Is BEING HOMELESS A CHOICE?

[afrocentric]

i'm agreeing with ms. dragon and msqwietstorm.

heres my perspective about homeless being a choice. CLICK HERE

[osiris]

Originally Posted by MrDby

Thoughts???

I think 80% of those people are in that situation because they choose to be.

[serene]

I'm going to say its not a choice. I don't believe anyone wants to homeless, i don't think people choose that life. People go through things. Some lose their jobs, some lose their homes, couldn't keep up with rent and etc., and their left out on the streets. Living in NYC, and working in a public city building, i notice alot of people who seem mentally unstable. My guess is family or their care taker kicked them out. So for them, its not a choice.

In the building i worked, we have homeless people come in alot especially when it gets cold out. We can't kick them out, unless the complaints from the public starts to get loud. When they do get kicked out, or escorted out, the security officers, give them an address of where they can go take a fresh shower. Many many times, they come back the same way the were escorted out. I also remember one time, my friend offered one of the homeless men in the building a jacket, and some boots because it was the cold of winter, and all he had were these rippped jeans, and a t-shirt that wasn't in good shape. He didn't want any of it. If he rejected all those kind of help, then to me homeless is his choice.

At the same time though, some of them, have been homeless so long, that they just accept it.

[Jill]

This post jumped out at me because I am the director of a homeless shelter for women and children. I would say 90 percent of homelessness equates to bad choices. I see so many who are really good people and have become friends to many who have come through my shelter and the root always goes back to not one but a few bad choices. So I have to agree with it being a choice. There was an instance that I witnessed first hand where it was a choice: This lady sleeps in the graveyard and under bridges. She does not drink or even smoke a cigarette. She comes to the shelte about once every six months or so to bathe and eat and always she does yard work for me to work for her meal. She don't want a hand out. Someone read of her story in the local newspaper and gave her a house, rent free and utilities paid. She stayed two weeks and went back out to the graveyard. I questioned her only once on this and she told me she cannot conform to society as a whole and decided (again choice) to go against the grain. Definately I agree with choice.

[sephari]

i did not chose to be homeless but i have been.

[Istlota]

Originally Posted by Jill

This post jumped out at me because I am the director of a homeless shelter for women and children. I would say 90 percent of homelessness equates to bad choices.

Bsd choices made by who? Read a newspaper. America's largest corporations are dumping their employees like soiled toilet paper.

I see so many who are really good people and have become friends to many who have come through my shelter and the root always goes back to not one but a few bad choices. So I have to agree with it being a choice.

Over a period of six years, I have donated thousands of dollars to homeless shelters --- most of that to Sean Cononie's organization here in South Florida. I have been fortunate enough never to have to stay in a homeless shelter. But, I came close once. I found out first hand that your attitude is common among people who work at homeless shelters --- this mindset that the homeless are foolish and/or lazy.

Now, I would rather give a $100 to a wino on the street, on his way to the liquor store, than donate a dime to a homeless shelter.

Homeless shelters, law enforcement, and the state in general, are all working together to break the spirit of homeless people. The shelters are little more than mind-programming tools designed to warehouse homeless people and remove what little self-respect they have left in return for a cot, or a blanket on the floor, and a meal.

There was an instance that I witnessed first hand where it was a choice: This lady sleeps in the graveyard and under bridges. She does not drink or even smoke a cigarette. She comes to the shelte about once every six months or so to bathe and eat and always she does yard work for me to work for her meal. She don't want a hand out. Someone read of her story in the local newspaper and gave her a house, rent free and utilities paid. She stayed two weeks and went back out to the graveyard. I questioned her only once on this and she told me she cannot conform to society as a whole and decided (again choice) to go against the grain. Definately I agree with choice.

I admire her. She clearly has a lot of pride and recognizes that self respect is infinitely more valuable than material things. She doesn't smoke, drink, or try to con other people out of a free ride. All of which means she is more responsible, and principled, than most of the women I have ever dated ...

Some of the wisest sages to have ever lived in India made the same "bad choice" she did -- to separate from our godless society and live in solitude in the forest. Unfortunately for her, here in AmeriKKKa, the cops will arrest you for vagrancy and/or trespassing if they catch you trying to live in a forest. So, she had to settle for a graveyard.

I _admire_ any homeless person who figures out a way to live outside of the homeless shelter racket.

