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When President Johnson signed civil rights legislature into law, Democrats knew the possible political consequences. And those consequences (losing the south) still effect our political landscape today. I have to ask the question; "Was it the right thing to do considering the political suicide for the Democrats?" "Would any politician have the same righteous courage today to challenge a social injustice and do what is right for America in the face of personal sacrifice?"
The answer to the latter question decides whether homelessness will ever be truly addressed with a end solution or if economic bondage and social deprivation for a minority in our community is acceptable.
Tomorrow; reality in Dallas might be lead in a new direction of justice, integrity, humanity and righteousness but not today.
Maybe a few of you received an email asking for donations recently to help out out homeless. One I received in particular still causes me extreme depression and hopelessness. It's no fault of the agency but the environment in which they and most all agencies work within today.
According to The Bridge, it costs $700 per month to shelter 1 person. $700 for a foam mattress on top of a cement slab (for a majority of persons at The Bridge) for 30 days. In comparison, less than $600 per month for an apartment to end a persons suffering and according to all statistics, save a persons life.
What kind of City is willing to pay more money to ensure the continued economic bondage and social deprivation of its own people as oppose to paying less and saving human lives? I don't know what is to be human anymore after seeing this. I don't know what is God, what is Christian, what is a person anymore when a people are willing to pay a higher sum of monies to keep a cloud of death and desperation over other humans in their own community.
Go to church, go to temple or mosque. What religion teaches something so abhorrent? What political theory teaches such an acceptance?
For the last decade I have given and fought for our citizens without homes and I saw many miracles as well as many tragedies but after seeing this, I can no longer believe God is in Dallas or any part therein. If I am wrong and God is in Dallas and this is what He creates within His people, I renounce Him. And if this, my community (since 1964) believes is acceptable. I give it to the devil to have his way.
In any case, this is my last and final blog and act on behalf of the less fortunate. There is no chance of true success in such an environment. I'm certain you will see and hear of fabled successes but that is exactly what most are. And as Dallas nears its failure to live up to their promise to the least fortunate (ten year plan) certainly you will also see the blame being directed here and there to deflect from the real culprit; "each one of us."

I won't be blogging until after Christmas.

There is some really important news (evidence) I gathered about homelessness in Dallas that will prove what I have been saying for many years. I'm still waiting on a few more responses to emails to wrap up this story. Hope everyone has a grateful holiday and thanks for all the responses.

James

The child

Every now and then you come across a person who just has this internal light inside of them and makes you feel better when just standing in the the same room.
The three people came into the office all bundled up in their layer upon layer of clothes. He had a smile on his face as if there wasn't a care in the world. I introduced myself to the three and was drawn to this person to ask why of all people was he homeless. He told me the story of how his father was abusive and how he, his mother and sister escaped the violence with just a bag of clothing and enough gas to make it to Dallas from Oklahoma. They had tried to get into a shelter the night before but Mother did not have enough documentation to prove the children were hers, so they denied them a place to sleep. Instead they stayed in their paint faded 1985 station wagon and huddled together to survive the freezing cold.
They were looking for work to earn $40 so they wouldn't have to stay another night outside.
Little Moses, being only 8 years-old, said he would help and do anything for his sister and mother, even if it meant begging out on the roadways, so his family would have a safe and warm place to sleep for the night.
I don't know if they ever earned enough money that day to get out of the cold but often I will think of Moses when the nights turn frigid and the light he carried inside and surprisingly, I will be warm.

