Their day time residence: abandoned buildings, houses, cars, under bridges, cardboard boxes, subway grates; behind apartment buildings, parks, park benches, under trees, random steps, bus stops.
Their night-time residence: abandoned buildings, houses, cars, under bridges, cardboard boxes, subway grates; behind apartment buildings,
And who are they? They are the ones on our corner streets panhandling, or as they call it, "can-dogging" for a living, for survival AND for their addictions.
The ones that we may have looked down on, looked away from, shared a dollar or two with, or shrugged, or shook with pity as we walked by, "Our Invisible Americans--The Homeless."
Here in Lansing, their are at least 4,200.
But--- what's more surprising to me is that most of them "choose" to be homeless AND getting income, either Social Security, or SSI Disability; and "can-dogging" for supplement income for cigarettes, alcohol, drugs.
They are everywhere-- and they all have a "spot," as I mentioned. Scattering themselves throughout the city in daylight, "can-dogging" and later taking refuge in the night, maybe at a homeless shelter; "first come, first serve.
It is calculated that more than 600,000 Americans are homeless on any given night AND 57,000 are veterans??? Wow............
Homeless vagabonds, with their back packs a modern day "bindle." But as I said before, I am baffled, in a sense, that most of them choose to stay homeless.
Here in Lansing, (Michigan), there lives a homeless woman by the name of Vivian, "Mama Bear" Thomas that is one who lives off the River Trail in the woody area near Kalamazoo street. She "chooses" to be homeless because she does not want to pay rent??? This woman receives $698 a month for Social Security, and could live in a low income apartment but is content to live as a nomad, vagabond.
Where I am located near The River Front Park & Trails, the homeless make themselves very comfortable especially during the summer solstice.
Every morning they are up like the birds preparing their cardboard canvases..signs indicating they are homeless and in need of food.
But unlike the birds, their choice of nourishment is alcohol, smokes, & drugs. The majority of the homeless have uncontrollable vices that unfortunately they succumb to; and they put their addiction before a home, ending up on "skid row."
Personally I don't know what to think. In the past I used to give them $ hoping they put it towards food, but sadly "no." They gather themselves here in the back these apartments, at the Riverfront Trails. There they gather their canvases of want/need and "dog can" for extra supplement for their addictions.
Now when I have extra $$ I buy them food, never money. Like my mom used to say: "You want to smoke/drink go find yourself a job and support your habits." I agree.
To these people standing on the corners panhandling is there job. But like my mother I will NOT give you money for your vices.
I also understand that some of these homeless situations are not of their choice. Like many people some of us do "get the rug pulled from under us," and are left in dire straits.
Albeit my heart bleeds for them at times or I get somewhat sarcastic about them at times. Especially when they spend their collected funds on drink/drugs and end up always fighting with one another. Always........
But nevertheless, like them I AM HUMAN. And so from time to time, "I give."
"I hold that every human being is a human person and every human person is a human being."
Only "Death" is the leveler.
In a homeless cemetery in Cleveland, Ohio stands a lonely stone with a poem. Ironically as they were in life, so in death, a reminder of the nameless person we may have looked down on, looked away from, shared a few dollars with, or shrugged with pity as we walked by, "Our Invisible Americans--The Homeless.
May they rest in peace, Finally.
~LJAS
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