What have you become America? "America's homeless resort to tent cities", page 3

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ATS Members have flagged this thread 30 times

reply posted on 13-2-2012 @ 12:49 PM by lbndhr

reply to post by Starchild23

kewl know we see we are on the same page. in regards to this thread I fear being out there as a tent dweller. Our family lost its work income, weve nearly gonethrough our 401, I see within about 6-9 months us having financial issues. I dont think we will loose our home because where we live it is highly rentable. Out in the middle of nowhere somehwere by a mexico american border station. One of the border agents would rent my home. I have 10 years before we own it, we got lucky that we have a homestead of the home and land this makes our taxes extremely low. so I find we could go 8-10 years without a home.

edit to add: i am 50 my husband is 57, we are older and near unemployable because of the youth competition. I do see a tent city life in our near future.

edit on 13-2-2012 by lbndhr because: added a sentence

reply posted on 13-2-2012 @ 12:50 PM by clowdstalker

Originally posted by AmatuerSkyWatcher
reply to post by clowdstalker

That's all well and good. But is it not up to you, the citizens of said goverment who enforces such laws to change that?

I'm telling you now, this would not happen in Britain. The government wouldn't have the balls to even try it.

Again we do all we can but I also color inside the lines for the sake of my family. I vote, attend city counsel meetings, write letters to my congressmen, join petition movements, give to charities, volunteer at soup kitchens...what more can i do? Would you rather me grab a gun instead of a few sandwiches and a warm blanket and go storm the castle? You tell me? I am serious..if you have any suggestions that don't involve incarceration, destruction and death then I am all ears. If you are suggesting that we go all vigilante well I am sorry but that will solve NOTHING and serve to only further the agenda that is plaguing this country.

The solution has to be a peaceful one or nothing, fighting this with fire will just make the flames bigger.

edit on 13-2-2012 by clowdstalker because: (no reason given)

reply posted on 13-2-2012 @ 12:51 PM by AmatuerSkyWatcher

reply to post by Droidinvoid

Well that is news to me if there are people who are living in tent cities in Britain because of the economic means. Could you provide some evidence of that please?

As for the rest, yes that is all true. This 'ain't' the 1930's though, the world has come a long way since then!

reply posted on 13-2-2012 @ 12:53 PM by AmatuerSkyWatcher

reply to post by clowdstalker

No I wouldn't, and I commend you for your humanitarianism. It's a shame your fellow country men (in the most part) don't follow your example.

You're a good person, and this thread was not directed at you.

edit on 13-2-2012 by AmatuerSkyWatcher because: (no reason given)

reply posted on 13-2-2012 @ 12:57 PM by clowdstalker

reply to post by AmatuerSkyWatcher

Well I understand that, I wasn't trying to post a strong rebuke in your direction. I appreciate the discussion. But consider how frustrating it is too see this from an outsiders perspective and imagine seeing it from within. It is pretty rough and things are bad for a whole lot of people.

reply posted on 13-2-2012 @ 01:00 PM by davesmart

reply to post by AmatuerSkyWatcher

hi op
i know what your saying, but you worded it wrong
now thanks to you, you have wound up a few americans
and now the bashing of britain starts yet again
ffs my country has enough crap on its plate, including them bloody argys
i dont mean to sound harsh, but if you slag another country of, expect it back.

reply posted on 13-2-2012 @ 01:04 PM by AmatuerSkyWatcher

reply to post by davesmart

That was the objective. I hope I do wind them up, so that they get off their bums to do something. Do you think I posted this thread to self congratulate myself and my countrymen? No, I rewalise that we here in Britain are far from perfect.

I'm a human first, then I'm British. If I see an injustice, I will call it, no matter whom it might offend.

reply posted on 13-2-2012 @ 02:02 PM by LeBombDiggity

reply to post by AmatuerSkyWatcher

England hides it's homelessness, though.

In England, many people have no choice but to stay over with friends, going from one spare bed to another then yet another. They might stay in a hostel. They might live in a chronically overcrowded house, or in "bed and breakfast" or what's known as "scatter accommodation".

I've seen lots of people tent it in central London parks. In one park, off the Strand, homeless people just sat drinking beside their tents while businessmen walked on by.

