I responded to a Viewpoint article in The Tribune written by teacher and friend Brian Miller, way back in 2011 with a corresponding Viewpoint article a week later. I had deleted the interchange from this web site, so it's time to bring it back.
You can read Brian's original article entitled "Viewpoint: SLO's Homeless Need Real Solutions" published by the Tribune on September 17, 2011, by clicking here. By Golly, what Brian said still rings true now. Just a snippet from his full article:
"A few years ago, I designed a unit on homelessness for my sociology class at San Luis Obispo High School. We visited the Prado Day Center and Sunny Acres. We worked on the farm at Sunny Acres and served breakfast at the Prado Day Center. We had speakers in, and we pored over statistics. We researched, role-played and wrote essays. We debated, and we discussed. And then we took to the task of offering solutions. On paper, they are long gone, but these solutions resonate still in my mind. We sent our solutions to Adam Hill, we sent our solutions to Dan De Vaul. Neither party gave us even a response. Both parties will now swear they never saw my email with our solutions. No one would ignore high school students wanting to help, would they? That’s some cold stuff, man. But both parties did. Make of that what you will. All I can tell you is this. In 50 minutes, my students came up with ideas that I don’t see happening right now in our county."
Dear elected representatives: Nothing has changed in the past 3 years. Brian Miller is still dead on correct.
My response, entitled "Viewpoint: Don't Wait on 'Real' Solutions for Homelessness - Act Now!", published in response to Brian's letter on September 25, 2011, which you can read by clicking here.
Just a snippet from the full length article:
"I decided that the time for talking about problems was over for me and that the time for doing something about them was now. There are numerous things that an ordinary person can do to help. Some ways to get started include:
• Donating money to homeless support service organizations;
• Calling a homeless support organization (examples: CAPSLO, Food Bank, Sunny Acres, etc.) and ask how you can help;
• When you see a homeless person, treating them as a real person, and not as somebody you see right through. If you have a few minutes (and you are in a safe, public location), stop and talk to them like you might to any other person; just being treated with respect and dignity might make their day;
• Talking to your friends and family about what you are doing to help, and encouraging them to get involved in any way, no matter how small — every little bit helps.
My goal in helping with the homeless situation is to be inclusive and not divisive. I hope that The Tribune’s readers see these words and get started “being a part of the solution.”
In reading this article 3 years later, I realize that my approach has not changed. If you care about the problem, get out and do something now - don't wait for the powers-that-be to do something, or you'll be waiting a long time!
Friday, December 19, 2014
SLO: County Needs Affordable Housing - Part V
*****ORIGINAL ARTICLE: December 19, 2014:
I tend to be long-winded and take forever to get to my point. Often, by the time I get there, the message is convoluted. Stay with me here. That is the reason that I am a doer, and though frequently invited, I rarely/never accept invitations to serve on boards or committees, or anything that requires sitting in a room with a bunch of people for more than 20 minutes. I've been true to that commitment, until this year.
Above: I've never seen a homeless shelter comic, so I had to snag this one - thanks Sally G. for pointing this out to me!
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