we
begin to forget the values that made this town great, we jeopardize
our future. Santa Monica has been known (as far back as I can remember),
as a town where everyone has a place; the rich, the famous, the
hippies, surfers, skaters, people of all different races and religions
and the poor and homeless.
Although some of these people on the surface
may seem less attractive than others, it is all of us, as a collective
whole, which make this small, quaint beach town so desirable and
special.
It is this uniqueness and acceptance of all people that is being
jeopardized right now in our local City Hall. There are currently
two city ordinances pending that, if passed, would affect the homeless:
One would require every organization planning to feed more than
150 homeless people to file a permit with the city requiring the
organizations to abide by community event laws and county health
standards. The other would make it illegal to sit or lie in the
doorways of businesses.
Now, although I cannot say that I think we should
allow people to sleep in doorways, I cannot agree with the ordinances
limiting the feeding of homeless and poor throughout our community.
Our country is going through tough economic times right now, and
many are finding it a lot harder to make ends meet. These non-profit
organizations and faith-based groups (many of which are based in
neighboring communities), are coming into Santa Monica, and supplying
food not only for homeless people, but lower income families and
seniors on fixed incomes. Many people rely on these brown bag lunches
to keep them afloat.
The problem with homelessness is not so much
the people, but the fact that it can make many of us feel uncomfortable.
I don’t think the majority of residents want to get rid of
the homeless, rather it seems many are just a little fed up with
the panhandling and constant “in your face” attitude,
and don’t know a better solution. I have always been someone
who empathized with those who were less fortunate, and it does pain
me when I offer food as opposed to money, and I get responses like
“I don’t want your f------ apple.” That kind of
stuff is hard to hear, but for every person who has ever responded
to me so harshly, there are at least 15 others that upon receiving
my packaged up doggy bags are sincerely grateful and appreciative.
It has become a habit for me when leaving a restaurant to package
my leftovers, request a knife, fork, and napkin to go, and then
proceed to find someone on the street with which to share. The people
are typically so thankful, not because I’m giving them food,
but more in part because of the effort I put into it. I get them
utensils, I introduce myself, and I show that I have an interest
in them. I treat them like I would any other human being (sometimes
even better), and that is what’s important.
If we cut off these services and criminalize
where people seek shelter, are we solving a problem or just creating
animosity? The city of Santa Monica has been given a wonderful opportunity
to lead by example. So much of our homeless issue is a result of
other surrounding cities not doing their jobs and placing their
problem in our hands, it is our responsibility to work with these
people to help get them back on their feet, and educate others on
how to do it within their communities.
I was fortunate enough to be able to attend a
benefit this last Friday morning for the Westside Shelter and Hunger
Coalition that honored about 25 people who have turned their lives
around and managed to get off the streets. They are all employed
and living lives that they hadn’t thought possible just a
short time ago. Some of those who received awards were the type
of homeless individual that most find “OK.” They aren’t
alcoholics or drug addicts, they don’t talk to themselves,
and they don’t smell “too” badly. It’s sad
that we have been programmed to believe that some are more deserving
than others because they look cleaner. The best part about the ceremony
was to see the many individuals recognized for having overcome “multiple-barriers.”
These individuals made up a large part of the honorees. People who
had been in and out of jail, on Skid Row, crack addicts and alcoholics,
and those suffering mental illness. These were the individuals of
which I was proudest. Many of those walking our local city streets
were once institutionalized mental patients, released to the streets
in the eighties when the Reagan Administration cut federal funding
to mental hospitals. I don’t know about you but living on
the streets, alone, and hungry would drive me to insanity, now imagine
if you were already mentally ill.
Twenty years later we find ourselves in a familiar
place yet again. Our friend George W. is in office, big business
is doing reasonably well (especially if your in the business of
making missiles), and our homeless situation and poverty are increasing.
It is unfortunate, but to turn our backs on these people would be
the real crime. Although we are a very economically, ethnically,
politically, and religiously, diverse community, we have always
been one that looks out for the underdog, and assisted those less
fortunate. In this day of Gucci clad 12-year-olds, and babies with
stock options it is important that we not lose sight of the principles
for which this community stands. |