Each of these persons is homeless, in their own way. The English try to follow the European model but invest inadequately. The amount of social housing in England is miniscule compared to continental Europe. Instead they sold off much of their social housing and, obviously, poor people can't buy homes or get anywhere near the first rung of the housing ladder.

To define homelessness as only being those who live outside in tents is a bit naive.

reply posted on 13-2-2012 @ 05:29 PM by Night Star

If we didn't allow millions of illegal immigrants to be employed we would have millions of jobs for our poor citizens. Too many of our citizens have fallen through the cracks and are now in tent cities through no fault of their own.

reply posted on 13-2-2012 @ 06:19 PM by kawika

I had to move from Michigan to keep working two years ago. Had I stayed there, hoping to get a job, would probably be in a tent. I took a lesser job, far away.

Lots of homelessness out here on the left coast also. Hawaii too, but in Hawaii the locals live on the beach in tents. Does not seem that bad. But in Michigan it is too cold to do that all the time.

I blame first, the big shots at the car companies. They sold us down the river for short term profits with no thought to the future. As long as they get their retirement...

And, the unions, kind of priced themselves out of the job and made it that much easier for the mucky mucks to do what they did, see above.

And finally, the gov, who taxed and taxed until all the businesses had relocated or gone out of business.

Plenty of blame to go around.

Oh, and don't start about education. I am a BSEE electrical engineer, now working as a technician. Doing well, love the new job, but a step down from where I was.

edit on 13-2-2012 by kawika because: corectolated spel'n err

reply posted on 13-2-2012 @ 06:39 PM by zatara

reply to post by AmatuerSkyWatcher

I completely understand you...Not so very long ago I started a thread about a very dark cloud hanging above the american people and only less than a few could take the time to share their thoughts on the matter.

Just look here to read what it is about. Is there something in these peoples drinking water or are they all conditioned to look the other way when it comes to being f^$ked by their own government?

Unbelievable...It is not because of me and my simple thread but wake americans observe the same lack of interest. 300 million americans and they all think someone else will handle the problem. That is where the government is for....

edit on 13/2/2012 by zatara because: (no reason given)

reply posted on 13-2-2012 @ 06:47 PM by horseplay

reply to post by AmatuerSkyWatcher

Conditions are deteriorating in America at a rapid rate. Foreclosures, job losses, cutbacks, etc.
The increase in bank robberies is staggering.
What have we become? what is to come? Unless you're incredibly rich you are worried if you live here now. Our own citizens bickering, OWS, talk of martial law, Now another potential war looming. good gawd.
I just became jobless also and Im pretty scared. I Want to finish college but can I afford it? Is it worth it?
If TSHTF should I bother?

reply posted on 13-2-2012 @ 07:21 PM by RealSpoke

There's a bunch of Americans who have brainwashed to think that any sort of social program is bad. And that any social program is stealing from them.

Basically, they get more upset over food stamps and welfare moms than spending trillions bailing out banks and starting wars.

reply posted on 13-2-2012 @ 07:56 PM by AmatuerSkyWatcher

reply to post by LeBombDiggity

England hides it's homeless? They are staying in accomodation, it may be horrible, but it's accomodation all the same. I never once said Britain doesn't have homelessness. People in England only live on the streets if they choose to do so, or are ignorant to the fact that they could have emergency accomodation if they asked. It may be a bedsit or it may be a hostel, but it beats sleeping in a tent in the middle of winter anyday of the week.

In the USA, this appears not to be the case in may places across the country, and hence, the whoile reason I started this thread.

reply posted on 13-2-2012 @ 07:59 PM by AmatuerSkyWatcher

reply to post by Night Star

Again, this is not a problem exclusively to people without a job. Alot of these people have jobs, but still cannot afford basic foodstuffs, let alone rent.

I agree that illegal immigrants will lower bottom end wages though.

reply posted on 13-2-2012 @ 08:00 PM by ThePublicEnemyNo1

reply to post by AmatuerSkyWatcher

The homeless situation in America is by far not what I'm laughing at. I'm laughing at the fact that you sit behind your computer screen and act as if this is news...where the hell have you been all your life and how old are you anyway....12? I'm not going to waste my time watching your feeble attempt to shove the BBC down my throat anymore than I would watch any of our MSM's. Get out of your own house and walk in some of your own most impoverished neighborhoods...believe me they exist there too. This isn't an American problem it's a planetary problem.

