I am reading that SCOTUS is leaning towards banning homelessness encampments. And what is their wonderful plan after that? Or is cruelty once again the point?
@gemswinc Keep thinking of Scrooge... "Are there no workhouses? Are there no prisons?"
What's the point here? They're going to fine them? They're going to jail them? WHich does what? Overcrowd the jails further, and makes it harder for them to get housing in the future... if not impossible, which leads to what?
Criminalizing existence doesn't seem to be the way to fix this. It's like they expect homeless folk to throw up their hands and go, "Oh well, guess I need to rent now!"
It is a profoundly complicated condition.
BeLoved Asheville provides assistance to our 600+ unhomed. They provide food, clothing, women’s products, etc. But are quick to admit complications of addiction & mental illness prevent permanent solutions.
These unhomed would rather sleep outside in subzero weather than be in shelters that disallow overnight in/out or substance abuse.
Some are terrified of being locked up.
@LnzyHou You are absolutely right! No easy fixes. There is an encampment out in the Hamptons ( you know, for workers on the big estates) but from what I read, they are also being helped, rather than shunned. I was glad to hear that. @NiveusLepus
@gemswinc @LnzyHou Lindsay does have it right. Addiction and Mental Illness are the biggest problems.
Finland I think may be on to something...
Housing first, and community connection.
https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/02/how-finland-solved-homelessness/
@gemswinc @LnzyHou There are no easy answers. It's always going to be a process. People will take advantage of the system, all of that is a cold reality.
Even though some people will take advantage, or not ultimately improve, what does that have to do with me though, and us collectively in showing compassion.
It seems to me doing more good would be better than counting the cost of the random failure to reach.
@gemswinc @LnzyHou You will not shame someone, or incarcerate someone out of addiction. Addiction is a response to misery, and a lack of connection, empathy, and treatment in one's life.
Doubling down on these things won't help the person, but it will damn them.
It's true some people will not recover. But what if we took that same approach to cancer or any other medical/psychological illness.
"Well you're always going to be depressed, so just, ya know... go with it?"
@NiveusLepus @gemswinc @LnzyHou
As an addict diagnosed with major depressive disorder, I am happy to see this conversation taking place. 💜✨️
@BosmangBeratna @NiveusLepus @gemswinc
I’m glad you’re here 💙
@NiveusLepus @gemswinc @LnzyHou My brother in law drank himself to death, and one thing he had in abundance the entire time was shame. He had enough shame for half the country. Shame was the one thing he did NOT need more of.
Because of course he drank to numb his shame that he'd lost control of his life due to drinking.
@danialexis Sorry to hear that. Indeed, addiction & homelessness are hard enough without fines & jail. Good grief @NiveusLepus @LnzyHou
@NiveusLepus @gemswinc @LnzyHou
In my online cancer support group, I read a lot of accounts from women who have been fighting to get any treatment. My sister-in-law died of cancer without ever receiving treatment. The approach you describe, does already exist for cancer patients - it just doesn't hit everyone equally because it is tied to age, race, obesity, and other variables.
@publickovacs @gemswinc @LnzyHou That's heart breaking :(
@publickovacs @NiveusLepus @gemswinc
Unimaginable cruelty tied to greed.
@NiveusLepus
"Addiction is a response to misery, and a lack of connection, empathy, and treatment in one's life."
yes, no question.
studies on rats show that they only tap the drug lever when they are isolated from other rats, without anything to do. they're owed and lonely, disconnected from life's rat purposes.
of course they choose drugs😭