Comments on: Helping the homeless (without the soundtrack)

By: rhh

rhh — Wed, 24 Aug 2005 09:32:21 +0000

Too bad I stumbled on this article so late, but I’ll still add a comment that I too feel at a loss as to how to handle such a situation. Would have preferred to have read a concrete suggestion of action in response to Michael’s comment. Is the solution something like adopting the lady, or are you calling for better staffing of the non-profits, or…?

By: Duane

Duane — Sun, 03 Jul 2005 17:21:33 +0000

Since you have demonstrated a lack of ability to read completely, I will try to drop some change in your very small cup of comprehension.

The first step on helping somebody is establishing communication. As I mentioned , she didn’t want to talk nor was she trying to talk to anybody. She didn’t want food either. You can’t force a grown person to do what you want, even if you feel it is for their best interest.

Your next paragraphs speak a whole lot about your real angle. It was you that brought in the Left vs. Right thing –not me. I am simply asking the question “how do you help people who cannot or will not help themselves?” (this does not speak of all homeless people) and you chose to politicize this issue.

Applying for the job and waiting for medical attention are two different things. According to the recent case brought to the Canadian high court, there are a lot of people in Canada that do not like their current health care system for the reasons I mentioned.

As far as suggestions go, if you are a doctor, work from time to time with the homeless, and still don’t have a clue on how to define commitment….

debating about it here will not help you. So don’t.

By: Michael

Michael — Sun, 03 Jul 2005 14:21:02 +0000

Great call for “commitment”; now let’s hear some specifics. It’s nice that you wanted to talk to the lady. Did you do anything to change her circumstances?

You slag the national-health approach (a la Canada) because of “longer wait times”. those without medical coverage have the longest of wait times: forever. Obviously, fee-for-service is not cutting it as regards the homeless. (Your comment regarding “poorer medical expertise” could use a little vetting , as well; Canada still has higher requirements for its physicians than most states of the Union. I know; I’ve applied for that job. Did I mention that I am a doc who does from time to time work with the homeless?)

It’s true: helping the less-fortunate is never convenient. Have you some specific suggestions for those who are committed to help? Any ideas beyond “commitment is the change these folks need’? And any ideas about how those with such commitment are going to live while exercising that commitment? Our upstanding conservative politicians have already made it clear that government is out of the business of caring for the less fortunate, and religious organizations are more concerned with making sure that men don’t marry men than making sure that hungry people eat.

If you’ve got suggestions, I’m all ears.