My Heart Goes Out To The Homeless

[SweetHomicidalQueen]

Homeless people deserve help too.

There's lots of conteroversy on if homeless people deserve help or if they're just...

“lazy, incompetent and

deserve what’s happened to them” –Anonymous

I live in Maryland, and my family and I went through Baltimore City over the last weekend to go visit my

aunt whom lives on the other side of the city. Baltimore has a lot of homeless people, gangs, violence,

crimes. Many people have been murdered, many treasures have been stolen. That’s just how it is there,

you know?

In the car on the way to my aunts we were stopped at a red light. A homeless man in dirty clothing was

walking down the pathway between the two rows of cars. He had a black eye, a big smile on his skinny,

dirty face and he was holding a sign while waving at everyone. It read “Will work for food. I’d rather beg

than steal.” Just to make it better, he had correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation. It was so

heartbreaking I wanted to get out of my car, hug him and give him all the money I had. But as a teenager

with no job and no life, I had none.

So I sat in the backseat and cried for him.

It wasn’t loud, I didn’t draw attention.

In one of my other mytakes, I talked about my aspirations. One of them was to make an impact on the

world- mainly by helping all of the homeless I see.

When I am successful and rich, I plan on helping the homeless people. The men, women, children.

They’re human too and they get shit simply for being homeless.

Quite a substantial number of homeless people are war veterans.

-Since 2014 there are about 22.5 mill veterans in the US.

-Of those numbers, between 529K and 840K veterans end up homeless at some point in the year

-~ 33% of homeless males were veterans

-Veterans are twice as likely to become homeless

-Primary causes of homelessness among veterans are:

1. Lack of income due to limited education and lack of transferable skills from military to

civilian life (especially true of younger veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan)

2. Combat-related physical health issues and disabilities

3. Combat-related mental health issues and disabilities

4. Substance abuse problems that interfere with job retention

5. Weak social networks due to problems adjusting to civilian life

6. Lack of services

-about 41% are between the ages of 31 and 50

-America’s homeless veterans have served in World War II, the Korean War, Cold War, Vietnam War, Grenada, Panama, Lebanon, Persian Gulf War, Afghanistan and Iraq (OEF/OIF), and the military’s anti-drug cultivation efforts in South America.

-In Jan. 2014, there were ~50,000 homeless veterans

-In the US there are ~565K homeless people

-f that number, 206,286 were people in families

-358,422 were individuals.

-about 8% (~50K) of the homeless are veterans

As someone who understands what it’s like to be a member of the poverty stricken community, my

heart goes out to them. Those statistics above? They’re too damn high!

I’m going to do what I can to help the homeless as much as possible. Thank you for reading and I hope

your heart goes out to those homeless.

Citations- https://www.veteransinc.org/about-us/statistics/

https://nchv.org/index.php/news/media/background_and_statistics/

https://www.endhomelessness.org/library/entry/fact-sheet-veteran-homelessness

https://www.endhomelessness.org/pages/snapshot_of_homelessness

https://www.voa.org/homeless-people

P.S. Please watch the video below to get an understanding of what I am trying to make a point of.

[Spiorad_Aisce]

Yeah you are right there is a lot of work to be done on providing a solution but also looking at the causes as well. I know you are not supposed to have "favourite" good causes but homelessness does affect me that little bit more. I think it is having the homeless so close to rest of the people who have food and shelter which are basic human rights.

[stardust101]

Great take and so happy to know you want to help the homeless! I have a heart for the homeless too. They come in everyday to the store I work at and they always chat with me. They all have their own story to tell and some of them still hold on to their dreams. My 11 year old son has a big heart also and he's got plans to help the homeless. ❤️

[Tromba]

I have compassion for people who are having difficulties in life but I wouldn't use the word 'deserve'. You don't deserve anything for just existing. When I try to help it's not because they deserve it but because I want to.

