I've lost all sympathy for street people

[sadora]

Originally Posted by Sowa

I think the best solution is to send all the homeless and starving "good for nothings" around the world to Africa and just blow it up that way I never have to be asked to give money to these lower than human species again...

Amen brother!

Honestly, I don't care if I sound like an ass ranting about "these lower than human species" because these homeless bums are a problem, especially when there is so much work out there.

[Azure]

I don't think we will ever get our unemployment level to the point where every possible soul is working.

Fact of life in a free country where people have the choice of living on the street, or getting a job and supporting themselves.....some of us just pick the lesser lifestyle.

IIRC, when unemployment levels reach 6%(I think)...its at the level where everyone who 'wants' a job...has a job. More or less. The 6% accounts for the people who don't want work.

[Dion]

Compromised mental health and mental illness can be both a risk for and an outcome of homelessness, the report points out.

"It's probably not as simple as it's always one pathway or another — it's probably a bit of both," Zelmer told CMAJ in an interview.

"In some cases it may well be that a severe mental illness leads to loss of employment and that's the trigger factor for ending up being homeless. But we also know that homeless youth tend to report much higher stress levels than other youth, and that's one of the risk factors for mental illness."

Poverty, inadequate income and spending an excessive amount of one's income on shelter are all risk factors for mental illness, Zelmer says.

In addition, "we do know that some types of mental illness are more common among people who have lower incomes," she added.

People living on the street are much more likely to report mental illnesses, including schizophrenia and depression, and that is reflected in their use of health services, she says. They are also less likely to report healthy coping strategies, another risk factor for mental illness.

Several studies cited in the report identify higher stress and substance abuse among street youth compared with the general population, as well as higher incidence of self-harm and suicide attempts.

One national survey, for the Public Health Agency of Canada, reported 2% of males and 6% of females aged 15–25 attempted suicide in Canada.

A 2006 British Columbia survey, however, indicates 15% of males and 30% of females living on the street or identifying as "marginalized" had attempted suicide at least once in the previous year.

http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/177/9/1015

[Dion]

Success in the Big Apple - New York City finds path for mentally ill.

Housing homeless before treatment bucks conventional wisdom

For 12 years, the program has been pioneering what is called the "housing first" strategy of whisking the homeless into permanent residences with no in- between steps of counseling or transitional shelters required. Even more unusual is the practice of placing them by themselves -- not in buildings full of other homeless people, but in apartment complexes of regular tenants who often have no idea who just moved in next door. It takes them even if they're still shooting dope, still drinking, still barely able to distinguish fantasy from reality.

And the amazing thing is that Pathways works -- mostly because it swarms its homeless tenants with continual counseling and programs to help them get their lives stable after they move indoors. The program is so successful that researchers and leaders from former President Bill Clinton to the homeless czar for Clinton's ideological opposite, President Bush, say it is setting a new standard in America on how to coax the hardest of the hard core of the homeless up off the sidewalk and into healthier lives.

All of Pathways' residents are mentally ill, and 90 percent are drug addicts or alcoholics -- yet 84 percent of those who move into Pathways stay housed. More conventional programs in New York that emphasize medical treatment, halfway houses or hospitalization for similarly mentally ill homeless people have only a 23 percent success rate, according to a recent study conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

In another age, many of Pathways' tenants would have been locked into mental institutions; and indeed, many have spent time in jail for indigence before, only to be put right back out on the street again. But because of the intensive counseling and individual empowerment method at Pathways, they don't just stay housed -- they live productive lives, going to college, holding jobs, and helping other homeless people get stable.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/articl...NGRS75HEE1.DTL

Maybe Canada should start a project like this....

[FlamingLonghorn]

Originally Posted by sadora

Amen brother!

Honestly, I don't care if I sound like an ass ranting about "these lower than human species" because these homeless bums are a problem, especially when there is so much work out there.

How are they a problem? Because they take 2 secs. out of your day to say no I don't have any change?

[Igottago]

Originally Posted by sadora

Amen brother!

