Is Illegal Immigration Causing African Americans To Become Homeless?
That is the accusation of a new group called Crispus Attucks Brigade. The group was formed last week by Ted Hayes, a long time homeless advocate here in
Hayes says that most people who are homeless in
“Finger pointing” has become a natural response to the problem of homelessness. I think to blame illegal immigration for the plight of the homeless is not accurate. It is just another “finger pointing” perspective on homelessness.
This “blame game” is a sick cycle that only perpetuates homelessness. If we concentrate our efforts on blaming each other, we take away the efforts to end homelessness.
I write about this cycle in my book. Here is an excerpt:
Our communities point the blaming finger at each other, saying: “It’s the fault of the caregivers—the social service agencies—who attract more homeless people into our neighborhoods.” “The police should be arresting homeless people because they blight our neighborhoods.” “The government should be spending more money on the problem.” “The politicians only listen to powerful business communities and neighborhood associations who vote them into office.” “Local city officials argue with regional county administrators blaming each other for not providing enough funding.” “Wealthy developers gentrifying blighted neighborhoods are expelling the poor onto the streets for the sake of redevelopment.”
Round and round the blaming finger goes. Where it stops everybody knows. The fingers are pointed at one and all. From the homeless person, himself, to the caregivers who help. From businesses and neighborhoods who fear the affects, to the political officials who hold the purse strings.
It is a constant cycle of blame. So the creative energies, political influence, and vast resources that could be used to house the homeless are instead used to defend one’s position. The community is fighting one another rather than fighting the problem.
The cycle is simply absurd.
posted by LA's Homeless Blog at
10:28 AM
2 Comments:
ATTN: Editor
“Well children where there is a commotion there is something is off kilter” Sojouner Truth said that when she addressed an angry, arrogant audience on the subject of human rights. Alas, there is a commotion on another human rights issue. The recent 9th Circuit Court ruling and the impact on Santa Monica or lack thereof, prompts me to address this issue and many others in this letter. In the article on Santa Monica Laws Safe For Now, it was pointed out by City Manger Marsha Moutrie that Los Angeles laws were different from Santa Monica due to the fact, that Santa Monica laws allow for those without shelter to at least find a place to rest, whereas in Los Angeles there was no place safe from prosecution.
I find it strange that this information was not passed on Officers Lozano and Tavera who on a cold windy Sunday March 19, 2006, at 12:00 midnight rousted a sleeping homeless man who was not engaged in any sort of criminal activity but had the misfortune to be homeless and wanting to get some sleep. According to the article, the no sleeping law must be posted in view for the Santa Monica Police to enforce the code. There was no sign posted where the man slept.
The aforementioned officers had their hands on their gun holsters during the encounter, and one would have thought this man was on the show “Cops”, and he had evaded a police dragnet! The entire exchange of the officers were antagonistic, I got the distinct impression that they were hoping the man would say something that could justify them to shoot him. They handcuffed him, searched him for weapons or “drugs”.
After an unsuccessful discovery, the police handed him a ticket and told him to “move along” reminding him if they see him again he was going to jail. When I questioned the homeless gentleman, he stated, I have no record, I was sleeping, I am homeless and I have no place to go.”
Others in the area looked scared when the some other officers returned at 5:00 am and harassed a man sitting up on the bench, who was actually awake and waiting for the Ocean Park Community Center to open to get warm. Once again, police had their hands on guns as if these people just held up a convenient store. Yet Kathleen Rawson glowingly praise these antic’s stating “The police have been fantastic about enforcement.” This is why I am angry and perplexed when I hear comments by residents
Rawson and Kathy Dobson who wants a ordinance written, because they don’t want to appear unfriendly. This to me seems like that many want to throw the rocks but hide their hands. Though I disagree with making any more of those draconian laws, however, I think the current law requirement helps make it plain to identify the places that place these signs up to aid the homeless of the particular establishments sentiment. It harkens back to the days of the Black Codes. I also appreciate the public pages who let their opinion known on this issue.
I think if the homeless are harassed in the aforementioned manner, or read comments like this, they realize the community or business is unfriendly. This is not a new occurrence that have been brought to the homeless person attention. Sign or no sign- on a daily basis there is not one homeless person who does not endure a remark by some arrogant moron whose advice who will listen to their solution. In fact one of the residents favor more drastic measures by inserting monies in the budget to, “ remove all the filthy, dangerous, alcoholic, drug addicting crazies from this city. This city has to wake up, really wake up and stop enabling this spreading fungus of vagrancy.”
