Two high school freshmen debate who are the homeless and whether they can do more to help themselves
By CAITLIN R. SHEA AND OLGA S. SYCHEVA
West Springfield High School
Well, it is difficult to ignore the outcry of the homeless population. How often does you cross paths with someone from the homeless population, upon either entering or exiting a store? Many define these occurrences as a nuisance for it is often the case you are faced with almost inevitable harassment as they beg for money. Legally stating, they have the right as defined under free speech by the First Amendment as long as they do so in a civil and passive manner. And although they have the right by law to ask for your support in their time of desperation and need, many businesses are suffering as the homeless frighten potential customers away. My classmate Olga Sycheva and I decided to look at what can be done.
Olga: Now, I am against giving money to homeless people because they should search out for a job and not implore us for money; the money that we worked hard to earn, and the money that we slaved for. Some people pity the homeless people and actually donate to their cause, even if its just a couple of mere dollars, because of how they so persistently claim they that they don't have any money to purchase food. And then they so pathetically plead for cash, and when you so generously give them money, they go and squander it on drugs or alcoholic beverages, which raises their violent behavior and leads to rash choice-making on their part. Given that there is a very small selective group that actually goes out and buys food, clothing, and other necessities and that this group is so few, it is safe to say that your money will be wasted among themselves on things that are not needed to survive. With about 13,000 people becoming homeless each year in Massachusetts alone, its obvious that they did something wrong and are continuing to do so as they still remain homeless.
I believe that anyone suggesting giving money to the homeless population is incorrect in their way of thinking. Most estimates suggest that anywhere from 75 to 90 percent of homeless people are drug or alcohol abusers, mentally ill or disabled, or a combination of the two. The money that you give them, they will most likely use to go to a store and buy some alcoholic or illegal substances. It is uncanny how much or the American public will actually give their money' to homeless people and believe that it will be spent on the necessities like food. There is still time left in their lives that they can spend transforming their future by getting a job, a house or an apartment and for once be victorious in their conquest for success. When the weather outside is life threatening, I suggest that they should go and reside in the safety of a homeless shelter, or to a soup kitchen in which they were they are may be comforted with food.
I understand that places like these tend to be overpopulated, but if the tax dollars of the American people are paying for such shelters than I see no reason that they should not he built large enough to accommodate the homeless population. The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (1987) provides federal funding for temporary and permanent housing for the homeless and those financially impaired. Besides, if they had a job, than they could afford their own house and this would not be an issue.
In spite of the early hours of the morning or the late darkness of the night you might encounter a homeless person looking through, perhaps, your neighbor's trash. Is it a crime if they open the trash bags in search of what they think will be useful to them? We are a society that would rather see our garbage in a landfill than in the hands of someone who has a genuine use for it. Why not let the homeless, or anyone else willing, take the cans and bottles to recycle them for some money? I don't have a problem with that, and neither should you, because they are taking something that we don't obviously want or need anymore.
This allows them to prevent more landfills from being made and they are greatly contributing to stopping the energy crisis. Now I understand that they don't necessarily leave your yard the cleanest after obtaining such cans and bottles, and personally I don't want to clean all of that up after them. I have no problem with them going though my trash, as long as they tie the bag after they are done and clean up anything that spilled on the ground.
What I witness a lot lately, is that homeless people have a shopping cart or a bag crammed with cans and bottles when crossing the streets. Five cents for a bottle or can is obviously not enough to purchase much of anything. But, that doesn't ignore the fact that by the recycling of cans and bottles, they are helping save our planet, which is indeed more than those people who discarded them have done. Each time they recycle cans, they should save their money until they have enough to buy themselves a meal for perhaps the day or so.
Finally, as my last argument, I would like to say that those are just some of my suggested alternatives to begging for money and being a bother to society. I believe that, given the right motivation, you may find that there are more ways to obtain money than relying on the help of your fellow citizens, and that most everyone, with very few exceptions, should be self sufficient. All we need to do is encourage them to take a step in the right direction so they may stop harassing us as we walk down the street and start becoming seen in a new light. The outcry of the homeless, can you hear it?
Caitlin: Now, I am supportive of the homeless cause and I feel that they need your support in such hard economic times. And yes, given a relatively large amount of the homeless population uses the money you give them to buy alcoholic beverages, and if you been through what they have, wouldn't you?
I am not suggesting that alcohol is a recommended solution to get through these hard times and I highly advise against it, but I understand how it can be an escape for those who have been through too much.
Nearly 40 percent of homeless adults are veterans.
It is near impossible to imagine what they go through everyday as we sit indoors in our air-conditioned homes as the weather preys on those who have no such protection, not to mention how betrayed they must feel that after serving for their country, their country has abandoned them and dumped them on the streets as the temperature spikes to dangerous levels.
Just to provide a visual and to try to make you even comprehend what those on the streets go through to survive everyday life, imagine, on days like these, when the temperature tops 100 degrees and the bugs are in a frenzy, and worst yet you have to spend every waking moment outside, it's easy to mentally break down.
Or how about when Mother Nature seems to hate everyone and everything as the sky flashes lightening and frigid rain pours down, and in the mist of that, there you are, trying to get a good night's sleep. I rest my case.
Just so I make it clear for those who may loosely interpret my argument referring to the homeless population and alcohol consumption, I was simply trying to share their viewpoint, a viewpoint that I do not particularly support.
I believe that to better help yourself out of homelessness, alcohol is not the answer, as I mentioned, I was just trying to help you better understand their views.
There are some one million homeless children who belong to the 600,000 homeless families that experience homelessness each year in the U.S. alone.
Single mothers and children make up most of the homeless inhabitants in rural areas, with a mix of men, women and children crowd large cities. With homeless children going to bed hungry, at least twice often compared to an average child, they are the ones who need your money the most.
And of course the issue of getting a job.
If you were going to bother hiring a new employee, would it not be reasonable to hire one with the best experience? I hate to stereotype them, but they tend to have very little job experience and because of people's failure to hire someone without stereotyping and judging by appearances, you see very few homeless people behind the counters working the cash register or at a fast food place taking your order.
It's time that the American people show some decency and sympathy.
If you were in the same situation I am sure that that is what you would want.
With an estimated 10 to 20 million illegal immigrants in the U.S .and countless jobs going over seas, there is a job shortage as it is, making it difficult to provide for the millions of homeless people in the U.S.
Given that during the time they spend asking for your help, they could be doing something more productive like finding bottled cans but for those who have tried that and have gotten nowhere, to them, you may be their only hope.
And, for five cents a bottle it is near impossible to get enough money to purchase a single meal.
People are left homeless for many reasons from natural disasters like Katrina to being victims of the disease of alcohol.
There is no easy solution to their plight but government should continue to help and so should we as individuals. United we stand, divided we fall.