Must read- Instead of being disgusted by poverty, we are disgusted by poor people themselves

[liberalhistorian]

60. There was a placard saying being shared on FB

the other day that I proudly passed around. It asked "When did the War on Poverty become the War on the Poor?"

USA Today had an excellent op-ed piece Wednesday about the criminalization of and crackdown against the homeless in too many areas of the country. It pointed out that far too many of the homeless are veterans, the mentally ill and young families with children. It discussed the role of the economic and housing downturn in the growing numbers of homeless and described the vicious circle that often keeps them in homelessness. The criminalization of homelessness means that, when they're arrested for sleeping outdoors, as many cities are now doing (if they're homeless and shelters are full, just where the fuck else are they supposed to fucking sleep?), an arrest record will often prevent them from getting a job or renting a place.