By Charles Springer
I also proudly served as a Marine to defend this country, with my life if need be, so that all Americans can enjoy the freedoms written in the Constitution. In serving this great nation, I took an oath to defend and uphold the Constitution against all enemies both foreign AND domestic. I take that oath very seriously and feel deeply that capitalistic and corporate greed are domestic enemies of the Constitution and the rights it guarantees to ALL citizens, no matter what their race, creed, gender or economic status. This society was founded on those values and many people have fought and died to defend this document and the way of life it represents for all of us who live here.
Capitalism did not really take hold in this country until the turn of the last century during the industrial revolution. So a reader’s comment about American society being built on capitalism is not true. And the fact is that this form of greed tends to erode and take away from the constitutional rights of Americans. This, as well as the down-sizings and number fudging to make phony profits to sell stock, take away from the common man. I honestly ask people to think about this when you feast on your turkey.
Also in some African American communities there is a saying, “It takes a whole village to raise one child.” Here again we see the whole community helping each other to accomplish a goal. The only reason some think that socialistic ideas would not work in the economy is in part to what I believe is a very stereotypical view of homelessness and its causes. This seems to be the prevailing attitude of some who become successful. And while I honestly and sincerely applaud your success and wish you more in the future, I also, in the same light, wish to show you how socialistic applications could work within a capitalistic society. The first thing to do is find the mistakes of BOTH systems and not repeat them. This example of what I’m talking about might show you how it could work.
There are approximately 88,000 people in Santa Monica. If each person gave $1.00 a month, the year’s total would be $1,056,000, which could be set aside in a bank account separate from the city’s that funds the existing programs; to help in training, counseling and rehabilitation of homeless. Also for setting up and adding to REAL work programs like the cart pushing program, which I currently belong to, as well as the people who set up the farmers market on Wednesdays and Fridays.
There are many empty properties which could be rented and used for training in computers, electronics, etc. It’s a better use for them than being a “blight” on the neighborhood, right? These could also be used to linked the outside feeding programs so that there could be some incentive to get work and get off the streets. Also, there are many vacant apartments that have been so since rent control was lifted. These could be rented out at the pre-rent control price to those who have successfully completed the existing shelter and transitional housing programs, again an incentive. This would free up beds for those of us who want and need the help these programs offer, but due to overcrowding have to wait up to two months to get in.
All of this would be set up and overseen by a committee made up of homeless, and housed from all parts of Santa Monica. Each giving his or her expertise to the situation from all ends of the social spectrum as to how this program would be set up and operated. And could also pull additional funding from non-profit grants from the government and the private sector. I would also link all the existing homeless services to this as well. This would help better facilitate the transition to housing and help those who are chronically homeless adjust to living in the mainstream lifestyle, as well as form a larger force to begin to solve the homeless situation. All of this could work, funded in part, with $1.00 per month per resident rich, poor and homeless alike. It would also benefit the capitalistic sector by creating jobs, as well as keeping formerly homeless people off the streets and working, therefore adding to the consumer base of the economy. When this is accomplished, it will be easier to see who is productive and who is not, those who do not want to get with the program should be dealt with as seen fit by the city.
So your socialistic ideologies can be incorporated into, and applied, within a capitalistic system. And this actually insures that the DEMOCRATIC society in which we live is applied to all American citizens in this city: rich, poor, homeless, handicapped, young and old of all races, creeds and genders. And all of the rights the Constitution affords all of us are enjoyed and celebrated. It just takes effort to bring it about and co-operation on all fronts to make anything like this a working reality.
Charles Springer is homeless and living in Santa Monica.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 25, 2002. Read the original PDF.