Heather Kahler
The “old model” complete tolerance of any and all behavior at the expense of those who follow the rules and work hard desperately DOES “need a new model.”I explicitly stated in my comments that truly helpless homeless people (veterans, mentally and medically ill, those who have fallen on hard times and WANT to get back on their feet….THESE ARE the people that do need compassion and help. Do not categorize the “unhoused” in the same category. No one is suggesting police or jail for goodness sake. But many of the “by choice/dropout” ones are creating significant problems that affect EVERYONE in Venice. You are kidding yourself if you think there are no criminal elements to a portion of these people. Look at the Ballona Wetlands theft ring reported by Gary Walker in the Argonaut recently. Housed or unhoused there are laws and plenty of both “housed” and “unhoused” people abide them
And break them. Perhaps if you read more closely what was written and note the distinctions made regarding the different situations amongst the homeless people, instead of writing so much to respond to what was NOT written, then you would see no one is being HELPED by things as they are either. Does one feel sorry for a drug addict and just say “Oh it’s ok; just keep doing what you are doing, after all you can’t help it. Here let me hold your needle for you while you tie your arm off.”……..enabling is not help.
Treatment for the medically and mentally ill, veterans, they need help.
As for your personally attacking assumptions: I contribute both my time and my goods and dollars to such places that help those struggling with homelessness, joblessness, and abuse. I make multiple donations every year to the Bible Tabernacle Homeless Shelter and to PATH. But these places step people forward, they don’t just enable them to live on the street.
Those organizations do great work, not just band-aid fixes.
My children and her friends donate their time through their schools to soup kitchens, and food programs for “the hungry”. I have personally bought blankets and pillows for a homeless woman I found asleep outside Walgreens in the colder months. I covered her up on two occasions with these items and a sweatshirt, and an umbrella during rainy times. There is a Veteran named Michael who has been here for 12 years, and I have frequently bought him a snack or his Maalox, because he has NEVER asked for anything, just waves and smiles since my children were in strollers. I haven’t seen him for a while and worry a bit. And many more moments just like these have occurred that I don’t parade around about but feel the need to put your assumptions to rest.
By the way Deborah, I have lived here at this address since 1983, and am raising the fourth generation of Venice residents. My dad went to Coeur d’ Alene and Venice high in the 50’s.
You can advocate for the homeless without personally attacking and making assumptions about those who are offering differing opinions.
My grandmother lived in this house and worked for the airplane manufacturers nearby (Hughes or Boeing) around WWII. This neighborhood was extremely poor back then, but hardworking and prideful of their community. They were poor. My dad was poor. My grandma Dorothy died at 42 when my dad was 17. He worked at Leeds Shoes in Santa Monica and put himself through USC with that and a military scholarship from his father’s service in the military. He graduated. Built a business as a physical therapist. Worked his ass off. Still works his ass off every single day and is nearly 70.Marina and Venice restaurant around in the 90’s. I have had a job since I was 15 years old. I bought this house in 2005 from my parents after my grandpa passed away. I paid plenty for it. No one handed it to me. I donate my time, money, and goods to PATH, Bible Tabernacle, and have been an advocate for homeless children in school and the hardships they face.
You do not know me, nor have you clearly understood what my observances and complaints are about….it is about the disrespect of the community and the hard working and law abiding people by many of these people who now seem to be referred to collectively as simply “homeless”. Have we gotten so politically correct that we can no longer use the words, vagrant, bum, hobo, or transient unless a “transient” runs over a bunch of people on the Venice boardwalk?
So just because I am tired of the derelict behavior by the “bum and vagrant category” of the homeless (again excluding true veterans and mentally ill) that has increased exponentially since the early 80’s (how long have you lived here Deborah?) in the community I am trying to raise my family in, DO NOT criminalize Me or anyone else for having expectations for our neighborhood being clean safe and welcoming and that everyone, housed or “unhoused” can have respect for those around them and the community they live in.
Whether you are housed or unhoused, a person can have respect for the community where they are and those around them by keeping areas clean! Clean up after your poop as opposed to leaving it on the street! Heck one of my kids had to go out by the canals when he was a toddler! He dropped one right in the dirt. Did I leave it there??? NO. I cleaned it up. People break the law by not picking up after their pets. I’d say the same to them! It is not against the homeless!
People who are not interested in making the distinction among people living on the street who need and want help, will see those same people they champion be brought down by the people living on the street who are actually the element who actually cause the havoc with their drug/alcohol/intimidation/disrespect for the city and people around them etc. When I’m driving to work after being unemployed for six months with two children to raise and I see some twenty year old holding a handmade cardboard sign that says “need fuel for My spaceship!” it is just so disrespectful to those of us who try everyday to make ends meet and survive. Like it is a big joke. These are the types that are increasing in numbers….. Now I’m the one writing too much. It is a desperate attempt to open your eyes to the truth in what is really happening on our streets.
