Reply to The Right to Camp in Bus Shelters

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I grew up the same way, OP, but in NYC. Few on dcum care or relate to the exhausted, working poor commuting families who have to experience more exhaustion, discomfort and inconvenience because of a few people who should be in shelters. Some of my worst childhood memories are of commuting with my single mom, knowing how little protection we had.

I'm a staunch Democrat but hate this side of liberal politics. And no one cares if you say unhoused or homeless! It's a nonsense signifier designed to deflect and soothe academic egos. [/quote]

I am so, so, so sorry that you had to ENDURE the homelss when you were young. That must have been so very hard.

I also hate that we are not taking care of these people. As a society, we shouldn't be pushing them around out of your very sensitive space. We should invest a hell of a lot more into programs that actually help the unhoused. And yes, how we refer to these people matters. They are human beings worthy of decency even if you can't see it.[/quote]

Tell us all about these "programs" that are going to help the homeless, over and above the billions already spent on this issue?[/quote]

Tell us how you want to police to kick them 20 yards down the street so you don't have to be reminded that these people exist. [/quote]

I asked you first, and of course you can't answer, because you as well as anyone can see that throwing more dollars (e.g. "programs") at the homeless issue is not the solution. You just don't have a solution, so it's always more "programs." Very vague, generic term that means nothing, but I'm sure it makes you feel virtuous to support.

I never said that I want the police to kick them 20 yards down the street.

I do support the concept of mandatory day and night shelters. People do not have a right to live on city streets. If they don't have somewhere else to go, they are taken to a shelter for sleeping and another location to spend their days.[/quote]

Agreed the idea of more money and more programs is spouted by people who don't know what they are talking about.  There is a subset of chronic homeless people who refuse all services and choose to live on the streets.  They typically have mental health issues.  The pendulum has swung such that government cannot involuntarily confine them for treatment, even if their families would like them to and give permission or ask for this level of help.  Laws on this vary by state.  Me personally I do not think it's humane to let a person suffering from a mental health issue that involves delusions and paranoia to continue to live on the street where the delusions and paranoia that drive them to live on the streets are not treated.  But it's our laws and systems that need to be evaluated not just throw more money at the problem.[/quote]

Completely agree, with one comment: They typically have drug issues, not mental health issues.[/quote]

What law would you like to have passed? Actually curious. And if you mandate that we put them in shelters, how do you propose we do that without additional funding?[/quote]

You are responding to a different comment.  The above comment is saying there should be a process to do an involuntary commitment to get mental health/drug treatment when all other avenues have been tried.  [/quote]

There is a process. Petition the court to have them declared incompetent and have them committed. [/quote]

At least in VA, if the person does not want treatment it is VERY difficult to do this.  Not as easy breezy as you are making it sound.  Laws vary by state.[/quote]

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