Hearing these past two weeks about the various parties who work with the homeless, one of the most frustrating aspects for me has been the impression I have been given that very few people care. Obviously, a great many people do, as the number of organizations and other efforts we have been introduced to indicates. However, these people seem to be coming up against the general consensus that the homeless are not wanted, but also that no one wants to help them either, they simply want them gone.
I cannot help but think that some of these ideas come from the assumption that these people should try harder, that they have put themselves in this situation and therefore ought to (with the implicit assumption that they can) get themselves out of it as well. There often seems to be the idea, I have found, that people need to earn their own livelihood. That they should work for the things they need, and not subsist on handouts from those who have already earned what they have. Personally, I think this concept has many problems. Of course, I am not saying people should not work hard, or that the idea they should earn their living is entirely wrong. But there are a great number of factors I believe this attitude ignores. And, perhaps most importantly, is that really the type of society we should strive to create? Are we willing to ignore the needy because they do not deserve our help? What must they do to deserve it? Personally, I feel that their position as human beings automatically makes the homeless worthy of a decent life. In a society where so many have so much, I think we can afford a little generosity, to give without qualifications or expectation of repayment.