Essay on Misconceptions About Homelessness - 1789 Words

Misconceptions About Homelessness ?Over the past year, over two million men, women, and children were homeless? in America. (NLCHP) Homeless people face an intense struggle just to stay alive despite the fact that society turns its head from the problem. The government makes laws that discriminate against homeless people, which make it, illegal for them to survive. The mistreatment of homeless people is an issue that is often ignored in our community. When you see a homeless person on the streets how do you react? Do you turn your head and ignore them? Do you become angry that they are living on the streets? Do you feel frightened and avoid the situation all together? Or do you see these people as human beings and treat them in that†¦show more content†¦(Rick) Many other Hopper 3 homeless people cannot find jobs because they are handicapped or have unstable minds. Those people often try to earn money by selling jewelry or panhandling. This is also illegal. Between the work force and the laws that the governm ent creates, it is impossible for a homeless person to support his or herself. There are many other laws that also discriminate against homeless people. In ?liberal? Berkeley the city council voted to make illegal the following actions; sitting on a sidewalk, asking for change near an ATM or parking meter, asking for change after dark, holding a cup, ect. (Ott 18) Also, Santa Cruz currently has a camping ban that prohibits having sleeping materials on the ground between certain hours. Jim, a homeless person in Santa Cruz has seen people with ?guns drawn on them, mace sprayed in their face, and hands broken? because they were camping in the woods. (Jim) These rules make it illegal to sleep in the United States. Jim feels that they are using these bans against the homeless to ?try and run them out of town?. (Jim) Many of these laws that discriminate against homeless people are in direct violation of the constitution. The first amendment says that ?Congress shall make no law... abridgi ng the freedom of speech.? (Constitution) Making it illegal for homeless people to ask for money limits their right of free speech. The National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty released a report about HopperShow MoreRelatedThere Are Many Common Misconceptions About Homelessness.1890 Words   |  8 PagesThere are many common misconceptions about homelessness. Ideally, it is only problematic in poor third world countries; this is false. Homelessness is a giant problem in every corner of the world. Homelessness tends to be associated with people who sleep in the streets, parks, subways, and sidewalks. Although homelessness happened a long time ago it is still present today. 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