[Jill]

Argue is the one thing I DO NOT do, so I will not here either. But I will say my mindset is NOT what you accused me of being. Never did I call any homeless person lazy or crazy. Quite the contrary, women who come into the shelter are not lazy! I can take it further than that, In my shelter white women out number black women 2 to 1 and black women don't whine. They have learned to do what they have to in order to survive and my numbers speak for themselves (256 residents last year of which 110 were black, 2 hispanic and the rest white). So despite the government and welfare and poor wages (which all have merit) black women are keeping their heads above water.

Second I did not single you out, I don't even know you so I can't debate the merits of why you were homeless. And I never said people choose to be homeless (I only know of one) what I said was it is because of poor choices(s) that lead to homelessness. I include the plural because it is usually more than one choice.

Lastly as far as people like me... Well again I can't speak for the world or try to represent them...but my job is a calling for me. No one gave me this job as a favor. I (alone) made some unwise choices and found myself homeless with three sons in tow. Thankfully for some it is an in and out situation. It was not for me, it lasted many years and several shelters. At some point I also decided I had to do better and I did. I am now the director of a shelter, those three boys...well two went to the Navy and one is in Medical school.

I agree that the government plays a major role in the economy, that many, including myself is one paycheck away, racism is alive and well and the condition of mankind dictates that there will be situations where one has major disadvantages that leads to being homeless, unable to pay the rent, put gas in the car, etc. but we are surviving in those conditions and those conditions cannot be blamed for the many who chooses to buy dope rather than pay the bills (and I have seen them bounce back too), or opt to put baby daddy before the bills and baby daddy don't turn around and help with the bills (read some of the boards where the women tell it like it is), or make choices that in turn leads to being not only homeless but in any condition that is detramental.

As far as donations, I agree with you. So I don't take that personal. My salary remains the same weather there is a donation or not. Difference is I don't propose to do it because it sounds good, I have and do it. Many of my dollars have been given to People on the streets and I don't begrudge any of it. I prefer not to sit and bounce the ideas around but do it. I am the one who picks up after others who dismiss that wino as just a bum or talk about miss girl who could do better.

By the way, I don't hire staff to come do the dirty work. I do it myself. I do my own paperwork, shelter monitoring, transportation, case management, daycare, distribute meals, all that. One woman show, black woman, doing it by myself. I walk while others talk.

[afrocentric]

Argue is the one thing I DO NOT do, so I will not here either. But I will say my mindset is NOT what you accused me of being. Never did I call any homeless person lazy or crazy.

ahh jill, calm down, bro islota is not saying that you said that they are lazy or argueing at you. he's just stating what he has seen.

now the homeless shelter i volunteered in, i witnessed the most laziest homeless people i have ever been around. these people didn't want to work with us nor help us to help them. they would come in disrupting other people, start stealing stuff or start fights among other people. it was ridcules. i couldn't take it, so i quit. later on that shelter shut down. later on, they opened up another one and its much cleaner and nicer. the people working or volunteering are christian military workers. they pray with the homeless and help them by finding homes, work, or other families for them. i go there every now and then when i'm not too busy and volunteer my help.

[Istlota]

Originally Posted by Jill

Second I did not single you out, I don't even know you so I can't debate the merits of why you were homeless. And I never said people choose to be homeless (I only know of one) what I said was it is because of poor choices(s) that lead to homelessness. I include the plural because it is usually more than one choice.

I am not homeless. I live a comfortable life due to no intrinsic self worth but simply because of the generosity of the One who permeates All that is. My having a roof over my head, and having been able to pay for my son's college education, does not make me any more of a responsible citizen than the homeless people at your shelter. They come to you for help. What purpose does it serve for you to judge them or the choices they made in this life?

I tell people all the time that Money Ain't Real. We live in a capitalist society which seeks to convince those who have a few more things that their things are a sign of responsibility and self-worth. This is why so many people who can barely keep their lights on will go out and buy a big expensive gas guzzling tank of a truck and treat it like a close family member. We are a brainwashed citizenry - in many ways not much better than Pavlov's dogs.

I respect the woman you singled out as having made bad choices because she _saw_ thru the lie and chose not to be a part of it.

The fractional banking system, fiat currency, and the entire capitalist way of live is built on lies and deceit. The best liars and deceivers bubble up to the top of the steaming pile of human excrement we call western civilization.

[afrocentric]

What purpose does it serve for you to judge them or the choices they made in this life?

bro islota, how was she judging her?