Last night I spoke with a few men that I had never met before.
I had seen them around the Alpha and Omega Bible Church, but had never been introduced.
Shelton introduced me to them and wanted me to share with them the idea of affordable housing.
To make an impact on the homeless situation then housing must come first.
As we were talking I shared the story of how just the word "homeless" brings up so many negative connotations in our society today!
They were in full agreement seeing as how they experience it every day!
As one of the guys walked off with backpack and sleeping bag in tow. He said "I like to be called an Urban Camper".
I think it's time to change the perspective and let's start with getting rid of the name Homeless!
Nelson, While I appreciate your enthusiasm and positivism, I don't think that the general public needs new vocabulary terms, necessarily, but a complete and realistic understanding of both homeless people and the homeless experience.
ReplyDeleteI have been homeless for several years. While there are certainly wonderful guys I know and have known among my brethren homeless [I know mostly the solo guys, like myself], some are tough customers; some have anger issues; some are rascals who get a laugh from writing in wet cement or taking something from a car; some have pretty scary criminal records (and rightly should be kept away from children); some are narcissistic; and many are woefully negligent at paying back money they borrow.
This on top of the addiction and mental health and personal hygiene issues that we homeless are known for.
Perhaps you are unlikely to see as much of 'the other side,' but I think the whole of what homeless people are like is what the public needs to know, and only from there can real progress happen.
Homeless people perhaps most need 'meaning in their lives' [something that THEY choose; not necessarily religion], and to contribute to society [in a job, or absent that, by volunteering, perhaps] and more maturity, and with it growing compassion for others.
Anyway, that's what I think.