Today, I was struck by a photograph and article in our local paper, The Bradenton Herald, that just really moved, saddened, and confused me. I'd post the article and/or the pic here but they charge for that sort of thing plus, well, I just couldn't find it on their website. Let me begin by describing this haunting picture though. The photo involved a homeless person, dissheveled, almost in what appears to be a "passed-out" sort of state, laying across a bus stop bench. Ironically, the bench that he has chosen to sleep on is emblazoned with the words, "Come all you who are weary and I will give you rest - Jesus". Right below this statement is the address of a local church. It's a powerful photo.
The article itself goes on to discuss how our sister county, Sarasota, has recently been voted, by the National Homeless Coalition, one of the nation's "meanest" cities for homeless people due to a law restricting people from sleeping outdoors. Our county is now considering a similar law in effort to restrict unsanitary conditions left by those who would choose to camp in a public place.
In all honesty, this article broke my heart. Essentially what we're saying is that we realize that there are homeless in our midst but we'd rather legislate them out of sight rather than love them into our hearts and homes. We'd rather choose to lock them up, remove them from our pristine Gulfside properties, and not have to think of them. Homeless people, in our estimation, are those people that we go to support at our $200-a-plate soirees where we dress up and get all prettied up for the local press. What crap. What total and utter crap. When local organizations are willing to help the down and out, we shut them down due to concerns over the look and feel of the area. What's more important, redemption or capital? Love or money?
The sad part of this whole thing is that the situation vexes me. It makes me angry that our local consituency is even considering such a motion. Yet, I realize, I'm not that far from them. Just today, as I sat and waited at a traffic light, I consciously averted my eyes from the man who stood on the corner, brandishing a tattered sign that read: "NO WORK TODAY; HUNGRY!" What do I do in the face of such poverty? I can only give so much. Even then, I'm not sure I should. Is it my responsibility what they do once the money is out of my hands? Am I even willing to see the suffering for what it is? Am I willing to set aside my wants and desires to help someone who's truly in need?
Note: Photo found at www.danheller.com.
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