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Just-10247-LOC t1_j4ccjqn wrote

It would be really great if America had compassion for poor people.

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Just-10247-LOC t1_j4dj2gu wrote

And where did we as a human race get the idea that it is OK for us to allow people to go without food, without shelter, without medical help,without water, without adequate safety or without simple dignity and decency? Why do we think it is not an immediate emergency to feed and shelter children and people in need?

Why do we think that problem of poverty and homelessness is the problem only of those caught up in it?

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BigSquinn t1_j4g2jxe wrote

We got the idea around the same time we started to believe having money is more important than how other people are doing... so a really long time ago

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mymaineaccount46 t1_j4gb2sn wrote

Homelessness is a hard issue. It's not as simple as just showing compassion and providing these services. Other places have tried to provide services to help the homeless and they often end up completely destroyed. I lived in Seattle for a few years and every new initiative to help just ended in complete disaster.

The working homeless who aren't on drugs aren't really the hard group of homeless to help, or the ones who cause problems. It's the ones who are on drugs who will strip the wires from a house you provide, or completely ruin any apartment on a drug binge. It even got so bad in Seattle that ports potties provided to camps were completely and irrevocably destroyed by the homeless.

I wish the issue was as simple to solve as "provide services and show compassion" but it isn't. We do a disservice to everyone by not acknowledging the full scope and difficulty of this problem and boiling it down to simple ineffective platitudes.

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Just-10247-LOC t1_j4dk39r wrote

Perhaps, one point is Jesus supposedly saying that we would always have the poor. I bet this has been perverted in many people's minds that there is no point to trying to solve the problems of poverty because, well, Jesus said we would always have that problem. And perverting what Paul wrote, saying that if someone is not willing to work then "let him not eat." Christianity telling us how to mistreat the poor.

Former Christian here, so liberating to be free of a mindset that insists that we can never solve the problems of the poor.

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gordielaboom t1_j4e0l8p wrote

Yeah, I’ve been to a few churches in the Bangor area - they love the verses where you get to judge, skip the ones about helping your fellow man.

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k1ckstand t1_j4cj9xw wrote

It’s easy not being poor. Just don’t. That’s what bootstraps are for!

/S

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2close2trouble t1_j4cn7st wrote

I hope others here get the sarcasm. That’s exactly the attitude I’m sick of hearing. I am very fortunate to have not been in that position and I don’t pretend to understand what others have been through, their struggles both mentally and physically. It’s a lot easier to discourage than encourage. Let’s flip that around.

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PNWMunky t1_j4crj8x wrote

It’s easiest of all to truly have personal accountability.

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TheRealRolepgeek t1_j4cv1jx wrote

MuH pErSoNaL aCcOuNtAbIlItY

The thing 40 year old white dudes who got helped out at every step of their lives say, believing it was all their own 'hard work' that got them to a comfy position from which to look down on anyone suffering from mental illness, neurodivergence, addiction, abuse, or exploitation.

How about you be personally accountable for not being an asshole to people who don't deserve it?

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PNWMunky t1_j4cwe90 wrote

Lol. Even in therapy (ya know, helping people) the first step is owning up to who and what you are. Not circlejerking on Reddit. Lo…fucking… L.

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jonnyspells t1_j4d8idv wrote

you are correct insofar as we must hold ourselves accountable to the decisions we make- even when sometimes the outcome is made for us before we even make the decision. the first step is removing our moral judgments of things and our personal evaluations so we can find the solutions to our problems.

however, you are only here offering judgements, and not solutions. is this really what you want to be spending your time doing?

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PNWMunky t1_j4deir0 wrote

Junkies can fuck off. Yes

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jonnyspells t1_j4gb0y7 wrote

i'm sorry life has been too difficult for you. i hope you are never dehumanised like this by someone as small and afraid as you.

it's a shame, but you're free to waste your existence however you please.

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PNWMunky t1_j4hcyph wrote

Lol. Living the dream my lost redditor. Living the dream.

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Joeistall t1_j4d7yf4 wrote

"EvEn In ThEraPy" hur dur dur.

Oh look at you on your high horse. Pos.

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PNWMunky t1_j4degn6 wrote

Lol. Not hard to not be a fuck up

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raynedanser t1_j4di23u wrote

Anyone can end up poor. Anyone can end up an addict. Even you.

Get off your high horse.

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PNWMunky t1_j4hch00 wrote

It’s not a communicable virus.

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raynedanser t1_j4hdvz2 wrote

And yet... It could still happen. You're still not immune to it.

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PNWMunky t1_j4hkwyn wrote

I’d be sure not to be a junky though. Even in hard times staying sober isn’t unreasonable ask. You can do as little as possible and be poor but survive. You can be a hard worker and earner and a functioning addict and it may work. Being poor and an addict is digging your own grave. The immortal words of Dean Wormer- “fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son”.

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raynedanser t1_j4hz4rp wrote

Of course you would. No one ever expects to be an addict. You must have super powers.

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PNWMunky t1_j4i2bm7 wrote

Holy shit I’ve had multiple surgeries as recent as last year. It’s really easy to not be a fucking loser and a drain on friends, family and society. Good lord you people are fucking weak. Lol

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raynedanser t1_j4i7u1h wrote

You people? I'm not an asshole. Compassion and kindness and not being an ass aren't weakness.

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PNWMunky t1_j4iab1i wrote

Meant the thought that being an addict is out of one’s hands. Its pain management. Not taking what it needs to be numb and pain free. Misuse is entirely on the user. Same with chronic pain. For most it’s paying the piper of not taking care of oneself over a lifetime.

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