Here's What Happened When One City Gave Homeless People Shelter Instead of Throwing Them in Jail

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: Tangerine

You have intentionally mischaracterized my post and gone on a rant that is not relevant to the questions I raised. You seem to want to believe that everyone holds the homeless in contempt and doesn't care about solving the problem (which you don't see as a problem--except when it suits you-- but simply a lifestyle choice). Have it your way: the next time I see a homeless person lying in his own urine or huddling in a dirty blanket in the cold, I'll think of you, toss them a quarter and walk on by. Now are you happy? Your demonstrated lack of integrity makes it futile to continue this conversation.

There is a small problem and it will cost you more than a quarter of indifference. Of course thats your indifference, not mine. its okay to help them a little more. How about asking the next one you see?

Instead of pelting them with coins, what is it that you can do to take time personally to help just one? I guarantee it will have the greatest effect. Unless you just 'want something done' or someone else to do it.

If you'd had the sense to actually read my posts, you'd know just how foolish your posts have been. I'm done.

originally posted by: sled735
a reply to: intrptr

Standing ovation for your post, Intrptr!! WELL SAID!!!

I agree 100% with everything you said!

I forgot to thank you for that ovation. Now if we can only convince "civilians" that homeless are not to blame for their problems.

A bit off topic - but not completely - on the issue of prevention being less expensive then curing a deficiency from:

www.commondreams.org...

Oh and about the panic of the day:

And, of course, if you cut the health and research budgets, diseases can spread and cures are not found. An article in Scientific American magazine by an infectious disease specialist spells out the consequences as the United States deals with the threat of the Ebola virus:

NIH’s [National Institute of Health] budget was reduced by $446 million from 2010 to 2014, and subjected to inappropriate politically motivated interference in its decision making. The CDC’s [Centers for Disease Control] discretionary funding was cut by $585 million during this same period. Shockingly, annual funding for the CDC’s public health preparedness and response efforts were $1 billion lower for 2013 fiscal year than for 2002. These funding decreases have resulted in more than 45,700 job losses at state and local health departments since 2008. Again, it is not just the Ebola that is a looming threat. We need to worry about vaccine-preventable but neglected infections like influenza, measles, and whooping cough; the serious emerging viral infections in the US like Enterovirus-D68, chikungunya and dengue, as well as overseas MERS and bird flus, and natural disasters.

The article touches on a handfull of areas, areas that have been 'austeritized' that will end up costing 'We The People" more then foresight.