mid 90's me a friend would go to town next to us, Darien CT. its more laid back, semi upper class. Every year, around may, theyd leave thier personal household items on the curb for recycling trahs pickup. Sofas, computers, bikes, tvs, stereos, jsut about you name. SO! wede go rumaging through ltos of it. That we knew was going to the landfill so we jsut stopped, poked around and took. Hell i made off with 2 semi new 14 speed bikes! Only thing wrong was the paint was coming off.
I dont know if they do it today, thsoe were the only 2 years i went with him. In this ladys case, it clearly was not recycling/trash pickup she was an evicted citizen who needed help. sad, pathetic moreso, how low people will go to gain someone else possessions. i wonder indeed, how many of thsoe people go to church...thats what bothers me! shame of those, thier in thsoe pics, tha bother to go to church.

Whilst your words are very kind, Its apparent to me SD doesnt do this to get anything back.
His motives are a reflection of true compassion, ie reward isnt required for action.

reply to post by wx4caster

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I could just imagine it. Somone walking over, pulling out a Glock, and cocking it. "Hi folks! You can take anything you want, but one of you has to take my gun first!"

Wow...I have NEVER been this mad from reading something on a forum online before, and that really is saying something. What a pathetic society we live in. People with BMW's are stealing from the homeless. Nay, FIGHTING over the posessions.

I truly wish I was living there and knew you so that you would call me and tell me that was happening, so that I could go down there with you to scream at those people. I would have put up a sign saying "Shop around all you want...nothing costs money...only your soul!"

That poor lady...I hope she gets the help she needs. Bless you for being not only a kind soul but a damn good man as well to tell those people off.

As sorry as I feel for this poor woman, it also saddens me that you had to be traumatized by witnessing this abominable behavior. You can take heart that this post keeps people like me apprised of what humanity is capable of. I live in a middle class bedroom community in a Canadian town where everyday life is so far removed from this kind of event that it is almost unimaginable to me. If any individual or family in my community faces hardship, simple coverage of their plight in our local newspaper inevitably results in an instantly organized fundraising effort to ease their burden. Angels circle the needy here, not vultures. On occasions when I travel to large cities within in my province, I am shocked by homeless living on the streets and panhandling -- I feel as though I'm on another planet and thank my lucky stars that I live where I do. My home town has suffered from the downturn in the economy and local job losses have become a reality, but the casting out of someone onto the streets would never be tolerated. I wonder at times what has insulated my community (which consists of a mix of economic and social classes, races, religions and ethnicities) from the kind of degeneration that appears to have taken place where you live.

OMG this is horrible!! This just brought tears to my eyes. That poor lady! How anyone can treat a fellow human being like this is beyond me. They should have helped the old lady not take her things! WOW what is this world coming to?! If I were there I would have done the same thing SD and I have in one case. I probably would have put her stuff in my car and held it for her too. It makes me smile to know people like you are out there

I had a neighbor years ago be evicted after being sick and missing so much work. Well the landlord and other tenants were right there taking whatever they wanted. I went in like they did and took almost everything and put it on my patio and called them to let them know I had some of their belongings on my patio. The landlord threatened ME for doing this! I know by LAW she had to let them come back within 24hrs to get their stuff and with a police escort but she didnt care at all! I was amazed at how she treated the girl who was a student and never bothered anyone. She missed a month of work from being very ill and wasnt able to get caught up. I mean this girl was never late! I felt so bad for her. She and her mother came by late at night when the landlord wasnt there to get their stuff. I was out of there shortly after. I couldnt stand to look at the landlord or pay her anymore after what she did.

S&F!

[edit on 10/1/2009 by mblahnikluver]

Wow... I'm absolutely speechless.

I'd trade her a year of rent for a batch of cookies and conversation right now if I could...