Honestly, I don't care if I sound like an ass ranting about "these lower than human species" because these homeless bums are a problem, especially when there is so much work out there.

Ignorant a-holes bother me more than some guy asking me for change. Sometimes I wonder who is the bigger problem in society.

[MelBridgeman]

homelessness will always be there, lets not kid ourselves, there are people who chose to live that way, there are people who get themselves back on their feet, and there are the forgotten people who have mental disabilities (like,and you know her if you have ever frequent the 17ave/1 str stretch, the penny lady)

[4X4]

Originally Posted by Sowa

How are they a problem? Because they take 2 secs. out of your day to say no I don't have any change?

It may be pretty simple for you. Say no, and life goes on. I'll go out on a limb and guess that you're male and not a midget. Bingo, you're not going to get harassed.
Have you ever seen some of these agressive a-holes work a woman or an old lady? I've felt murderous watching some of these (edited in advance) ask for money. There is a line, and it gets crossed quite often.

[FlamingLonghorn]

Originally Posted by 4X4

It may be pretty simple for you. Say no, and life goes on. I'll go out on a limb and guess that you're male and not a midget. Bingo, you're not going to get harassed.
Have you ever seen some of these agressive a-holes work a woman or an old lady? I've felt murderous watching some of these (edited in advance) ask for money. There is a line, and it gets crossed quite often.

Well yes I have seen some act aggressive towards other people and my self included. Trust me Austin Tx has quite a large homeless population especially in the winter. Those ones are a problem if they cross the line the cops should be called on them and assault charges pressed. But, on the flip side I see jackass 20somethings messing around with innocent homeless people more often than the other way around. I would say the homeless population has a ratio of a-holes that's about the same as nonhomeless people. Judging by this thread the ratio might even be lower.

[Reaper]

Originally Posted by sadora

These people are just a double edged problem. It would be both inhumane and eventually dangerous to not have a system in place that takes care of them. What I hate are the ones that exploit the system because they know that they can get away with it. Even if these people have mental issues they can go and wash dishes somewhere, go make burgers at macdonald's or f'ng pick up a broom and clean somewhere. They're such a nuisance and a problem that will never go away as long as we keep on opening up places like the mustard seed. I f'ng hate getting off work after a long tough day to have one of these filthy good for nothings ask me for change or a smoke. There is more than enough work out there so that these people could at least buy food or vices for themselves.

Wow, you're a real "throw the baby out with the bathwater" type of guy, aren't you?

It's okay to be concerned that people are abusing the system that helps get homeless people off the street. I get that part. For every system that people create, there will be abuse of that system. It will always happen but it doesn't mean we should close down all social agencies that help the homeless. For every story you hear about someone who choses to be on the street despite the help there are probably 5 that take the help and get off the streets. But those kinds of stories don't sell papers.

Also, you had a tough day so you find it hard to say no to someone asking you for money? Is that why you're so hateful about it? GET OVER IT.

[Buzzard]

Victoria became a haven for the homeless when they all decided Vancouver was too dangerous, so they all hopped the ferry and infested the streets of what was once a nice city. I believe some homeless need help, but only a small percentage for valid reasons. My grandma died last spring and after the funeral we had about 500 dollars worth of cheese and meat and fruit platters left over. Got to the Mustard and decided NOT to get out and donate it after all. I would have had to climb over a few twenty or so drunks to get to a pooh covered door, in my high heels. Don't think so. Gave to all my hard working neighbors instead.

[DESS]

Originally Posted by Buzzard

Victoria became a haven for the homeless when they all decided Vancouver was too dangerous, so they all hopped the ferry and infested the streets of what was once a nice city. I believe some homeless need help, but only a small percentage for valid reasons. My grandma died last spring and after the funeral we had about 500 dollars worth of cheese and meat and fruit platters left over. Got to the Mustard and decided NOT to get out and donate it after all. I would have had to climb over a few twenty or so drunks to get to a pooh covered door, in my high heels. Don't think so. Gave to all my hard working neighbors instead.

There's poo on the door?!

[Ozy_Flame]

Wow, some of you are callous and cold-hearted.

