Sompopo's Revenge

The Poor Homeless!

The poor pitiful homeless are back in the news again. Some 754,000 people are estimated to be urban outdoorsmen in the United States. I will be the first to admit that there are people who are legitimate homeless due to mental health issues or physical disabilities that leave them unable to work for some reason. Of course there are the children but I can bet it’s not by choice that they are in that position.

Excluding all that I mentioned above, leaves the rest with no reason that I can see to be homeless. They are homeless because it is their choice to be homeless. That’s right, I said it, its their choice. With all the opportunities this country has to offer there is no other reason for them to be homeless. The choices they made or did not make is what put them on the street. Blaming society or who ever else they can blame will not change this fact. After all it is much easer to beg, borrow or steal than it is to work and be responsible for ones on self, right?

My wife and I saw this first hand a couple of years ago when we decided to volunteer our time on Christmas day for the annual Hosia Willams feed the hungry foundation dinner at Turner Field here in Atlanta Georgia. We were both excited that we would be able to give some of our time to those in need but little did we realize what we would encounter that day. After arriving at the stadium we waited in a large room for a short time until our names were called to go upstairs where we would be given our duties for the day. We had the job of filling cups with different kinds of soda pop (of course everything in the south is called Coke) so that people could walk up and choose their choice of drink. We did this for about 4 hours. Now, keep in mind that there were stacks upon stacks of 2 liter bottles in racks behind us and it was obvious to us that all this soda would not be used on this day. As things began winding down some of the so called homeless were coming up and demanding that we give them a whole 2 liter bottle of soda to take with them. We told them that we were not allowed to do this and the next thing we know we are being cursed and yelled at with racial slurs and such. The hostility they were showing made us all a little nervous but what really made all of us angry was the lack of appreciation and the attitude that we owed them this stuff. A few minutes later one of the people in charge told us we could give each person who asked one 2 liter bottle to take with them. Evidently some of these people complained to someone and they got their wish. So, we began giving them one 2-liter bottle per person. We kept noticing the same people coming back for more and told them only one per person please. This did not sit well and the verbal assault began once again. They began sending different people and getting them to bring it back to them because we had all recognized the same ones from before. Needless to say it quickly got out of hand and finally someone of authority came and shut it down. Believe me, these people were not mentally challenged nor were they physically challenged they were just deadbeats looking for a handout and taking advantage of a situation.

We all left there that day disillusioned at just why these people were homeless and determined that these were the users and takers of society that made all other truly homeless people look bad. Sure, there were many people there that day that were truly in need because we saw them and felt really bad for them which is why we were there in the first place. After seeing what we saw that day I can say without a doubt that a lot of these people are homeless by choice and only live to take from society because they feel it is owed to them.

So, for those that can walk, talk and beg for money all day, I say, get a job

Posted by Eric Von Zipper at February 28, 2007 03:12 PM | TrackBack