Comments on The Dangers of Helping the Homeless

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Jail!!!

I find it disgusting that your friend could have gone to jail for trying to make a positive difference in the world and reaching out to people in need!!!

From what I've read of this so far, this is really an interesting and wonderful project that you're involved with, and I can hardly wait to read more and see how you're coming along!

Blessings!
AJ

posted by Ainsley_Jo_Phillips on October 12, 2004 at 7:51 AM | link to this | reply

You make some good points

As a patient with bipolar disorder myself, I can relate to some of the material in your blog. I've never been homeless, but imagine the brouhaha if someone found out I was in the neighborhood. And bipolar is one of the more dangerous disorders to boot.

Trying to get people well controlled is a chore in and of itself, too. Someone with paranoia as a prominent feature of his or her mental illness will see your attempts to get them controlled as a part of some vast, ill-defined conspiracy.

I agree with you about the dental care, though. The poorer you are, the poorer the medical care you tend to receive, and dental care is no exception. The assumption is that you're not worth spending the time on to take care of well - like many people, these medical people would rather take care of clean, attractive, mentally healthy people because they are perceived as cooperative and intelligent. Someone who hasn't been able to bathe in weeks is seen as uncooperative and will be labeled as such despite the facts.

posted by kidnykid on February 24, 2003 at 11:37 AM | link to this | reply

homeless-warning
I just e-mailed about an hour before you published this blog.personally i think you are sitting on a hand grenade waiting to go off. your idealism and trust in people are good, but beware.this people had choices.

posted by okohiored on February 24, 2003 at 11:06 AM | link to this | reply