Paging Capt Obvious about homelessness

[mack7.62]

Curious minds want to know why not one politician from either party (I understand Dims but Repubs?) the hypocrisy of calling for more immigrants and more refugees while ignoring the vast numbers of homeless taking over some American cities. I mean I am literally watching local news stories where a Repub governor is on the air telling Trump "we want more refugees" and the very next story is "we need more shelters we still have people living on the streets". WTF???

[Averageman]

I would like to care about homelessness and to some degree I know there are people out there who have fallen upon hard times and find themselves homeless.
Having said all of that, the nearest big city near me with a serious homeless problem is Austin Texas, as a casual observer it would appear to me that perhaps the majority of them, at least by a narrow margin allow substance abuse and alcohol get between them and a normal life and living a more normal life.
No amount of money given freely out of my own pocket, or Tax dollars taken from me seem to be making a real difference in their lives.
To be honest, I have more respect for immigrants who come here legally, work to earn a living and go about their lives without ending up on skid row, bumming money at an intersection or to be stepped over as they lay in their own vomit near 6th street.
illegal immigration, totally different story, I'm a big fan or turning them around and marching them back across the border irregardless of their situation.

[OH58D]

It's not Mexicans I am seeing here in New Mexico standing on the street corner with the cardboard sign - it's Predominantly White Americans. You get into conversations with them and you find out they're on a trip in life to apply guilt to the rest of society. It's the same story - I didn't finish High School because I got into drugs, I came from a broken home, I was sexually abused and on and on and on.

First of all you ask them why they didn't take the free gift of 12 years of education our society provides - a High School education. Anymore, you show up, maintain a good attitude and apply just moderate effort and you will graduate. It's a matter of self-control to stay away from drugs, and the people who engage in bad activity.

Then you ask them how they came up with the money for the black Magic Marker they used to make the sign. Then you point out that McDonald's down the road has a sign up that they're hiring. I relate that if I was down on my luck, no home, no money, etc., I'd mop floors, clean toilets.

A few years ago we were in San Francisco. My eldest son is married to an Air Force Pilot out of Travis AFB, but he is a producer for Clear Channel Radio in the City by the Bay. My youngest son and daughter pointed out a "homeless person" near Fisherman's Wharf who was panhandling. His sign was a gem and my younger son gave him a dollar bill. The sign said:

"I'm lazy, stupid, worthless, refuse to work and I need Weed - Give me $$$".

I asked my kid why he put a dollar in his can. My son said: "Dad, he was honest".

[Averageman]

It's not Mexicans I am seeing here in New Mexico standing on the street corner with the cardboard sign - it's Predominantly White Americans.

Yup, White Americans making poor choices who then become addicted to drugs, alcohol and laziness. None of that gets fixed by hand outs.
I accompanied a very attractive young lady to a street fair in Austin. Lot of Arts and Crafts, unique Bohemian Arts types selling their wares, I'm not the artsy craftsie type, but even I enjoyed it.
She got about ten feet in front of me and turned the corner and a homeless guy assaulted her. She's screaming and he's laughing sitting there with an open 40 oz bottle of cheap beer against his crotch. I pushed her ahead and away and gave that glass bottle a punt with my steel toed boot that would have made any Super Bowl kicker proud and hustled her off to the truck.
Another uber Liberal chick converted.

[mack7.62]

I am well aware of the fact that the majority of the homeless are drug and alcohol addicts who are more or less choosing their lifestyles. Still I consider it a major problem that needs to be addressed somehow, and not like CA is doing by building $600,000 condo's to give to them. I just find it super hypocritical to want more refugees who will be sucking up gov dollars while not getting serious about the street people.

[FromMyColdDeadHand]

Urban camping.... it's not a homeless problem, it's urban camping... like there is a Boy, or is it now an "It Scout" meritbadge for urban camping.

[Vic79]

A good start would be to stop handing out Narcan to everyone. And just let nature take it’s course that would probably clean up 30 to 40% of them

[SeriousStudent]

[MountainRaven]

A good start would be to stop handing out Narcan to everyone. And just let nature take it’s course that would probably clean up 30 to 40% of them

Because, of course, homelessness didn't exist before the invention of narcan.

[OH58D]

Yup, White Americans making poor choices who then become addicted to drugs, alcohol and laziness. None of that gets fixed by hand outs.
I accompanied a very attractive young lady to a street fair in Austin. Lot of Arts and Crafts, unique Bohemian Arts types selling their wares, I'm not the artsy craftsie type, but even I enjoyed it.
She got about ten feet in front of me and turned the corner and a homeless guy assaulted her. She's screaming and he's laughing sitting there with an open 40 oz bottle of cheap beer against his crotch. I pushed her ahead and away and gave that glass bottle a punt with my steel toed boot that would have made any Super Bowl kicker proud and hustled her off to the truck.
Another uber Liberal chick converted.

I was a place kicker in High School (and 2nd string Quarterback), but I would have grabbed the bottle and broke it over his head. Maybe I've got anger issues or just a different way of handling violence....