By Charles Springer Homeless in Santa Monica having an address or being red-flagged for the address we use as our mailing addresses, which are the various homeless agencies in the area, who by their very inception and design, are there to help us get on our feet.
I strongly feel in my heart Mr. Cruz’s story is not unique to any of us who reside within the Santa Monica homeless community. As a matter of fact, his story is quite common and is very familiar to those of us who live our lives on the streets of Santa Monica. Yes, the Santa Monica homeless community is comprised of people who have had wives, husbands, children, places to live, jobs, girlfriends, pets, cars, and paid taxes and lived normal lives, at one time, like anyone who is reading this paper that is housed. Many of us were and can be again productive members so society if given the right opportunity to do so. If shown the tolerance, love and compassion as human beings and American citizens, not kicked and treated like trash, as some of those who read this think we are.
The reason I say this is this, you never know, in today’s severe economic maelstrom in which we all inhabit, when you yourself will be the next Mr. Cruz. You never know when there might come a day when the same agencies and people you deride as being failures, as being refuse within society, you yourself find yourself there among the Santa Monica homeless community.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 24, 2005. Read the original PDF.