Have you no sympathy for people who are homeless in the most expensive city in Canada? Almost half of those who are homeless are working, they just can't afford shelter like the rest of Calgary's over-affluent oil monkies, who are part of the problem because they want to pay premium rates and inflate real estate costs. This is one of the big reasons housing is such a problem; people don't care how much they spend anymore - as long as they get a house. This leaves those less fortunate in the dust.

Drug addiction and rational choice is one thing; forced homelessness is another.

[JimmytheT]

I think what many of you fail to realize is that the vast majority of homeless people (something like 80%) are mentally disabled in one way or another.
Many homeless persons are bonified schizophrenics, or have severe learning disabilities etc.

Before making cold and heartless comments about the homeless (some of which bear striking resemblance to how Nazi Germany felt about its mentally handicapped population), consider that most of them are not lazy, they literally have mental illnesses/disabilities.

[FireFly]

I think there's a distinction that needs to be made here between the homeless and 'street people'. Not all homeless are begging for change. Not all homeless sleep on the street. Some stay at their friend's/family's houses, etc. I don't think the issue is with the homeless, per say, the issue is just with those who beg for money, refuse to get a job, and have no health issues, mental or physical, preventing them from holding down a steady paying job.

[DESS]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

Wow, some of you are callous and cold-hearted.

Have you no sympathy for people who are homeless in the most expensive city in Canada? Almost half of those who are homeless are working, they just can't afford shelter like the rest of Calgary's over-affluent oil monkies, who are part of the problem because they want to pay premium rates and inflate real estate costs. This is one of the big reasons housing is such a problem; people don't care how much they spend anymore - as long as they get a house. This leaves those less fortunate in the dust.

Drug addiction and rational choice is one thing; forced homelessness is another.

It's ill-informed opinions like this that are part of the problem IMO. There is plenty of cheap housing in Calgary. In a two second Google search I found rooms for rent for $375 - in Brentwood no less! I imagine Dover, Forest Lawn, etc. would have even cheaper places. Absolutely anybody (with the exception of severe mental cases) could make that in a week in Calgary. Housing is expensive? Untrue. Add to that some of the highest wages in the country and people who are not lazy should have no problem covering their basic shelter needs.

[CaptainCrunch]

I read an interesting interview once with a homeless advocate out of Washington, D.C. which has one of the largest homeless problems in the States.

There is a group of homeless people that they don't count because they usually stay with friend on their couches because they can't afford housing, I think they were called the living poor because they and their hosts were usually one missing paycheck or one argument from losing their homes, yet they don't get some of the "benefits" of the homeless.

There's also a large group thats not trackable becuase they're not registered for social services, or un-employment or welfare, and they don't use the shelters, and the largest percentage of that are the serious drug abusers or mentally ill.

I was thinking about this today as I drove into work though. And there aren't a lot of truly lazy people living off of the system that would want to be homeless or unemployed on a day like today. For the most part the lazy bums that you speak of are more seasonal in that they only come out during the warmer months.

[FlamingLonghorn]

Originally Posted by happycalgary

Let me tell you as a business owner myself I would much rather hire a hard working "immigrant" from another country, who probably is far more educated, then have to put up with an arrogant, politically incorrect, red-neck such as yourself who will spend more time bitching and complaining then actually earning there paycheque by doing some real work.

Could you not tell by the rest of that post that I was mocking other posters? It was all very tongue in cheek I thought the last sentence about me sounding like an ass would of cleared that up...

[CaptainCrunch]

[quote=Sowa;1165539]

Originally Posted by happycalgary

Could you not tell by the rest of that post that I was mocking other posters? It was all very tongue in cheek I thought the last sentence about me sounding like an ass would of cleared that up...

Honestly, I kinda snickered at your post.

[flamesfever]

My son has worked downtown for years and has got to know a lot of the street people. His impression is if you treat them with respect you'll get the respect back.

He told me of one person who he used to give cigarettes to, and a while later the person cashed in his bottles and gave my son a package back.

On another occasion he loaned a street person $ 15.00 and 3 months later the person gave him back $20.00.