maybe it's time to objectively and realistically reevaluate all that we know about homelessness and poverty and rethink the approach we've been taking for fifty plus years now. maybe we need to formulate a more coherent and realistic policy and strategy on fighting these two persistent blights in america. maybe this is the moment in time when we say that homelessness and poverty is no longer tolerable and all the agencies and organizations come together as one...with one purpose....with one strategy....with one plan.....to end the immoral monsters we call homelessness and poverty.
the united states government, the state government, the city government, the grassroots organizations, the churches and the philanthropists should do all they can do to help the poor and homeless in choosing a different path. that path is freedom from poverty, freedom from fear, freedom from the struggles of eating, freedom from the effort to find warmth and comfort daily, freedom from the struggle for the very basic need of food. that path should lead to prosperity...however small or great the amount. that moment should return us all to the traditional role of partner and friend to each other. it should return us all to the compassion and caring that made our communities and neighborhoods safe and a wonderful place to live. all neighborhoods...all races...all cultures....all economic classes. not promise zones, not enterprise zones, not economically fluent zones,....not racially divided zones....but all neighborhoods....all people....all human beings.
we need a model and plan of cold reality and brutally honest facts, figures and expectations...both on the positive and negative side. it would benefit us to know the facts and not operate on optimism or short term successes that aren't sustainable. it would benefit the homeless, it would benefit the poor, it would benefit the budgets of states and cities, it would benefit nonprofits and missions alike. it would benefit us all....to operate on a plane of reality and workable facts and numbers. the initiatives and plans wouldn't be savaged by budget cuts, funding shortfalls, whims of politics or misfortunes of private philanthropists if we had that model or plan rooted firmly in financial reality and achievable goals.
we also need leaders who have to abandon the belief that charm and feel good singular events can effect the outcome on a larger scale. we've seen time and time again that nice plans, no matter how many times they are recylced don't work. we witnessed many times the outcome of unrealistic goals with no sustainable end in sight that have collapsed around the people needing that plan the most.
we pursue these same plans with the determination and tunnel vision as if noone has ever pursued that same goal with that same plan before...many times. why we expect a different outcome is puzzling. it's egocentric and arrogant to think these plans will work this time when the same unsustainable and unrealistic objectives are still attached to them, just because an enthusiastic person is now carrying out those same plans.
so yes...maybe it's time to reevaluate our whole line of approach and thinking in the fight against homelessness and poverty. maybe it's time to pull the right components together and undo the damage of fifty years of stagnation and ineffectiveness of our current way of dealing with it. it's time to show respect for basic human rights and the concern for the well being of our fellow man. it's time to give the homeless and poor the flawless, concerted effort they deserve before we say....we lost. we need a fresh and properly funded effort put forth by all the people concerned with and involved with the fight. we need the determination and support of all americans. we need each other....like no other time in this fight. if we can do this...then we can truly anticipate an end....not short term success.
it's time ....i'm ready. i hope everyone is
see you around town