The Homeless
I am beginning to wonder if I should ever even bother talking about anything with people. I have my opinion and I think it kind of goes with the thinking that the western world isn't led by people who are totally consumed with their own personal agenda.
A discussion of homelessness came up the other day, which is a real problem, but I don't think it should cause mankind to stop exploring our world and others. How can the homeless people be helped? Are they people who are mentally ill, alcoholics or drug addicts, does the government have the right to force them into treatment or hospitals? Treatment has about a 30% success rate, so what then? Execution? Should mentally ill people be force fed drugs to make them better, but keep them incarcerated so you can keep up the therapy?
When I see people on the street wallowing in their own addictions, I don't look on them with disdain, but a genuine feeling of pity. I have given such people money or other assistance in the past, which a lot will say only adds to the problem, but it is an act of human kindness, one human giving a damn about another.
If a person is starving in Canada, you will be fed, I can't see a circumstance where you won't. Children are another matter altogether, but there are safeguards in place for them also. The system isn't perfect and some slip through the cracks, but it certainly isn't children living at the dump like in some third world countries.
Arguing these points with some people just frustrates me to no end. They will say street people are just "pieces of garbage", but how on the other hand can they say the government should take care of them? I myself could have been one of those people given my problems with addiction, so could any one of us given some circumstances in life, so we shouldn't get too mouthy.
I can't see any easy answers, if any body has a coherent argument I would like to hear it.
A discussion of homelessness came up the other day, which is a real problem, but I don't think it should cause mankind to stop exploring our world and others. How can the homeless people be helped? Are they people who are mentally ill, alcoholics or drug addicts, does the government have the right to force them into treatment or hospitals? Treatment has about a 30% success rate, so what then? Execution? Should mentally ill people be force fed drugs to make them better, but keep them incarcerated so you can keep up the therapy?
When I see people on the street wallowing in their own addictions, I don't look on them with disdain, but a genuine feeling of pity. I have given such people money or other assistance in the past, which a lot will say only adds to the problem, but it is an act of human kindness, one human giving a damn about another.
If a person is starving in Canada, you will be fed, I can't see a circumstance where you won't. Children are another matter altogether, but there are safeguards in place for them also. The system isn't perfect and some slip through the cracks, but it certainly isn't children living at the dump like in some third world countries.
Arguing these points with some people just frustrates me to no end. They will say street people are just "pieces of garbage", but how on the other hand can they say the government should take care of them? I myself could have been one of those people given my problems with addiction, so could any one of us given some circumstances in life, so we shouldn't get too mouthy.
I can't see any easy answers, if any body has a coherent argument I would like to hear it.
Comments
Post a Comment