Poverty
Poverty by Country

Homelessness has plagued the Planet since the days of civilization and now all of a sudden you think you have been awaken and act like America is the Big Bad Wolf of some brand new homeless society...meh, get a grip! Goes to show that your dear BBC is shoving it all down your throats as they see fit and you across the pond fall for the breaking "America Gets Worse" news every time. I hope your pedestal doesn't break

I live in Los Angeles and there really is a place called Tent City or better known as "Skid Row"...and no it wasn't a rock band first. This isn't news to us, they've been there for decades. Does it make it right...NO. But it also doesn't make it right for you to attempt to shame an entire country.

Look, instead of shaming a country you'll never ever do anything to help...how bout' you help your fellow homeless folks right there in your own country first. Next time you see a homeless family/man/woman why don't you give em' a buck or two? Don't be the Pot that calls the Kettle black.

ETA
These videos were made after LA County cleaned up Skid Row, you should have seen them about 5 years ago.

Still laughing at the thread title...pahhleaseee spare us all your rhetoric and do something to help those near you. No star or Flag from me...but I will give you one of these as an American souvenir

YouTube Link

edit on 2/13/12 by ThePublicEnemyNo1 because: (no reason given)

reply posted on 13-2-2012 @ 08:04 PM by nofear39

Originally posted by Starchild23
Considering I live just across the state, and see things like that going on every year (my friend is one of them) I can tell you exactly what's going on.

Just because YOU'RE economy is squeaky clean and moves along fine, doesn't mean ours does.

We do the best we can, and sometimes people are forced to the bare minimum. I joined my buddy for a week or so in his lifestyle, and I have to admit... it's freeing.

Maybe if you lot weren't so absorbed in your materialistic ways, you'd realize how liberating it is to sleep in a tent out in the woods.

My friend showed me that.

y didnt ya let help sleep in yours ????

reply posted on 13-2-2012 @ 08:05 PM by ashtonhz8907

I'm confused is it censoring Americans from seeing this video?

I keep getting, "not available in your are."

Edit: Nevermind seems only available in the UK period.

edit on 2/13/2012 by ashtonhz8907 because: (no reason given)

reply posted on 13-2-2012 @ 08:09 PM by AmatuerSkyWatcher

reply to post by ThePublicEnemyNo1

So what was the point of your post if you cannot even be bothered to look at the subject matter in the OP? Plain arrogance.

If you had bothered to read and watch, you'd see that this is a problem, the likes of which hasn't been seen since the great depression, and doesn't just encompass those you would typically associate with homelessness. So therefore, it is breaking news.

I don't know the in's and out's of everything that goes on, on your side of the pond. This was news to me, and I find it disgusting, that a country with your resources allows it to happen, hence why I posted the thread.

What I do with my charity is my business, and I don't feel the need to display to all and sundry what I choose to give and to whom. I don't need a pat on the back for my good works.

reply posted on 13-2-2012 @ 08:09 PM by Kyprian

Homelessness, is a big problem, no one disputes that. And, thanks to a tanked economy and corporate greed, the ranks of the homeless have swelled. And yes, quite a few cities are rather backward in their attempts to deal with this rather serious problem. But there is a factor you might not have considered. There are homeless people out there, quite a few of them, who have chosen this life for themselves , be it through drugs (crack and meth being the two favorite choices), wanderlust ( the old "I'm going to ride the rails and see America" bit) or simply the so-called "freedom" and lack of responsibility that comes from being homeless. Further, many mental institutions have what I call a "catch and release" program - keep mentally ill patients for a bit, then dump them on a world that they are woefully ill-equipped to handle.

Before the vitriol starts heading my way, keep this in mind: for the last 7 years, I have been involved in the homeless field - "in the trenches", as it were, ensuring that homeless men and women had food to eat and a bed to sleep in. This was my job - not something I did on weekends, volunteering. I've talked to these people, gotten to know them quite well. I've heard their stories - one gentleman telling of how he tried crack once, then spent the next 15 years chasing that perfect high, when it cost him everything. Heard the woman tell of how she was raped - then when she tried to tell others, she was kicked out and shunned by her family for being a "whore". Heard the man say he'd been following the road for 43 years and was too old to stop now.

Yeah, some of the blame falls on others. Some of it even falls on us. But never forget, there are those in those tent cities, and my town has a couple, that are their by choice.

Just my two cents.

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