557
Comments–16 April 2014
Heather Kahler
The “old model” complete tolerance of any and all behavior at the expense of those who follow the rules and work hard desperately DOES “need a new model.”I explicitly stated in my comments that truly helpless homeless people (veterans, mentally and medically ill, those who have fallen on hard times and WANT to get back on their feet….THESE ARE the people that do need compassion and help. Do not categorize the “unhoused” in the same category. No one is suggesting police or jail for goodness sake. But many of the “by choice/dropout” ones are creating significant problems that affect EVERYONE in Venice. You are kidding yourself if you think there are no criminal elements to a portion of these people. Look at the Ballona Wetlands theft ring reported by Gary Walker in the Argonaut recently. Housed or unhoused there are laws and plenty of both “housed” and “unhoused” people abide them
And break them. Perhaps if you read more closely what was written and note the distinctions made regarding the different situations amongst the homeless people, instead of writing so much to respond to what was NOT written, then you would see no one is being HELPED by things as they are either. Does one feel sorry for a drug addict and just say “Oh it’s ok; just keep doing what you are doing, after all you can’t help it. Here let me hold your needle for you while you tie your arm off.”……..enabling is not help.
Treatment for the medically and mentally ill, veterans, they need help.
As for your personally attacking assumptions: I contribute both my time and my goods and dollars to such places that help those struggling with homelessness, joblessness, and abuse. I make multiple donations every year to the Bible Tabernacle Homeless Shelter and to PATH. But these places step people forward, they don’t just enable them to live on the street.
Those organizations do great work, not just band-aid fixes.
My children and her friends donate their time through their schools to soup kitchens, and food programs for “the hungry”. I have personally bought blankets and pillows for a homeless woman I found asleep outside Walgreens in the colder months. I covered her up on two occasions with these items and a sweatshirt, and an umbrella during rainy times. There is a Veteran named Michael who has been here for 12 years, and I have frequently bought him a snack or his Maalox, because he has NEVER asked for anything, just waves and smiles since my children were in strollers. I haven’t seen him for a while and worry a bit. And many more moments just like these have occurred that I don’t parade around about but feel the need to put your assumptions to rest.
By the way Deborah, I have lived here at this address since 1983, and am raising the fourth generation of Venice residents. My dad went to Coeur d’ Alene and Venice high in the 50’s.
You can advocate for the homeless without personally attacking and making assumptions about those who are offering differing opinions.
My grandmother lived in this house and worked for the airplane manufacturers nearby (Hughes or Boeing) around WWII. This neighborhood was extremely poor back then, but hardworking and prideful of their community. They were poor. My dad was poor. My grandma Dorothy died at 42 when my dad was 17. He worked at Leeds Shoes in Santa Monica and put himself through USC with that and a military scholarship from his father’s service in the military. He graduated. Built a business as a physical therapist. Worked his ass off. Still works his ass off every single day and is nearly 70.Marina and Venice restaurant around in the 90’s. I have had a job since I was 15 years old. I bought this house in 2005 from my parents after my grandpa passed away. I paid plenty for it. No one handed it to me. I donate my time, money, and goods to PATH, Bible Tabernacle, and have been an advocate for homeless children in school and the hardships they face.
You do not know me, nor have you clearly understood what my observances and complaints are about….it is about the disrespect of the community and the hard working and law abiding people by many of these people who now seem to be referred to collectively as simply “homeless”. Have we gotten so politically correct that we can no longer use the words, vagrant, bum, hobo, or transient unless a “transient” runs over a bunch of people on the Venice boardwalk?
So just because I am tired of the derelict behavior by the “bum and vagrant category” of the homeless (again excluding true veterans and mentally ill) that has increased exponentially since the early 80’s (how long have you lived here Deborah?) in the community I am trying to raise my family in, DO NOT criminalize Me or anyone else for having expectations for our neighborhood being clean safe and welcoming and that everyone, housed or “unhoused” can have respect for those around them and the community they live in.
Whether you are housed or unhoused, a person can have respect for the community where they are and those around them by keeping areas clean! Clean up after your poop as opposed to leaving it on the street! Heck one of my kids had to go out by the canals when he was a toddler! He dropped one right in the dirt. Did I leave it there??? NO. I cleaned it up. People break the law by not picking up after their pets. I’d say the same to them! It is not against the homeless!
People who are not interested in making the distinction among people living on the street who need and want help, will see those same people they champion be brought down by the people living on the street who are actually the element who actually cause the havoc with their drug/alcohol/intimidation/disrespect for the city and people around them etc. When I’m driving to work after being unemployed for six months with two children to raise and I see some twenty year old holding a handmade cardboard sign that says “need fuel for My spaceship!” it is just so disrespectful to those of us who try everyday to make ends meet and survive. Like it is a big joke. These are the types that are increasing in numbers….. Now I’m the one writing too much. It is a desperate attempt to open your eyes to the truth in what is really happening on our streets.
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