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Friday, April 10, 2009

Ugh. Ignorance is not bliss.

I was browsing the channels during my "lunch break" at home, and stopped on this Oxygen show called Pretty Wicked. Have no clue what it is about but saw all these pretty women in a homeless shelter, so I thought I'd check it out. Next thing I know, one of the women is saying something like "I don't feel bad for these people. They are the ones that started doing drugs or drinking or whatever got them to this place." Honestly, I wanted to throw the remote control at the TV. I turned off the TV  at that moment and immediately came to write about how it made me feel.

And it PISSED ME OFF! That exact attitude is why this world is so effed up! If they'd get their head outta their asses, and educate themselves on something other than how to use their new Blackberry, they'd know that children make up about 40% of homeless people, and about 23% are families with children! And let's not forget the women who have suffered domestic violence, or our veterans who get literally get shit on by the country they served to protect

I volunteered at America's largest homeless shelter, CCNV, last March (which is literally blocks away from the White House.) I spoke to these people and heard their stories. None of them chose that path. Nobody wakes up one day and thinks it's a good day to be homeless. No one wants to be homeless! We can't continue to look at people like they deserve their situation. Instead, we need to realize that LIFE IS HARD and not all people have the resources, family and friends at their disposal to bail them out when they've been laid off, are declined public assistance, can't find affordable housing, or suffer a mental illness - just to name a few of the reasons for homelessness. 

And on the topic of addiction. It is a disease and those people deserve the chance to be treated just like anyone. You wouldn't look at a person with Diabetes and think that they were worthless because they had a Diabetes, would you? 

Get your head out of your arse lady, pick up a book and get the facts straight. For more info on homelessness, check out the National Coalition for the Homeless


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4 comments:

  1. I have been reading your blog awhile now and I think you are an amazing, wonderful, intelligent person who will help change this world!! My husband and I volunteer at a homeless shelter near us and it is a humbling, learning experience. No one could say it better than you just did!!! NO ONE!!!!! And i listened to that song you have linked up and wow...it is also amazing...gave me tears and goosebumps...hope you have a blessed day!!!

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  2. I am so happy to hear that you volunteer at a homeless shelter. We def. need more people like you!

    Adam Lambert is pretty stellar! He is no doubt going to win, and if he doesn't, we will still see his name in lights!

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  3. It was funny to me to see "Life with My Three Boys" commenting on here. I had no idea she was following your blog. She is a close personal friend of mine! haha I love how this blogosphere works. It makes the world such a small place.

    Anyway, back to the topic at hand. You are so right to be peeved! I went on a mission trip when I was in high school, and we volunteered at a homeless shelter and soup kitchen in Nashville. I was amazed and saddened to hear the stories and see the people struggling. We were walking by the river one day, and we kept seeing sleeping bags under big clumps of bushes and under the bridges. I will never forget that sight.

    Sometimes we just need to change our perspective. This woman sounds like a moron, though...uneducated and immature. I remember being twelve years old and those exact words came out of my mouth, "I don't feel bad for these people..." Looking back on it, I see how wrong I was. However, this woman is in her twenties assumably, and I was 12 years old with zero life experience. You are right...Pull your head out of your butt, lady! It must be so tough to have everything she could possibly desire at her fingertips.

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  4. You 2 are friends!?!?! How crazy cool. And yes, this woman is grown and a complete materialistic American. Welcome to America!

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