Homey Headlines
Today from Ventura County, California
Homeless Are Ordered Out
In a hybrid attempt at compassion and policing, a team of police officers, social workers, mental health and housing specialists swept the Santa Clara River bottom looking for homeless campers …
… yellow warning notices with social service referrals were tucked under cans of food, (left) on dented coolers, propped on ripped lawn chairs or laid on piles of filthy clothes.
This sweep of homeless camps along a river in Oxnard was prompted by a recent murder, and by an increase in vandalism and thefts in the area. City officials, social service workers and the homeless know the increased crime isn’t perpetrated by the homeless, but by criminals that prey on the homeless, the poor and the vulnerable. The homeless who live in seclued camps to avoid crime loose everything when they don't conform to social service program criteria. Often, programs that provide services to the homeless provide criminals anonymity and concealment making it easier for them to conduct criminal business.
At a local Twin Cities shelter, a survey was conducted of 80 men staying overnight at the facility. Over half had cell phones, most used to conduct organized criminal activity.
At a local soup line, the MPD effected a drug sting to nab two dozen ‘homeless’ persons for marijuana possession and drug dealing. That sting shut down the pot supply and pot smoking among the homeless community for a couple of weeks. As a result, crack became the high on the hill. It’s been known that crack users and dealers work the receiving docks at some charities, and donations to those charities go through ‘volunteer' crack dealers before ever reaching the needy.
Homeless Are Welcomed Here
People in all walks of life lump others that are different into distinct groups, or communities. Society tosses together a group of poor and distraught individuals who have no permanent address, and labels them ‘homeless’. The homeless share a peculiar walk in life, but they are not all criminals. Violent and predatory individuals have crept into the homeless family, and prey on the most vulnerable. Predatory and violent criminals live among the ‘middle’ class, as well; I’ve heard them called ‘bankers’, ‘ceo’s’, and elected ‘public’ officials.
I have friends who are business owners, friends who are business doers, and friends who have no business at all. It doesn’t matter to me if my friends have homes or not; when soup’s on, all friends are welcome here.
Especially tomorrow; it's my birthday!
Homeless Are Ordered Out
In a hybrid attempt at compassion and policing, a team of police officers, social workers, mental health and housing specialists swept the Santa Clara River bottom looking for homeless campers …
… yellow warning notices with social service referrals were tucked under cans of food, (left) on dented coolers, propped on ripped lawn chairs or laid on piles of filthy clothes.
This sweep of homeless camps along a river in Oxnard was prompted by a recent murder, and by an increase in vandalism and thefts in the area. City officials, social service workers and the homeless know the increased crime isn’t perpetrated by the homeless, but by criminals that prey on the homeless, the poor and the vulnerable. The homeless who live in seclued camps to avoid crime loose everything when they don't conform to social service program criteria. Often, programs that provide services to the homeless provide criminals anonymity and concealment making it easier for them to conduct criminal business.
At a local Twin Cities shelter, a survey was conducted of 80 men staying overnight at the facility. Over half had cell phones, most used to conduct organized criminal activity.
At a local soup line, the MPD effected a drug sting to nab two dozen ‘homeless’ persons for marijuana possession and drug dealing. That sting shut down the pot supply and pot smoking among the homeless community for a couple of weeks. As a result, crack became the high on the hill. It’s been known that crack users and dealers work the receiving docks at some charities, and donations to those charities go through ‘volunteer' crack dealers before ever reaching the needy.
Homeless Are Welcomed Here
People in all walks of life lump others that are different into distinct groups, or communities. Society tosses together a group of poor and distraught individuals who have no permanent address, and labels them ‘homeless’. The homeless share a peculiar walk in life, but they are not all criminals. Violent and predatory individuals have crept into the homeless family, and prey on the most vulnerable. Predatory and violent criminals live among the ‘middle’ class, as well; I’ve heard them called ‘bankers’, ‘ceo’s’, and elected ‘public’ officials.
I have friends who are business owners, friends who are business doers, and friends who have no business at all. It doesn’t matter to me if my friends have homes or not; when soup’s on, all friends are welcome here.
Especially tomorrow; it's my birthday!
posted by Kelly at 8:00 PM
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