Let's act on Homeless(ness)... as if we weren't already?

I was reading the 24 free newspaper at the sky train and I read a poorly written article about solving the problems in the GVRD.

It's a good read, if you want to chuckle.
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Let's act on homeless- *note* Typo? That was the exact title, not homelessness.
by: Erin Airton
(RIGHT ON)*note* this was posted underneath her name as to signal her writters voice.

It is finally time for innovative solutions for the homeless in our province.
Years and years of throwing money at the problem hasn't worked - the number continues to grow and taxpayers are weary.

In fact, what we've done is develop a whole network of government and non-profit agencies devoted to helping the homeless stay homeless. They provide emergency food, shelter, and medical care. There is an old adage in economics: If you want to encourage something, subsidize it; if you want to discourage something tax it.

Right now, in a sad way, we are encouraging homelessness, making it "bearable" to be homeless by providing these "emergency" services.

Now, before you get all twisted up, I'm not saying it is pleasant to be homeless and I'm not saying anyone wants to be homeless.

But let's not forget we have built up a substantial industry of well-meaning people who make their livelihoods and defend their funding on the basis of supporting a homeless population.
The 2005 GVRD counted total homeless population (in a 24 hour counting period) at 2,174. I would suggest the number is higher, just because of survey techniques... Let's say 3000 people in the GVRD are homeless. These, of course, are the truely homeless without access to a friends spare sofa and not knowing from night to night whether they will be sleeping in a crowded, fetid shelter or over a vent at Georgia and Burrard.

From GVRD reasearch, they are likely medically or mentally ill and struggle with some form of addiction. Most startling was the information that 55 per cent of homeless had some form of welfare, a pension or disability benefits.

So here's one radical idea and I'm sure there are more.
Why don't we gather together each and every homeless service organization at B.C. Place along with each and every homeless person? Why not take each person, one at a time, diagnose the issue at the root of the inability to find or maintain housing and then put a planned place for each?

More money for homeless services isn't going to rid us of homelessness. In fact, it will do the opposite. If we take those funds and direct them to removing each person from the streets, we may actually make some lives better.

In short term, we can house them at BC place while we sort it all out.

It is not right to help people stay on the streets. The only morla course of action is to remove them, forcibly if necessary, and assist them in building a new life.
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Comment your hearts out bloggers

-Brent

Following a yellow brick road.

This week has been tough for me. Not only is the first school semester coming to an end, but also that I've realized that society really doesn't expect much from people.

I was in a play this week, A wizard of Oz production set in a high school setting called 'Oz High', and as I played a metal head rocker Tim, the Tinman... I enjoyed every laugh from every audience member I recieved. I took my role, added my own quirks and said my lines in a manner that I knew would get laughs out of even the most depressed people in the audience. Applause at a theatre is almost required in our day and age, ovations are not. To get people to really look at you, you need to go beyond the average. I realized the other day, that society is much like that.

My highschool year is coming to an end and I'm not entirely sure what I'm going to do for a career. Part of me doesn't see the point in having one. I mean a career for the sake that people say you need one to do well, doesn't seem like a just cause to break my limbs to obtain.

I'm not saying I'm lazy, even though alot of me is most of the time, I'm saying that I'm at a crossroads and I have a lot of decisions to make in a short time. That's the stress society forces on us, even though I have my whole life ahead of me and in realistic sense, tons of time to think things through.

The bible brings up a very good example of how we should lead our lives, and that is the example of Jesus, but that golden standard is realistic terms is impossible to follow. I'm pretty glad my version of realism and God's version aren't the same. Anyways, my goal now is to keep follow my yellow brick road, and I'll hopefully end up back home again when my story ends.

-Brent

--> I just realized the Wizard of Oz has alot of Christian symbolism.