Saturday, October 30, 2010

Truly scary




According to the National Coalition for the Homeless' website "approximately 3.5 million people, 1.35 million of them children, are likely to experience homelessness in a given year (National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, 2007)." While there are many, many reasons people are homeless (mental illness, eroding working opportunities, foreclosures, decline in public housing, lack of affordable healthcare) the problem is nevertheless a visible reminder of America's shame. The wealthiest country in the world and yet we continue to have people sleeping on the streets, in the alleys and under our overpasses. In Key West, the weather is generally balmy and pleasant for outdoor living. In Colorado, people die each year from the bitter cold. 

4 comments:

  1. that's a powerful vignette. well done.

    ReplyDelete
  2. That is so powerful, Danette.
    And statistics like that make you feel so helpless, don't they?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Indeed- although it simply scratches the surface of the things we as a nation have to have to be ashamed of, doesn't it? I feel helpless in many ways but not completely powerless. I vote and I advocate where ever I can for my fellow citizens to do better and to vote better (I have a bit of a reputation at work...). It's not much but even if all my vote does is cancel out a vote for profiteering and usury then it's better than it would be, I guess.

    ReplyDelete

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