Spending spring break working with the homeless in Philadelphia brought several questions to my mind, but the one that is still nagging me since I arrived back in Raleigh is this: How can the wealthiest, most powerful country in the world allow such a large portion of its population to go without adequate food and shelter? I’ve heard many explanations of homelessness that blame the victim, conveniently allowing those who believe such explanations to do nothing about the problem without feeling bad. Homeless people are all either addicted to drugs or alcohol, or are simply too lazy or inept to get a job or education. Therefore, they don’t deserve any help. One problem with this explanation is that it is based on the myth that we have achieved status in life solely on the basis of merit. Many students reading this column are in college partly because their parents had the money to pay for it. Others will use connections with family and friends to get jobs after they graduate. The poor don’t usually have this privilege.
It is not a stretch to suggest that many N.C. State students would not be here had they grown up in a poor home within an inferior school district. Where we grow up is less about merit than it is about dumb luck. We didn’t deserve all the fortunate circumstances that led us to where we are, so refusing to help the homeless because “they don’t deserve it” is hypocritical. Another problem with the “lazy homeless” theory is that, in many cases, it is entirely untrue. I met a woman who works two jobs while caring for three kids but still cannot afford rent. She works harder and deserves a home more than most. Her situation is not unique. Many working poor families are threatened with homelessness, and families are the fastest growing segment of the homeless population. The estimate for homeless American children, whose poverty is not their fault, is over one million. Furthermore, 13 percent of homeless folks are domestic abuse victims, who took to the streets to escape assault at home, according to various Web sites about homelessness. Another 23 – 40 percent of homeless are war veterans. Among both groups, post-traumatic stress disorder is a major problem, making it difficult for them to work. It’s shameful that we don’t take better care of veterans. Nevertheless, the trend of closing mental hospitals, which peaked in the 1980s and continues with the closing of the nearby Dorothea Dix Hospital, continues to leave mentally ill veterans and others homeless. Although most homeless people work hard or are victims of disabilities, many are drug addicts and some may, in fact, be lazy. Still, should these people be left to freeze to death in gutters because they abuse drugs or don’t work hard? Theoretically, a religious country, where “religious voters” supposedly determined the last presidential election, would support the homeless. After all, every major religion tells us to help the poor. Nevertheless, the president continues to slash funding for social programs such as HUD, so he can spend billions on war and keep taxes low for wealthy Americans. Do these people need the money as much as HUD? No, but they do vote Republican. Poor folks already sacrifice much in Iraq; they are the ones fighting the war. On the other hand, the rich sacrifice nothing. I realize I will be called a bleeding heart liberal for saying this. My manhood will probably be questioned for heretically suggesting tax hikes to help the poor. If a lack of concern for poverty and human suffering makes someone tough and manly, I’d rather be considered a weakling.
E-mail Brian your thoughts on helping the poor at [email protected].
