By Sunny Collins Santa Monica
Your reporter’s recent feature on the feeding of the homeless in Pacific Palisades Park was fair and balanced (SMDP, March 17, page 1). Nothing can be added that has not been verbalized over and over: That these do-gooders who provide these meals come from a distance. In other words, this problem is not in their backyard. These self-styled good Samaritans would be called enablers in another sector. These unfortunate homeless need to be helped, evaluated and, as much as possible, aided in a re-entry into a better and more mainstream life. This concept is not overly popular in very liberal Santa Monica, but those of us who do embrace this solution and don’t feel helping them in a larger, more corrective way infringes upon their civil rights can take heart. Because, folks, the times they are a’changin’. With the commercial and residential growth of Santa Monica comes a more conservative mind-set. To implement truly constructive help for the homeless is an idea whose time has come. Bleeding hearts, your time is done.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 23, 2006. Read the original PDF.