At 05:37 PM 21/02/02 -0600, Lucy Masters wrote:
>Jan: In reference to your posting at the end...
>
>The homeless are an interesting lot. I "work" with them in two
>ways. First, I help run a food pantry that feeds many of these people in
>our town. I can assure you that feeding them does **NOT** get them to
>work or get them into family homes. Nor have I seen any evidence
>whatsoever that feeding them in any way increases their likelihood of
>becoming more responsible. Second, my husband and I both run a private
>practice in clinical psychology. Often throughout the year the police
>will bring "street people" to us for evaluation. As unpopular as it is to
>say in America today, it is very definitely my opinion, based upon
>discussions **with the homeless people** that they prefer to NOT be in
>shelters or family homes. You may not like that, you may even dispute
>that, but my suggestion is if you really have a problem with homelessness,
>you might want to dedicate your next two-week vacation to actually living
>on the streets with these people. Ask them...don't ask me. Ask them
>while you are getting to know them if they want shelters and family
>homes. You may be surprised by the answer.
>
>Lucy
I am well aware of what you are saying, but why is the gap between rich and
poor nowhere more pronounced than in N.America? Here anybody receiving
minimum wages cannot afford to rent a place. That in itself is a
shame. Why do so many people need two incomes to be able to live in our
cities? I have been fortunate to have ny wife at home to take care of the
children. It goes of course at the cost of income, but so maany people
have not been able to live that way.
That they rather do not live in shelters etc. I can understand. I doubt
that I would be willing to do that, but it does not take away the fact that
there is a much greater gap between rich people and poor people than
anywhere else.
Also, we give handouts to poor nations, but do only assist them a tiny
little bit to bee on their own. Basically, the most important role for
them seems to be to be countries where we can get rid of our
products. They cannot compete with us.
Jan de K.
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