By John Zarchen
Your editorial on July 21 in the Santa Monica Daily Press intrigues me (Charles Springer’s From the Street column, page 4). If, as you say, “We, who are homeless, are human beings not animals.” Then why do you urinate and defecate in our parks, threaten our children, vomit on our fences and lawns, expose yourself in public, trespass on private property and loiter, harass and attack the citizenry with deadly weapons (Andre Watson, a violent homeless man who repeatedly attacked citizens with knives and razors.) Also, you call for “watchdog groups to keep the homeless agencies in line and ensure the homeless... are helped getting jobs.” This is a free country and self determination is at the core of our constitution. “Mega corporations” don’t lay off workers to keep “the CEO’s multi-million dollar paycheck.” They lay off workers to improve profitability. This is called capitalism. If government would hire and fire with the ebb and flow of tax revenue instead of caving in to the pressure of unions who demand job security for life with fat pensions, we wouldn’t be in this fiscal morass we have created.
I do not have vitriol for the homeless, Charles. I do, however, demand that the economically disadvantaged behave like humans and not animals. Instead of panhandling, migrate to an area where labor is needed: Farms, ranches, light construction around developments, dairies and industrial areas in need of day labor. It’s easy to be a parasite (an animal) and enjoy the handouts by do-gooders who infiltrate our city. It’s hard to be a hard-working American.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 23, 2003. Read the original PDF.