in delaware there are approximately 5.000 children who face homelessness of one type or another. there are approximately 2 million nationwide. this doesn't include the number of children who fall into the group of 11.5 million illegal immigrants in this country. some live in hotels, some live in cars, some live in abandoned buildings, some live days at a time with relatives or friends of their parents, bouncing back and forth between beds. many of these children experience hunger on a daily basis. how can you justify or reason this away? you can't. i can't. noone reasonably can. these children are being introduced to the terrible aspects of life that adults shouldn't have to deal with. these children are experiencing insecurity and hardships that adults shouldn't have to endure. these children...these children in your state....these children in your community have no home...they have no security....they have no choice. these children are black, white, hispanic and asian. homelessness and poverty knows no racism, it shows no preference. it shows no compassion. it will claim its victims regardless of age or color or gender. it has no sympathy. it will attack you and leave its scars regardless of who you are or what age you happen to be. it will consume them at an age when they are most vulnerable if we continue to let it.
there are many arguments on and about the homeless. there are cases made for and against helping the homeless and the methodology to do so. there are ten year plans and planning councils and studies. there are budgets and finances and politics. but one thing is certain...a solution to the homeless children of america is a moral obligation we all have and should be a first priority. we should not jeopardize the future or lives of these children. housing first? this should be the one and only priority of housing first programs....children. every homeless program and every housing program in america should stop...right now...today and make them their priority. they should be ahead of the elderly, the mentally ill and yes....the beloved veterans programs.
how can america even think it is a world leader when 2 million of its own children go to sleep at nite and wake up tomorrow...homeless? how can america speak of ethics and morals and courage when we let are youngest sleep on the street? how can we speak of the high principles of freedom and capitlism when every day 3 of our youngest die on the street...homeless. how can politicians speak of budgets and economies when young boys and girls are endangered each and every day and nite by a problem that could be and should be ended....now. how can churches convene on sundays and preach the virtues of religion and spirituality when blocks away from that same church children are walking ...with no home to go to? how can you tuck your own children in at nite and not feel a tinge of guilt and concern for these children? i hope you can't. how can we as adults and parents and citizens ignore the needs of the most vulnerable sector of our society...our future...the ones we are suppose to teach, protect and guide until they can navigate this world on their own? if martin luther king jr were alive today he would be appalled that his vision and dream for america and its youngest has turned out to be the nitemare he fought to overcome. the nitemare of poverty and lack of caring and compassion for our children. we speak of wars and victims in todays world. this is a war on the next generation of our country. this is a war with potentially more victims than any war we have fought. this is a battle for the future of our country and the fundamental way of life that each person should have here in america.
if no other battle is won in the fight against homelessness...this is one we cannot afford to lose. not only for their sake but for our own. if we foresake our children....then what is our future? if we can ignore homeless children and present no solution, no relief...for no other reason than they are our children...then what sort of country have we become? what sort of community have we become? wake up america...we are losing the best part of us....of each of us.
see you around town