Help for the homeless

Dear Editor:Some readership find some homeless people unsightly, and by "readership" I mean some of the City Council and City Hall workers. And by "some homeless" I of course mean myself, as well as other homeless. It's really very simple. If you find the homeless unsightly, unattractive, in the way, ruining the overall landscape of things, then house them. Or shut up! Otherwise, homeless, means what it means. Homeless, un-housed, no shelter, out in the open, in the street, roof-less, wall-less, toilet-less, bed-less, closet-less, door-less, etc. The city leaders and those running for political office cannot complain about a problem that has festered within their borders if they are unwilling to do something pro-active and progressive about it. I have spoken at city council meetings to all of the council members about the homeless situation within Downey. The current council members as well as incumbents running for their political lives cannot claim ignorance. Downey is no different than any other city or town in America. Like everywhere in this country, homelessness, working-class poverty, and the welfare state even of great Wall Street companies such as Bank of America, Citibank, Wells Fargo, Lehman Bros, etc., have become the norm. All fallout from the former Bush administration. (Still unresolved by the Obama administration, and never to be resolved, only made greater by any potential Romney administration.) I have been told privately by Mayor Brossmer that he'd like to help the homeless situation in this city but his excuse has been that he had to balance the budget by cutting 13 city employees and making other adjustments. That there just aren't any funds to free up. And in the end there is nothing the city leadership can do about housing the homeless. So, I say, if you don't like the sight of panhandlers and homeless, that's too bad. We are citizens, too. Housed or not. Remember that some of these homeless people out here are military veterans who served their country with honor. And we all know how the Downey city council likes to honor its veterans by putting up those American flags with banner tributes on Firestone Blvd. So if any of the new guys running for council, or for that matter any of the incumbents, think they're going to sweep up the unsightly homeless people... Think again. We're here to stay. Greta Campbell Downey

********** Published: August 23, 2012 - Volume 11 - Issue 19