I think this is an important distinction otherwise you miss the second blessing of charity. If all you did was give them what they deserve you have done nothing good, only your duty. In fact if you don't do it they are justified in resenting you for your failure to live up to your duty. Instead of them being grateful and you feeling good for helping they are churlish and you are left feeling guilty because neither of you knows if you did enough.

So not deserve, people should not think life owes them or anyone else anything.

[SweetHomicidalQueen]

Simply because people are human they have the right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness"
They DESERVE those rights, but to add onto it I believe humans deserve help when they need it.

"We're all just humans telling humans to stop being humans."

[Tromba]

A right is not something you deserve. It's something you hold whether you deserve it or not. I think you need to get clear on these concepts. Deserve means "to be worthy, fit, or suitable for some reward or requital" the concept is meaningless if everybody has it. What does it mean to be worthy if everyone is worthy? Worthiness is a characteristic which distinguishes some people from others. The concept of worth is rendered meaningless if everything in question has the same value just as the concept of size would be if there were no difference in the size of anything. Reward and requital are for service, you don't serve by mere existence.

[SweetHomicidalQueen]

Everyone deserves rights, and just as they deserve those rights they deserve help. So I'm not going to argue with someone almost half my age over the internet when it comes to something this serious- let alone morals and shit.
Now please stop and leave me alone. Have a good day :)

[Bluefish]

This is where mental illness is not taken seriously for men... it really annoys me. Some people go mental after fighting for their country for things they have seen, some men go mental for being an older virgin, some men go mental for losing everything in life... not everyone has perfect lives like i guess most people these days have... esp on gag where the only issue some have is how to please their boyfriends. We need to start helping people, even people who are ostracised, we need to understand that some become homeless, some end up killing themselves which ofcourse don;t effect society but then some cause violence which does effect society.

[SweetHomicidalQueen]

Mental illness isn't taken seriously for anyone, especially depression, anxiety and even PTSD.

[Bluefish]

Yes but men are less likely to have a good support network, why do you think most homeless people are men. Women are lucky to have boyfriends/partners because it is more difficult for women to accept a man in that situation. Probably because they need to be more emotionally connected which is hard for them to connect with a mentally insane man whereas a guy is more likely to handle it with a woman... esp for sex. Plus men are expected to bite the lip and just face it whereas women are considered vunerable so everyone runs to them to help... esp men if it means sex is involved. A good support network can do wonders for mental health... mental health workers aren't miracle workers but it is whether the person with mental health has close people around them. Less likely for men.

[SweetHomicidalQueen]

Are you SERIOUSLY trying to bring this gender stereotype bullshit into my homeless myTake?
This is about all homeless people, I just added a special thing for the Veterans. Homeless people are men and women and children too sadly.
This has nothing to do about womens special treatment or anything, this is about the sad fucking fact that so many people, especially those who've fought for us, are homeless and being treated like shit.

[Bluefish]

Relax man... getting pissed off over nothing. there's no gender stereotype, take a look outside, just open your eyes and take a look outside instead of thinking everything is equal. Guys don't get help and most homeless men are guys, i was like one of these guys expected to help myself untill i finally lost it outside and then guess what... i finally get help. These veterans have not lost it yet but when they do is when they finally get help and when people will finally give a shit about them. That seems to be the motto for men... lets wait untill he finally loses it or does something violent and then we help them. Fact is no one gives a shit about anyone so your thread makes no difference. A guy with a great job, fucking a hot blonde beside him will walk straight past the guy sleeping rough on the street who fought for your country and probably walks right past and thinks 'mmm maybe i should buy that sexy lingerie for my hot girlfriend whom i am going to fuck tonight' end off

[Bluefish]

Apologies for pissing you off, my experience has been that i never got the help for my problems and feel like an outsider so i didn't mean to take out my feelings on you. I think it is great you have a passion for people who have served your country but i believe most people don't really care and just want to make their own lives great. Ie have the best life they can with loads of sex. It is a sad state of affairs.

