It must be Thanksgiving. Everybody is talking about the homeless
but like the weather, they aint doing anything about it.
One of the appalling things about Thanksgiving is seeing a rush of people
heading to the soup kitchen to serve some meals to the "less fortunate".
The next week? Theyre home picking their self satisfied teeth and stroking their
assuaged consciences.
The problem really isnt enough people dolloping potatoes and gravy on holidays.
Besides, you havent really experienced Christmas if you havent been stuck serving a long line
of people who have no better place to go. And I dont mean in a shelter or regular feeding location.
The problem is PEOPLE DO NOT UNDERSTAND the mechanisms and reality of what it means to end up
on the street. No matter how it happens, you usually DONT HAVE A CAR OR MONEY IN YOUR POCKET.
You cant just stamp your feet to warm up when you are chilled to the bone.
You cant tote around a campstove in a shopping cart when the police confiscate them.
You cant drive out to the forest and camp out.
Being poor and homeless is something few people here seem to grok, and I fully understand that.
I was a loudmouthed self-righteous anti-war "progressive" LONG before I ever exposed myself to
the homeless people of Fresno by getting sucked into Food Not Bombs.
Even then, the work of gleaning, collecting, cleaning. prepping, cooking and transporting food, serving to
lines of up to 100 people DID NOT teach me anything about homelessness.
That requires engaging them as people, directly. Listening and learning.
It is a lot different than thinking about it, or talking about it.
And it opens your eyes, even when your heart is already open for business.
So, after ten years of watching the city of Fresno abuse and make life more miserable for the poorest of the poor,
we have reached a point where they are able to tell the homeless to disappear.
Why is that?
One reason is the climate is mild enough that only a few people die of exposure every year or so.
And the newspaper no longer reports it.
So emergency shelters are not paramount as they are in colder parts of the country.
When you look around your area and you see operations giving people some food and shelter, dont assume
it is like that everywhere.
And obviously, there is a huge prejudice against Fresno here, because of Rimjob.
You all should be disgusted by the vile conservative politicians who have threatened liberals with dirty bombs
and police gunfire, holding grudges and carrying out vendettas against peace advocates.
You should also realize they are still threatening the homeless, and they have nearly completed
a plan of destroying the homeless population by bulldozing safe, organized encampments as well as dangerous
messes the city created over the years through their mendacity and indifference to community health issues.
What can you do about that?
Everything.
These horrific actions take place in the state of California.
Jerry Brown is once again, Governor of the state.
Do you think he objects to this horror?
No, I sure dont. No more than he minds pepper spraying students.
But I will tell you what means a lot to him.
Your opinion.
He wants something he will never have, but he wants it regardless.
You all could force him to act simply because of his vanity.
contact the governor of California and tell him you dont think the homeless in Fresno should be treated like vermin.
Tell him you know what is going on in his state, and he will never have your support if he doesnt correct the hateful
actions of the phony born again politicians who literally hide behind their churches and pulpits while doing the devils work.
DO SOMETHING.
but please,
dont serve a meal on Thanksgiving and call it good.
thats just bullshit.
= new reply since forum marked as read
have to have "pulled shifts" at other times of the year. People are often shocked when they call up to "volunteer for Thanksgiving" only to be told they are "full up" with volunteers but they can sign up for the middle of February if they'd like.
