By John McColgan Santa Monica
The article (“On death’s doorstep,” page 1, Feb.1) about 60 volunteers from… local agencies conducting a survey of the city’s most vulnerable homeless, reminds me of a bank commercial I see often on TV.
In it, you have a group of corporate board member types hiking through the woods. One of them falls into quick sand. As he’s going under, the others decide to have a board meeting to determine what action to take. Finally when he is almost totally submerged with only his hand showing, a quick thinking member of the group act’s on his own. He throws him a rope and pulls him out, saving him.
The message is obvious, act! Stop talking about it. Dare I say, if the article is correct and there are 110 homeless that are in danger of dying this year, because of a combination of disease, drugs/alcohol and mental illness, then these people need a rope, not a survey. You have 60 people out there interviewing people living on the streets in danger of dying. How absurd! Hey people, how about you pick them up, put them in a van and take them to a shelter, where they can get medical help.
Hell, that’s not even two homeless people per volunteer. This should be done even against their will. I know I sound mean, but what is compassionate about allowing a sick human being to just lay there in filthy clothes, unprotected from the elements? Especially the mentally ill who are incapable of making rational decisions. They should be treated like children. Would you allow a sick child to sleep in the streets?
As far as housing, well I haven’t lived here that long, but I would be willing to bet, that with the money Santa Monica has spent over the years on the homeless, you probably could have built a luxury hotel for them. These people need a shower, clean clothes, food and medical attention. And the truth is that many of them won’t stay in shelters because they don’t want to and they don’t have to. They have options. The weather here is mild. They are allowed to pan handle. Public drunkenness is tolerated. And I guess there are no laws against sleeping in the streets. Most people respond to incentives. Take them away and they also respond … Force these people into shelters were they can be cared for.
The truly mentally ill need permanent care. Those on drugs and alcohol should be treated but not indefinitely. And those who are able to should be made to get a job. After awhile if they refuse to work, then the tax payers hand out should end. Now I know not all the problems will be solved but a lot of it will. And the problem will be much more manageable. (We) have people who have been living on the streets for (close to) 30 years. So obviously what is being done, ain’t working. I believe there are many people who believe as I do but are afraid to voice it because it’s not politically correct. People like the single woman walking down the street at night and is approached aggressively buy a man asking for money. What about her right not to be harassed?
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 6, 2008. Read the original PDF.