At first, I thought I'd like to write my essay on either spousal or child abuse. Both are quite traumatic and worldwide. After thinking about this for nearly a week, I have decided to write my paper on the homeless. Are the majority of homeless people substance abusers, alcoholics, outlaws, and the mentally challenged, or are the majority ordinary folks that got a raw deal in the ever changing times of our economy? If so, how long does it take, on an average, for these folks to get a roof over their heads?
Katrina and Rita made thousands of people homeless. A lot of us know these folks, myself included. Some of us may have been homeless at one point in our lives. I know that I have been homeless, more than once. Every one of us, has a different story to tell, and I hope to find one that I can write about. I would also like to find the most recent statistics on the homeless, and compare it to 10 years ago.
I believe that there are two types of homeless people. The kind that choose to be, and the kind that don't. I met a cab driver about 2 years ago, that told me that the homeless have "beat the system". He said that he watched a homeless man drink a beer while jaywalking in front of a police officer, and the officer did nothing. The cab driver said that the homeless don't have mortgages or rent, they don't have to pay taxes, they don't have car payments, and they get their food free. So in that cab drivers eye's the homeless man had beat the system. As I was thinking about it, half of me wanted to slap the "cabby" silly, and the other half wanted to agree. I know that in my case, as well as a few homeless folks I have met, they all wish they had those bills. A lot of them were drawn to substance abuse and alcoholism after they had been homeless for a while. It was their way of "killing the pain".
Life is challenging, and can be very cruel. As I type this, I hear my Grandma's voice telling me, " Sometimes there are mountains or mudpuddles. If you can't walk over them or around them, you just gotta walk through them!". I was blessed to have her in my life, because that's just the kind of thinking that got me out of my homeless situations, and back on track. But my life, or situation is not the same as others. This is why I've decided to write on the homeless.
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6 comments:
Ur topic is a great idea, it seems like we put the homeless out of sight out of mind, but with ur past experience you should be able to put a personal spin on the topic and maybe shine some light on an ever growing population
I really like your idea for the essay. I know you are going to have a great essay that gets your point across just becasue of the way you wrote about it in your blog. That is a major issue that needds more attention than it gets.
I really like your idea for the essay. I know you are going to have a great essay that gets your point across just becasue of the way you wrote about it in your blog. That is a major issue that needds more attention than it gets.
I like your idea here Mrs. Doughty, it is very unique. It really hits home for me... I like how you touched on the fact that some homeless people do actually choose to be homeless. When i read this i immediately thought of a man we worked with during the summer. I used to get so so frustrated becuase every morning when i would go to wake the guys up he would be sleeping in the driveway. I fought and fought with this man, asking him how in the HELL could he actually like his lifestyle, sleeping here and there, no where permanant. Every time, i got the same answer: "Freedom."
Being homeless myself, i hated it. It brought out every humans natural insticts for survival. People who say "oh i'd never do this. i'd never do that" soon see themselves doing things 10x worse, just to stay alive. Sleeping with knives, living in dumpsters, wondering the city all day hoping to find a fresh meal thrown out, asking, but never begging for just a little spare change. Living every day counting their money just waiting for that next big hit, and the whole time smelling that mcdonalds making your stomache scream with agony, your mouth water and crying becuase you can't understand why the heroin won't let you eat. The people who choose not to be homeless do crazy things. I went to jail once and swore i'd never go back and then once i was on the streets, i found myself chugging mad dogs and intentionally acting like a moron in front of cops. When you're homeless, you can't beat 3 hots and a cot. Jail was the penthouse to us. A perfect place to detox during the middle of december.
It's unfortunate that we have so many homeless people in our society but what is even more appalling is to know how many of them actually choose to live this way.
I think you have a very strong paper here and i am very confident in your ability to write it becuase of your experiences on the streets, but please keep in mind that while you need research and statistics for this paper - the life of your paper is going to come from your heart, your personal experiences and your eagarness to express the truth about our homeless society.
Hi Everyone that replied to my entry for essay 3. You know who you are! :)
Angel,
Thank you for the vote of confidence. It was very kind of you to responde.
Nicko,
Bless your "little pointed head"! And you are absolutely correct. The homeless population does need to get attention. Especially since we have so many more, due to the Hurricanes.
Thanks again babe....
Hey Quentin,
Are you in Dr. White's class or Ms. Burleson's? You gave me the impression that you have been through a lot in the short time you've been on this Earth. Your response gave me even more to "run with", and I am extrememly thankful to you for that!....so...you had a heroin monster bite you on the ass also, huh? I was 14 years old in San Jose, California when I kicked my "monster". I started when I was 12. Heroin, that is. I had got "popped" in the 5th grade for selling glue, of all things.
But I started on the streets, (not by choice) at the ripe old age of 11. Yes, I've seen a lot. I'm 48, soon to hit the 49 mile marker. And I thank all of the folks, (even the one's that hurt me), and God, for my survival. (Not necessarily in that order). I was born with my "Creator" in my heart, along with the two (one on each shoulder)guardian angels, that have kept me from going insane, or doing something that even God wouldn't forgive.
But anyway, thank you so very much for your insight on the homeless, perhaps we can get together to discuss your response in more detail.
Again, thank you babe.
Gracie
Hi Everyone that replied to my entry for essay 3. You know who you are! :)
Angel,
Thank you for the vote of confidence. It was very kind of you to responde.
Nicko,
Bless your "little pointed head"! And you are absolutely correct. The homeless population does need to get attention. Especially since we have so many more, due to the Hurricanes.
Thanks again babe....
Hey Quentin,
Are you in Dr. White's class or Ms. Burleson's? You gave me the impression that you have been through a lot in the short time you've been on this Earth. Your response gave me even more to "run with", and I am extrememly thankful to you for that!....so...you had a heroin monster bite you on the ass also, huh? I was 14 years old in San Jose, California when I kicked my "monster". I started when I was 12. Heroin, that is. I had got "popped" in the 5th grade for selling glue, of all things.
But I started on the streets, (not by choice) at the ripe old age of 11. Yes, I've seen a lot. I'm 48, soon to hit the 49 mile marker. And I thank all of the folks, (even the one's that hurt me), and God, for my survival. (Not necessarily in that order). I was born with my "Creator" in my heart, along with the two (one on each shoulder)guardian angels, that have kept me from going insane, or doing something that even God wouldn't forgive.
But anyway, thank you so very much for your insight on the homeless, perhaps we can get together to discuss your response in more detail.
Again, thank you babe.
Gracie
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