What is your perception of homelessness?

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Permalink Reply by Sara Croft on May 6, 2009 at 8:02pm

This is interesting because Terre Haute's local television station WTHI has a news reporter, Mark Allen, on the streets right now for one week as he attempts to be homeless. So far he has explained his troubles finding food and places to sleep. What is interesting is that he carries around a laptop and a webcam with him so that he can report visually to the news station. I'm curious to see how he will last the week. He's mentioned that some homeless people have really scared him while others have been quite helpful. I think that as a resident of Terre Haute I am used to seeing homeless people because there are so many that walk the campus of Indiana State University and use the facilities that it would be impossible not to notice them. Not only that but I have done community service in soup kitchens and have seen what homelessness is like. Not all of them are drug addicts, most just have lost their way.

If you want to read and see what Mark Allen is doing you can visit wthitv.com!

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Permalink Reply by Laura Frank on May 7, 2009 at 8:30am

Chris, thanks for sharing your experience! You bring up a great point, that you may not even know a person is homeless just by looking at them.

I should clarify that I do not personally think homeless people are disposable or should be ignored, just trying to elicit honest answers.

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Permalink Reply by Ashley Kersh-Fletcher on May 6, 2009 at 10:52pm

I don't believe that all homeless persons are victims. Homelessness takes on many forms. You can be considered homeless if you have to move your family in with relatives, etc. Where I live I can't say I've seen a real homeless person, although I'm fairly certain we have many in the above mentioned situation (living with others and not having a home of their own).

Some are victims, some make bad choices, some are drug addicted, some are having mental issues, etc.

Personally, I believe that there are many that just have run into a bad patch so to speak, especially in today's economy with so many layoff's and others losing their jobs and can't afford housing. If you know of someone that is homeless I think we are responsible to help them in anyway that we can, just as we would like the same treatment. Now, I'm not advocating giving a drug addict the spare room in your house, but as fellow citizens I think we should all do what we can.

I volunteered at the rescue mission for sometime a few years back and I saw just about every situation.

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Permalink Reply by Kurt Workman on May 6, 2009 at 11:47pm

A saying my uncle used comes to mind; "things are seldom as they appear". Their's could be due to an experience with addiction or a victim as you say or countless other factors, but they certainly aren't "disposable". I like Chris' perspective because he's been there. Homelessness like many other social ills is too quickly judged by our society (myself included). When I stop for a moment and really think about all the possiblities that could have lead to a persons' particular situation, then I begin to appreciate the truth behind, "But by the grace of God I am what I am..."(1 Corinthians 15:10 ). We who are not in those situations need to have much more compassion for those who are.

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Permalink Reply by Michael R. on May 7, 2009 at 3:29am

Can someone confirm that a good majority of the homeless men in the U.S. are either ex-cons or veterans?

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Permalink Reply by Laura Frank on May 7, 2009 at 8:32am

I don't know of any research to confirm this.

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Permalink Reply by Michael J Dukehart, II on May 7, 2009 at 10:48am

The homeless population is mixed just like the rest of the "normal" population.

There are those there because they want to be there. There are some there because of bad decisions of their own or bad decisions of others. Others are displaced, etc, ete,etc.

There is no one "cure" for homelessness because their is no one type of homelessness.

For some homeless and some not homeless I will cross the street to avoid.

And though it will make me sound evil and heartless. There are useless waistoids on the streets with out a penny to there name as well as ones in expensive cars with expensive homes that are just taking up space.

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Permalink Reply by Linda J Ranger on May 7, 2009 at 1:08pm

I really dislike the sign holders at major intersections. They seem to never change so it must be productive, but I keep thinking that they could be doing more to earn money rather than standing there begging. It always strikes me as a scam. How did they get to these corners? Are they being used like prostitutes to collect for the pimp who supplies them shelter and transportation?

Just curious if others feel the same way.

As for homeless people in general I agree with Chris's comments.

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