Comments on: The more they get, the more they will beg http://actlocallysf.org/blog/petpeevesblog/2007/10/22/the-more-they-get-the-more-they-will-beg/ The ActLocallySF Pet Peeves Blog Sun, 20 Jul 2008 18:42:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=wordpress-mu-1.0 by: Gretchen Cotter http://actlocallysf.org/blog/petpeevesblog/2007/10/22/the-more-they-get-the-more-they-will-beg/#comment-1372 Fri, 26 Oct 2007 20:12:21 +0000 http://actlocallysf.org/blog/petpeevesblog/2007/10/22/the-more-they-get-the-more-they-will-beg/#comment-1372 I think this is a very accurate portrayal of how many people have changed their attitudes regarding the homeless. Congratulations to the writer for so eloquently presenting his position! In my case I keep hearing about undocumented workers using city services but then I see them standing on street corners willing to take any type of day labor to feed their families and I can only applaud their courage. Contrast that to our aggressive "entitled" homeless - almost none of whom are undocumented migrants - and you begin to think that our values are all topsey turvey. We need to exercise a triage and provide services for those who need them and stop pandering to those who have made homelessness a lifestyle choice. I think that many SF residents feel the same way. We tried and tried to help the homeless and we understood and believed that a community should provide for the less fortunate. But, after years and years of handouts and the development of a homeless industry that more aligned with perpetuating homeless than eliminating it, I and many others have reached the point where we say "Enough is enough!" Our vision of a continuum of care has morphed from sympathy to apathy to antipathy.<ul><li><label>Overall Rating</label>: 10</li> </ul> I think this is a very accurate portrayal of how many people have changed their attitudes regarding the homeless. Congratulations to the writer for so eloquently presenting his position!

In my case I keep hearing about undocumented workers using city services but then I see them standing on street corners willing to take any type of day labor to feed their families and I can only applaud their courage. Contrast that to our aggressive “entitled” homeless - almost none of whom are undocumented migrants - and you begin to think that our values are all topsey turvey.

We need to exercise a triage and provide services for those who need them and stop pandering to those who have made homelessness a lifestyle choice.

I think that many SF residents feel the same way. We tried and tried to help the homeless and we understood and believed that a community should provide for the less fortunate. But, after years and years of handouts and the development of a homeless industry that more aligned with perpetuating homeless than eliminating it, I and many others have reached the point where we say “Enough is enough!”

Our vision of a continuum of care has morphed from sympathy to apathy to antipathy.

  • : 10
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