Truth versus compassion

I know there are those out there who would want me to tell the whole truth about homelessness in Dallas. I cannot because I know that there would be such a fallout, the collateral damage would affect to many good people. I worry about the single mom receptionist providing for her 2 children and how she would be affected. Because as we all know, expose the top of the echelon and the bottom suffers as well.
But there are somethings the general public deserve and need to hear. In 2002 while I was in Americorp, I was assigned to do research on the amount of monies being used to address homelessness in Dallas. Paula (another Americorp assigned to help with the formation of MDHA) assisted. We were given access to information not available to the public. Faith base organizations do not have to report any monies to the government or to the public. 2/3rds of the way through the project, we had reached the 60 million dollar mark. I notified then the chair of the MDHA and it was decided to end the project because of the possible backlash from the community due to the fact millions were being wasted. I have no doubt the number is in the 80 million dollar range today.
$80,000,000/homeless population 5,800 equates to over $13,300 PER INDIVIDUAL.
Are we really ending homelessness or building a mammoth industry on the backs of the suffering?
I give this information to the Dallas community because it is your monies and your charity being abused. It is also your choice whether or not to hold people accountable.
Conclusion: since that study 1/2 billion dollars has pured into ending homelessness and we are still (population wise) at the same place.

Why would anyone care?

Question: Why care about people you don't know? Why care about that neighbor you have never met? Why care about that child you don't know getting an inadequate education due to lack of funding for quality teachers and material? Why care about that dirty, grungy man standing on the street corner asking for money? Why care at all about anything that doesn't directly effect your dinner time meal? A even more important question: Why even try to do anything about it?
The DMN News has done a more than adequate job showing that ending homelessness is economically beneficial for our community. If that neighbor up the street loses their job and has to put his house on the market and than another and another, your value in your house goes into the tank. Having a proper education means a stronger economy for all Americans while having a uneducated population burdens any economy.
If helping other Americans in fact not only benefits you personally economically but also enlightens society, than what's the problem?
Never mind the historical inevitable social unrest that comes when societies stop caring about each other and focus completely on self. Never mind the fact that uncaring societies lose their freedom and fall to Fascist/Communistic forms of rule. Never mind that what we do today decides the type of reality our children will have to be burden with tomorrow.
Today we blame everyone we can point our little finger at for the recession except ourselves.
Helping our fellow Americans helps not only America but ourselves.
So why is America so bent on committing suicide?
Long before any economic and national collapse comes, you can finger one harsh truth; We stopped caring about one another.

Fellow Americans

I learned a long time ago in advocacy, that putting yourself out there for others vocally means also putting a target on your back and that is o.k. ( it still hurts but that goes with the territory)
While recently there was a "blog" about me, what really matters is that the issue of homelessness was discussed and regardless, that is the most important part. Any discussion is a good discussion whether it is mean spirited or not. Challenging both our society and political norms means you have to be willing to take a few bullets. Questioning, complaining, promoting is American. Letting people vent their personal views shows the challenges ahead. Human life is a hot topic (as evidence by the number of comments). Yes, I could be quiet as many would perfer or I can take what goes with vocal advocacy and make a differance in maybe one persons' life.

I think I'll chose the latter. Homeless people have thick skin or atleast have learned to deal with many different viewpoints and then move back on to survival.
I thank all for their comments and hope the discussion continues as I have a very good target which people can shoot at if needed. lol

Man cannot live on bread alone unless it's on the dollar menu

Big Texas cheeseburger, two tacos, double cheeseburger, etc... These are a few of the items which keep our homeless from starving. The dollar menu at the fast food chains are a Godsend for the hungry. Never thought I would be saying that, as I never really cared about fast food after having a child and having multiple battle of wills with him every time we past a McDonald's (He normally won and got his Happy Meal), but under current circumstances I'm the happy person whenever I can walk into one of these chains and order something from the dollar menu for my daily meal. My Big Texas Cheeseburger was as satisfying today as the $100 dinner (Steak & Lobster) at the Palm Restaurant was decade ago when I could afford it.
It's hard and very humbling to look back and see what I took for granted and not really understanding what I should have been thankful for.
As my veteran friend Eric says; he has a box full of medals he earned during his 20 years of service and what good are they doing him today while living in a parking lot. He would better off auctioning them on EBay for the necessities of survival.
That is what being homeless does. It brings you down to the basics of reality. Reality that survival for another day is the best blessing of all and of course the Dollar Menu.