You had mentioned she lost her husband and that is why she did not have the money to live. She could draw on his social security. That is something you might want to ask her if you contact her again. Ask her if she is receiving social security from her husband. If she says no then you should tell her and maybe help her get that social security that she can get. She might not even know that she can get that money.

reply to post by mblahnikluver

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just wanted to re-post that

this is what real people do

reply to post by cloakndagger

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I appreciate what you're saying ... but I have to be careful for my own sanity and indirectly that of my family's how deeply I choose to get involved.

My cop friend said he was going to make sure she's looked after, he will call me later to let me know when she's alright and he knows I can offer a little bit of financial help.

Truth be told, like many of you, I have many friends who have fallen on hard times recently and they could all use my help if I had the means to provide it. Not to mention countless other folks in desperate need in my city. I hope it does't side cold hearted, my wife who has exceptional judgement also advises me to use caution as to how emotionally close I get to the situation.

I will play it by ear, and I will let you guys know what I know, but I hope no one holds it against me if I don't pursue this further than being safe in the knowledge that she is going to be safe.

[edit on 1 Oct 2009 by schrodingers dog]

I know exactly where that is. The building.

Ugh. Those pictures bring me to tears. Im reall upset about that. I can only imagine the feelings you have, but having to witness this animalistic behavior.

Instead of thinking about helping another human being out, they go for the material goods. Typical really. I don't know the specifics but it's not shocking to see people put themselves and their greed above everyone elses well being. That's really the fundemental problem in the world, egoism and concern only for the self. And we all run on this program whether or not we would openly steal like in this example. But whether you're "nice" or not, we're all guilty of this egoistic flaw.

Several people have asked about laws, not sure about in washington but..

In Alberta we have a law that says if you evict someone that you either have to allow them to take there stuff out of the property or store it for 12 months after the eviction date. After 3 months of storing the stuff you can ask a judge to give you permission to have it appraised and if it's junk they will allow you to dispose of it.

I know I used to have a rental property and a lady left her 3 kids alone in the house for months without paying rent (they were 6,12 and 17) so child services claimed the oldest was in charge and that they wouldn't get involved. When I finally got them out after 6 months of paperwork I was left with over 30 matresses they have stored in the basement, most where discusting and covered in drug gear, blood and other bodily fluids. I had to store them for 3 months till a judge gave me permission to toss them. He wasn't going to give permission till I had one delivered to him. Then he realized that even good will woundn't take them.

The idea of people looting (which this was) an old ladies possessions as she sat there crying says very bad things about the kinds of people we have become.

In times of doom and gloob we tend to witness human nature at its worse and its a shame. That poor woman.... some humans are incapable of working with one another to survive times of hardship, often the best route to survive such down times..... some humans are incapable of being human....

Good on you for stopping for help SD... make an example that "human beings" still exist even in times of hardship..

The sad thing about this story is that her apartment will be empty for months maybe even years.

Pointless

Absolutely astounding. Some people just cannot be saved. Had the victim been one of those who would have looted someone else like this, I might think differently. But this was an old woman who cried for death in order to avoid this. Humans are pathetic creatures. Kudos to Schrodinger for doing the right thing. It is all too common place nowadays to just ignore something like this.

reply to post by schrodingers dog

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S & F

Words escape me. She's lucky there are people like you around SD, no matter how far between they may be these days. Those scavengers are also lucky there are people you, i don't think i would have been able to keep it civil had i been there.

How sad, and I don't think it will change.

Souls are in the process of being tested it seems.

Thanks for being kind I know how your heart and soul will be treated when it is time.

A kind deed you did!

In America you get thrown out onthe spot for a eviciton?
Things are turfed out?
I ve never seen this here in OZ, Im pretty sure thas not what happens. If you are evicted you have an optionto go into shelter but also governement housing. These houses are usually filtered throughout all parts of town so as to avoid 'slums'. There some old fully govt funded tenamants but that is being dispered year by year.
So people in america get everything just throw onto the street?
You dont get offered shelter plus housing subsidy if required?