Samuel Johnson points out that, “we must not be the type of helper, who looks with unconcern on a man struggling for life in the water, and he has reached the ground, encumbers him with useless help” this quote by Samuel Johnson comes to mind when I ask, What good is a card that offers referrals that are over extended? Consider for a moment the fact that the ruling by Judge Warlaw decreed because of the evidence showing a lack of availability. Consider as well if an individual who is also homeless, and is not a alcoholic or drug addict in need of food and most of the agencies are closed to them or unavailable. Not to mention the disappearing middle class, with eroding pensions, high rents. Is the truth so obscure that one cannot see that we are a few paychecks away from being homeless? We do not realize that the judgments that we dispense on the homeless population is one that can be made of us if the unfortunate circumstance was to befall us. It is the height of arrogance and stupidity to think to fix homelessness is easy as 1-2-3. It took a process to become destitute and it takes time for them to get out of it.
Imagine the senselessness and the arrogance of these postures by Mona Miyasato, “the bottom line is we would like people to not enable homeless people to continue to live on the street.” If the high cost of living and low wages does not change there will be many that Ms. Miyasato will wish we do not enable. The cold weather shelters closed March 15th 2006 which left these residents in a bad way and more open to the public contempt. It rained very hard Monday March 19th 2006. The article mentioned that there are nearly 2,000 homeless in Santa Monica with only 712 beds and a significant population of the homeless in Los Angeles, with no significant places to house the population. It apparently was very clear to Judge Wardlaw that helping the homeless with a card with overextended resources is not easy as 1-2-3. Where are the rest of the homeless populace to go?
What can one do? As there are many of society who wishes to get rid of the “bums”, what does one who does not hold these beliefs do?
Attitude is the minds paintbrush, it can color any situation. This should be kept in the uppermost recesses of societies minds when solving the homeless equation. We fall into a easy delusion that our laws are different in our treatment of the homeless, but the responses from this paper and the articles tells a different story. These stories shows similar parallels to the civil rights crisis that occurred in the North perception/delusion to the South blatant treatment of African-Americans. Abraham Lincoln once said, The dogma of the quiet past are inadequate for the stormy present. We must think anew and we must act anew. It is time to get rid of the old prejudices. The inhumane comments and solutions does nothing to eradicate the homeless issue but it puts the leaders to work toward educating many who are willing to learn The continued depiction of the homeless as a filthy, lazy, stupid, drug and alcoholic bums and less than human which is ingrained in the consciousness of the public to further secure their issues of superiority.
The laws may be different but the treatment of the homeless is the same hence the door of perception is the same entrance and exit. One of many solutions is education for the public. There are some in the public at large are willfully ignorant, and want to be. There are many that step out of their comfort level and truly get involved with understanding the issue. I am mentioning, Saint Ambrose Catholic Church, Chrysalis and Santa Monica Press to name a few. I mention Santa Monica Press because unlike the other newspapers reports on them being cruel they at least produce consistent opportunity to promote a educational dialogue. They cannot and should not control the ignorance of the readers. Abraham Lincoln once said, The dogma of the quiet past are inadequate for the stormy present. We must think anew and we must act anew. It is time to get rid of the old prejudices. The inhumane comments and solutions does nothing to eradicate the homeless issue but it puts the leaders to work toward educating many who are willing to learn.
Theodore R. Henderon III
1684 Lincoln
Santa Monica CA 90404
hendethe@hotmail.com
Daytime Phone 310-392-4117
CBS news had an investigative story about Undocumented workers, construction workers getting paid $13.00 an hour. In Long Beach, I walked with one of my homeless pals that was trying to get a construction job. Lots of redevelopment going on. Turned down, he was not "Mexican" (or hispanic). We'd assume they were illegal. Oh, the guy is African American. But he wasn't the only one that couldn't get a construction job. Lot's of "white" homeless guys as well.
On the East Coast one can get a temp office or factory job paying $9.00 an hour; in CA same agency, same jobs pay minimum wage. Why? Because the immigrants drove the wage down, working cheap.
The CBS report said the men could easily get a green card & SS# in NYC for $200. If they weren't here, then others could get the jobs. I won't mind working for $13.00 an hour. It used to make housing affordable. But the job prerequiste is that I speak Spainish, even tho' I grew up in an English speaking country. I could give details of the places I've been denied employment, because of that disability. If they weren't here, the company's might be forced to hire "Americans" and pay a decent wage.
The immigrants fault? The company's that put profit over people? The crystal meth they bring in to earn their living illegally? Yeah, I think they contribute to the homeless problem.
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