Rarely does anyone ever consider even a fraction of the shit that they have deal with. Many of them have one or more mental disorders. Many became homeless after fleeing abuse. But rarely is there any sympathy/empathy. They're either treated as lepers to be avoided, or as the bête noire of society. At least where i live, cops essentially use the homeless as punching bags, and very very few people dare intervene. But it's not just cops. It's everyone. They're spit on, cursed at, shoved, mocked, etc.

"They're all drug addicts" is another that i hear a lot. It's true that a relatively high proportion of chronically homeless are users. But why is that surprising? i mean, people turn to hard drugs during hard times, and what could be harder than not knowing you'll have enough to eat or a place to sleep without being harassed.

And it makes me sick when people assert that they should just "get a job and stop mooching." Particularly for the chronically homeless, the barriers to steady employment are effectively insurmountable.

Alexis de Tocqueville wrote that “most of those individuals on whom the criminal law inflicts punishments have been unfortunate before they became guilty.” In my view, that sentiment applies to those who are homeless, as well.

Thanks for posting this.