Rock The Boat and Tip The Boat Over -- Kiler Davenport

I am getting sick and tired of all the homeless getting lumped into the same category. Just because someone is homeless doesn't mean that they are a criminal. Nor does it mean they are lazy or an alcoholic. I have been homeless and still live and minister out of an R.V. I do not do drugs, drink, or even dance. Yes there are some crazy, dangerous people on the streets and I am not talking about the homeless I am talking about the mainstream. Whatever the hell that is.
If we are ever going to make progress on this issue, we must begin to break it down and define the process. We must begin to communicate in ways that will intensify our efforts. This current warehousing and sheltering mentality is outdated and in the end does more harm than good. We need to be moving these folks up and out instead of down and in.

Any and all of you who deal with this population knows that it is getting worse and very soon could be at critical mass. Contrary to popular belief this issue is everybody's business like it or not. As the old saying goes "If you do not visit them they will soon visit you. Like it or not."

This is not an economic issue. It is a moral issue. If some see the homeless as less than human we have a problem. Unfortunately many see it that way even some of those who fund programs to help. The ones who have money have always have always look down on those who do not. Show me just one rich person that makes it a habit to bring the homeless home to meet the family. Show me one well to do person on the city council that would bring a street person home with them and let them take a shower, use the toilet, and sleep over. I didn't think so. You see this is what needs to happen.

This is the problem. We want to hide them on the south side of town. We want them to just go away. We want someone, somewhere to fix the problem without getting our hands dirty. Homeless people create jobs. They stimulate growth. They make certain people feel good. "Oh look at that dirty homeless person honey. Why don't you throw the rest of your fries out the window at him?"

We really need to get our head out of our ass and deal with the issue on a whole new level. We need to rock this boat. This population of people will expand. Funding will be hard to get especially for those old status quo programs. Homelessnes is not a problem to be solved. It is a moral issue to be solved.