Could You Spare Some Social Change?
#51
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#52
Me duelen las nalgas
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To paraphrase the Joker in The Dark Knight, the real core of civic volunteers just do things.
A few years ago I posted a few screen grabs from my bike-mounted video camera of a ride through the local "homeless district." I've done street photography for many years but rarely of "the homeless." Besides being a trite cliche among experienced street and documentary photographers, I'd rather talk with folks than photograph them, at least upon our first meetings. But in this case I was intrigued by the possibilities for screen shots from an action cam video. None of the faces were recognizable so I wasn't concerned about privacy issues (and in the US photos in public spaces aren't violations of privacy).
Anyway, without my asking, a few friends spontaneously donated to the local food bank based on my photos. They're also photographers and fans of street photography and something about those unplanned images resonated with them.
I've found most folks engaged in civic and charitable issues are like that. They just do it.
#53
Me duelen las nalgas
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As I passed I said "Please move your boards off the trail, thanks," in the most neutral voice I could muster considering I was huffing and puffing a bit.
I think one of them said "You're not my dad."
But he moved the skateboards.
I forgot to write about it on Fakebroke, Tweety and IG, or my local paper. So I'm making up for it here. Now I need a shoulder massage.
#54
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We had a problem of homeless on the bike path. The problem is they start encroaching, and over time it gets worse and worse, you end up riding through the grass to get around their shopping carts, busted up bikes, and dogs. The people living there were exploiting a difference in administration between city and federal property. Eventually the city got an agreement with the feds and moved them out.
scott s.
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scott s.
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#55
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When working the skids actual reality can hit ya hard.
Better to not get too hardened by its tempering tests.
Those fleeting periods of hopelessness are not only found in the homeless.
The big question is... Refugee or Deserter?
Better to not get too hardened by its tempering tests.
Those fleeting periods of hopelessness are not only found in the homeless.
The big question is... Refugee or Deserter?
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#57
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Both are schizophrenic. But they don't self medicate with alcohol, meth, or opiates. They are both well past 80, and they have lived in the woods for at least 30 years. Both worked for many years and they have pensions, Social Security and Medicare. They just want to live in the woods, cook with a solar oven, and be left alone. If they want to get in touch, they have a way to send messages to people. If people want to get in touch with them, they have a place to leave a message.
In my years as a volunteer firefighter / medic I have dealt with several homeless people, and a few more schizophrenic / bipolar people, and people with serious PTSD who lived in a house. Even when they live in a house, they are ... different. They can be very difficult to deal with, even when their life is at risk. We helped them the best we could, but really it was just window dressing.
The problem is that for many of the homeless, the only way to stop them from "suffer(ing) on the streets" is to incarcerate them. Mental institution or jail. Makes no difference to them. Portland Oregon has a shelter in the never used Wapato Jail that is a first rate facility, but it requires clean and sober so it can stay a first rate facility. The most recent report I have read about it is that it is 75% full. Maybe Misters Polansky and Gorman can bunk a few of the not clean or sober folks in their houses? A Navy shipboard bunk room can sleep 6 in an 8 X 8.
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#58
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I know the section of MUP the author is talking about. I've ridden it multiple times. Although it is officially known as the LA River Bike Trail, it is definitely a MUP that gets a wide variety of users at a wide variety of speeds and predictability - fast cyclists, slow cyclists, kid cyclists, runners, walkers, leashed dogs, unleashed dogs, horses, etc. etc. As a faster cyclist, needing to dodge, weave, and slow down are expected maneuvers on this stretch of trail.
Maybe the cyclist was an a-hole. Maybe the author embellished the encounter just a little for dramatic effect and to defend his own a-hole behavior.
Maybe the cyclist was an a-hole. Maybe the author embellished the encounter just a little for dramatic effect and to defend his own a-hole behavior.
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#59
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How would the situation be different if the "unhoused" person were an injured cyclist and the outreach worker were an Emergency Medical Tech. We can't know if the cyclist would have behaved differently, but would you treat the two different scenarios differently as a passing cyclist?
And you would be amazed at how often people scream at firefighters and EMTs when they close a road. But screaming at either a schizophrenic person or an EMT doesn't make them open the roadway one second sooner.
