Has anyone read John Grisham's 'The Street Lawyer'?
It was first published in 1998 so I'm a bit late. I don't have much time for pleasure reading until the summer.
I know it is a work of fiction, but art imitating life, I'm sure quite a bit of it is factual concerning the politics of homelessness. I was appalled.
In several passages Grisham pointed out how the system perpetuates the situation by using city ordinances to make homelessness a crime such as: loitering laws, pandering, etc.
He mentioned that a homeless person who is working (but not making enough to get off the streets) and gets arrested for these violations loses time (possibly the job) and money falling that much more behind in an attempt to save and get off the streets.
I already know that we don't have enough shelters and that a person living on the streets for more than a couple of months (particularly one that doesn't have family in tow) will quickly fall prey to drug use and mental illness. (I believe I would too.) Still, there are plenty of people
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Oh, wow, that was a great book. I read it 3 times, and at times caught myself wiping away some tears here and there.
That is the beauty of living in a capitalist society. The government doesn't give a fu** about the poor and homeless, and they feel like they are rectifying the situation by charging these people with "crimes" when they are only trying to survive. If you don't have anywhere to live, what choice do you have but to live on the street or under a bridge? If you don't have a job, what choice do you have but to stand on the corner and beg? Don't get me wrong, okay...some of them are perfectly capable of working and making a living, but let's face it: the majority of us (working-class folks) are only one paycheck away from homelessness ourselves (myself included)! The people who make these ridiculous "laws" need to "eat some humble pie" and put themselves in others' shoes for a change. But there is only a snowball's chance in hell of that happening!
As far as what "regular people" like us can do, volunteering at a shelter is a great idea. I think it would be nice for them to have someone to talk to who understands what they are going through.
I was homeless for a while after my mother died, and I lived in a youth shelter which, for the most part, was very helpful and beneficial to me in that it helped me get on my feet, save some money, and even gave the tools and resources to go back to school and get my High School Diploma and find an apartment of my own. But there were a few people there who had the mentality that they were better than us, and I actually had to bring one of them down a notch or two after I got sick of her looking down her nose at us all the time. It is imperative that, if you plan to pursue volunteer work, you keep in mind that pity and patronization will only shut them down. A kind and understanding ear will benefit the most.
Good luck to you and thank you for your willingness to help!
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It's an extremely good book. Grisham is an excellent writer. Check out John Sandford, Brad Meltzer and James Patterson, too!
I was going to read it, but the book didn't even have any pictures in it so I just tossed it away. I thought it was going to be about a new Superhero.
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