Homelessness - U.S.A.

Or A Homeless World

"A Homeless Person" - An Individual who lacks a fixed, regular, adequate nighttime residence - not counting a shelter or institution that provide temporary residence.

"Homelessness in the United States increased significantly in the late 1970s and became an important political topic. The number of homeless people further grew in the 1980s, as housing and social service cuts increased and the economy deteriorated. The United States government determined that somewhere between 200,000 and 500,000 Americans were homeless. The number of homeless is reported to have risen since that time".

"According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, there were 664,414 sheltered and unsheltered homeless persons nationwide on a single night in January 2008. Additionally, about 1.6 million persons used emergency shelter or a transitional housing program during the 12 month period between October 1, 2007 and September 30, 2008. This number suggest that 1 in every 190 persons in the United States used the shelter system at some point in that period". (From Wikipedia)

To be sure, the economy has deteriorated even further in the last 4 years, caused by or coupled with the bursting of the housing bubble. There is much lamenting about the lack of good paying job left here in the U.S. while at the same time we all run out to so-called discount stores and buy imported (mostly from China) merchandise. We can't have it both ways. I will agree that we must have some imports, if for no other reason, to keep American merchants honest but we should all make an effort to buy American whenever possible. You may think I have drifted away from the homeless theme but that is not necessarily true since the more we buy "American made", the more good jobs we will have and the less homelessness. A poem in the Safari book looks at that subject. It is being included here.

The Homeless World

The little boy looked up at me and said "hey there mister / can you tell me where I can find something to eat / the last good meal that I had was sometime yesterday morning / and a boy sure gets hungry living out on the street" / I looked at him and thought "Oh Lord what's this world coming to / when even little children have no home" / sad brown eyes stared back at me and I knew without even thinking / that I couldn't go and leave him there alone.

For too many times I've heard it said, "I'm not my brother's keeper / and I don't have the time to worry about the lost / but what would this world be like today if Jesus said "I'm busy / you'll have to find somebody else to help you with your cross".

On the streets of New York City, Chicago or L.A. / the world is full of poor and hopeless souls / lives filled with no ambition, left with old and faded dreams / with just a bare existance left of their goals / their cry goes out to all the world, a cry for understanding / that leaves me with the feeling that we're wrong / for we don't really know them, pretend they're not even there / and we're hoping that tomorrow they'll be gone.

For too many times I've heard it said, "I'm not my brother's keeper ---


If we all make an effort, work together for the good of all and pray that "God Bless America Again" we can return to our rightful place, whatever that is, in this world. Until the next time, thanks and stay tuned. - William