#60
Me duelen las nalgas
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Mr. Polansky lost me when he said "People shouldn't be allowed to suffer on the streets while the wealthiest society in history swirls around them." I have some friends who in many ways are like the couple for whom Mr. Polansky is so concerned. They live in a tent under a blue plastic tarp in the forest. They are there because they want to be there.
Both are schizophrenic. But they don't self medicate with alcohol, meth, or opiates. They are both well past 80, and they have lived in the woods for at least 30 years. Both worked for many years and they have pensions, Social Security and Medicare. They just want to live in the woods, cook with a solar oven, and be left alone. If they want to get in touch, they have a way to send messages to people. If people want to get in touch with them, they have a place to leave a message.
In my years as a volunteer firefighter / medic I have dealt with several homeless people, and a few more schizophrenic / bipolar people, and people with serious PTSD who lived in a house. Even when they live in a house, they are ... different. They can be very difficult to deal with, even when their life is at risk. We helped them the best we could, but really it was just window dressing.
The problem is that for many of the homeless, the only way to stop them from "suffer(ing) on the streets" is to incarcerate them. Mental institution or jail. Makes no difference to them. Portland Oregon has a shelter in the never used Wapato Jail that is a first rate facility, but it requires clean and sober so it can stay a first rate facility. The most recent report I have read about it is that it is 75% full. Maybe Misters Polansky and Gorman can bunk a few of the not clean or sober folks in their houses? A Navy shipboard bunk room can sleep 6 in an 8 X 8.
Both are schizophrenic. But they don't self medicate with alcohol, meth, or opiates. They are both well past 80, and they have lived in the woods for at least 30 years. Both worked for many years and they have pensions, Social Security and Medicare. They just want to live in the woods, cook with a solar oven, and be left alone. If they want to get in touch, they have a way to send messages to people. If people want to get in touch with them, they have a place to leave a message.
In my years as a volunteer firefighter / medic I have dealt with several homeless people, and a few more schizophrenic / bipolar people, and people with serious PTSD who lived in a house. Even when they live in a house, they are ... different. They can be very difficult to deal with, even when their life is at risk. We helped them the best we could, but really it was just window dressing.
The problem is that for many of the homeless, the only way to stop them from "suffer(ing) on the streets" is to incarcerate them. Mental institution or jail. Makes no difference to them. Portland Oregon has a shelter in the never used Wapato Jail that is a first rate facility, but it requires clean and sober so it can stay a first rate facility. The most recent report I have read about it is that it is 75% full. Maybe Misters Polansky and Gorman can bunk a few of the not clean or sober folks in their houses? A Navy shipboard bunk room can sleep 6 in an 8 X 8.
A common theme is they dislike the noisy, aggressive vibe of most homeless shelters and missions. I don't blame them. I've seen a few shelters and wouldn't want to stay there either unless the weather was so bad I'd die outdoors.
One of my former neighbors is a young man in his 30s with schizophrenia and diabetes, both controlled with medication. I learned only a few days ago he'd been evicted because the apartment lease was in his mom's name only, and she's now in a nursing home. He'd been her caregiver, but they hadn't made any arrangements for his care after she was gone.
It's very difficult to help him, or get him to help himself. He's usually a very easy going guy, doesn't cause problems for anyone. But he gets stressed out and confused very easily and can seem emotionally upset and angry. He has a hard time following instructions or coping with any technology. He doesn't have a phone, computer, nothing.
He had a case worker at the local mental health agency, but that person left and it's unclear now whether there's a replacement. The fellow doesn't want to live in a group home, which has been offered. I'm not really sure what will become of him. Next time I see him I'll try to encourage him to visit the mental health agency because they should have access to info for housing, etc. He should be eligible for SSI as well, which would cover apartment rent after discounts provided by subsidies. If I catch him in the right mood and go with him, he and his case worker might allow me to encourage or guide him through the process.
But for folks with those kinds of mental health and physical health difficulties, it's always going to be a challenge. I can see why some folks prefer to skip the bureaucracy and make do on their own. Which is why relatively warmer places in California and Florida have such large homeless populations. Texas usually has a reasonably tolerable climate, but the February 2021 deep freeze killed a few folks who were outdoors, or in substandard housing for the week we were without power.
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