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# Street kid needs a few lessons in life
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/street-kid-needs-a-few-lessons-in-life-editor/
- Published: 2004-06-03T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T04:29:25.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Santa Monica, #archive-import, Homeless

*By Mike Kirwan Venice*

I would like to clear up a few things Mr. Cancer mentioned in his response to my letter (SMDP, June 1, page 4). Maybe some things were left out of his interview, we have to go by what was printed. When he came out here, it was on a whim. Despite the efforts of the Bush administration, it’s still a free country. But he should have saved up some money first. He says his group sleeps on a patio area with the permission of the owner. If he has permission, then he has permission. But a lot of property owners do not want people sleeping on their property. They have rights to have that dealt with. He did say if a job was boring, he either quits, because he can’t handle it, or gets fired. He better grow up. Most jobs are boring.

People won’t pay us to go have fun. And if he ever has kids, he better be able to support them. The taxpayers shouldn’t have to. He says he prefers to be clean, this should help him get a job. Maybe some of these shelters will allow use of an address or phone number. Something needs to be said. It is hard for even educated non-homeless people to get jobs these days. The Bush administration and Republican policies favor the greedy businessmen who export our jobs.

They give tax breaks to the rich for all the profits they make with their cheap imports. Things that used to be made in this country. Whatever the economy, anyone who hires people won’t hire or keep a person who is under the influence. This DMX, I never heard of it, may be legal, but so is alcohol. Nobody wants a drunk working on the job. As for his music, he is right, American Idol is lame. His kind of music probably has clubs and such where he could perform.

If he becomes a star, more power to him. But most don’t become stars, so we have to get jobs. I would settle for even a boring job. I am unemployed, not a greedy businessman. I am not from Boston, New York, and (fortunately) I am not from Texas either. I am from Los Angeles. Our climate brings a lot of bums out here, that is the way it is. He isn’t helping anybody by being one of them. Maybe things will get better as soon as we get rid of that idiot Bush and his cadre of corporate folks, the sooner the better.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on June 3, 2004.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/060304.pdf?ref=smdp.com)