US snow storm hits DC homeless

[Lars77]

Run time: 02:21 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIuL442lFuI   Posted on YouTube: February 08, 2010 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: February 08, 2010 By DU Member: Lars77 Views on DU: 792

 
Those hardest hit in what was worst snow storm to strike Washington DC in 30 years were the district's homeless.

While most DC residents found warmth and comfort in their homes in the wake of "Snowmageddon", for Washington's six thousand homeless people the storm was a life-threatening situation.

The US capital does have an emergency hypothermia hotline during winter months and volunteers are taking action to help, but finding enough shelters to accommodate the large number of homeless has proved challenging.

[asdjrocky]

1. The very fact that we have homeless people in our nations capitol-

shows clearly the failure of Capitalism.

I dropped out of high school and I understand that.

[Plucketeer]

2. It's truly AMAZING....

how invisible these folks are! We had a tent city spring up here - JUST outside the city limits. The landowner of the place (some fallow farming land) had given them his blessing to have their encampment there. And even tho it was far enough off the hiway to be almost totally invisible, the city managed to push county authorities to go in a bust up the camp on grounds of zoning violations.
There's something like 17% unemployment here, but the powers that be can't STAND the thought of a blight like a place for folks to have the very minimum of dignity. They ran all these folks thru local shelters and aid programs - most didn't want to participate because they'd already been that route and knew the shortcomings.

[asdjrocky]

3. They keep doing the same thing to people in Sacramento.

It's made national news. Whole families being kicked off of land that the owner said it was fine for them to be there.

I don't even know who we are any more.

As always, good to see ya Pluck!

[Plucketeer]

4. Same thing in Fresno

Good to see you too, Rock!

[Hulk]

5. The repukes are THRILLED with this news....

After all...it's their "anti-social" agenda that ignores homeless and the poor.

Congrats to you! You are the reason the US is a third world country today.

[handmade34]

6. I am sad

I hate that I live in a country which does not go out of its way to provide shelter for those that need it. I have a daughter that works in law enforcement in Raleigh, NC. We chatted this morning and she told me about finding a body in a park yesterday; a homeless someone that she had processed just a few days before. They believe that he died from the elements. I am so sad. I ponder often what could be wrong with us collectively.

[cutlassmama]

7. I don't see it as a "collective" issue. We, on the left try to do what we can.

However, the rich right have the NIMBY attitude. It's always been the poor feeding and helping other poor. The only reason righties would "help" was for a tax write off.

It's a sad situation and with the economy in the toilet I don't see it getting better any time soon.