[SweetHomicidalQueen]

Its fine I was just aggravated you seemed to only be taking away from my take that there's lots of male homeless.
not a lot of people in general get help. Men are supposed to be strong - physically and women are supposed to be strong - mentally.
So if either of them need help, for mental disorders, suicidal tendencies, etc. then they're considered a joke and won't get the help they need.
Yea not a lot of people actually care about the homeless or helping anyone but themselves but there are a lot of people who do, you just gotta find them.

[Bluefish]

i agree with you there. I guess i notice homeless people more because i am messed up mentally and trying to sort myself out so i am more likely to notice others who are in need of help or have issues, i have given away my Mc donalds a few times to homeless guys because it could easily happen to me. As much as i hate people for ignoring people like this, at the same i don't blame them. Everyone wants the best life and will need to step on others to suceed. It is just the way things are. So people are always going to want to have the most sucessful, best, happiest and wealthiest life they can have before they die. Its why some are winners and others are losers. Glad there are people like you who care for these people. :)

[SweetHomicidalQueen]

Yea I understand, I just dislike those people and try not to associate with people who would be that selfish. I try to be a selfless person and if I saw a homeless person I would help in anyway possible, I'm very empathetic and I love helping others, so regardless of whatever situation I'm in, I'm gonna do what I can to help.
And thank you, that means a lot to me.

[Bluefish]

no probs. I must admit i do like your in-dept questions on this site. Keep it up

[SweetHomicidalQueen]

thank you

[CaliSoccerFella]

I agree that it is a disgrace that veterans don't get treated the way they outta.
But...

As I work and reside in Los Angeles, the largest homeless area in the country; I encounter far different situations.
I work at "protected wetlands" and have a No Public Access policy. Our fences get destroyed/cut. Trash equaling over ~100 tons I've worked on removing over the last 1-2 years. Drug paraphernalia and abuse of paint and other inhalants. When speaking to some of these people, they understood how and why they are where they are.
Many individuals who are homeless in fact prefer it. They refuse services and shelters because they don't want to have to follow and guidelines.

It's a problem that is unfortunately too big to control.
Though the VA (Veterans Affairs) in West LA is creating housing for I think an estimated 1000 beds.
That is for veteran status persons.

[SweetHomicidalQueen]

I understand. And well I know I can't save everyone unless they wanna be saved but it doesn't mean I won't make an attempt.

[truthhammer]

i fed them, built houses for them and eat on the ground with a beggar named richard and have a relatioship with him

they got lots of stories...

[SweetHomicidalQueen]

That's amazing (that you're kind hearted I mean)

[Kuraj]

Well maybe the veterans should have pursued a real career and education instead of enrolling to shoot people for the sake of corporate interests of a small group of people with the prospect of easy money.
As for the other homeless, a LOT of them are homeless because of their own actions and not because of unfortunate happenstances.

I live in a country with a fair amount of homeless people and I get to experience what most of them is like and I frankly wouldn't want to help most of them.

[truthhammer]

you're misunderstood. they dont think or know that but they needed to make money.

you post is also ignorant. you have no idea how your life would be wihtout soliders or cops

[CaliSoccerFella]

You are right in that some are there for their actons.

Otherwise, the whole rest of your comment is beyond stupid. A hell of a lot of individuals serve their country for a chance at education and to develop into a respected adult depending if they came from a troubled youth.

You are a self-righteous snob

[TheBraveLion]

I agree! Just a shame how a lot of people spit on homeless people and do nothing to help, but at the same time a lot do put in effort to help too.

[MixedGirlBL]

Misfortune can befall anyone. I support your MyTake 100%

[ColinHarvey]

There's no way to be homeless in America. There just isn't.

These people are there because they're a) insane, or b) in a ton of debt because they're morons.

[SweetHomicidalQueen]

OK. .-.

[Twolips]

There's a lot of fake homeless people unfortunately 🙁

[SweetHomicidalQueen]

I know :/ it's shit