The Homeless and the Heartless - Muse Apprentice Guild

Published 2003
Muse Apprentice Guild

The Homeless and The Heartless

Whenever people spout callous words about homelessness, about how those without homes are slovenly vagrants who choose their lot in life, my first response is usually one of belligerent rage. How can people be such heartless freaks toward fellow human beings? I fume.

But then my wild wrath softens to righteous indignation when I realize that these “heartless freaks” are simply miserably misinformed about homelessness. And in a culture that prizes the rich and scorns the poor, that shouldn’t come as a surprise.

Of course, the heartless people in question choose to be misinformed; after all, if homelessness bothers them so much, they could always do some research into its myriad origins. They could also choose to open their hearts to others’ misfortunes.

Allow me to debunk a few misconceptions about homelessness for those who choose to clench their hearts against this very sobering situation.

First off, not all homeless people are lucidly functioning members of society; indeed, many of those on the streets are mentally ill. It has been estimated that as many as one in three homeless people have some form of mental affliction. Some of these mentally ill have been discarded by wretchedly underfunded mental health institutions, while others grew into their illnesses after spending so many brutal years on the streets.

A second misconception is that those homeless with drug and alcohol problems can easily overcome their addictions. Addiction is a disease, and the best cure for it is prevention. An economy that favors everyone, not just the wealthy, is one antidote to addiction among the poor and homeless Of course, addiction afflicts those in middle-class and affluent circles as well, so clearly inequitable economics is only one of many diabolical causes. The point is, addiction needs to be treated as the disease that it is, not inveighed against as the addict’s “fault.”

Thirdly, there are many homeless people who actually work, but cannot afford rent due to a perilous lack of reasonably-priced housing. More and more, government-funded and low-cost housing is being mowed down in favor of insanely expensive lofts and condos. These overpriced dwellings are even out of the financial reach of many middle-class citizens. And if middle-class people can’t afford the rent, how could someone who works for $5 an hour possibly afford it? 

Fourthly, there are not limitless jobs in America. The idea that America is the land of boundless opportunities is a pure propaganda, a sick myth perpetuated by rabid nationalists. These days this myth rings especially hollow, as American companies ship their jobs overseas to cut production costs, thereby inflating the coffers of the CEOs, depriving our own citizens of work, and enslaving foreign workers by paying them less than they deserve. According to a recent AJC report, as many as 93,000 American jobs were lost in the month of August alone. That a nice chunk of those who lost jobs will become homeless is a sad certainty.

A final misconception about the homeless is that only certain elements of society - say, the poor and uneducated - can become homeless. The fact of the matter is, anyone could be homeless. The Great Depression is distressing proof of this. And today, in our own recessive economy, ordinary college-degreed citizens are losing their jobs, and struggling to find new work. I myself once struggled to find work, and I have a Master’s degree. Fortunately, I had my parents to fall back on, but not everyone has that advantage. But even for privileged people like myself, the threat of losing our houses to a massive terrorist attack or war is a very real one. The events of September 11th proved what we already knew to be true but were loathe to admit: America too could become a war-torn country, replete with refugees in makeshift tents.

To those whose hearts are hardened to homelessness, I ask: who would consciously choose to starve themselves and sleep on concrete in unbearable temperatures, sometimes soaked in their own urine? It’s not as though homelessness is a temptingly glamorous life. It’s not as though people are lining up to leave their jobs so they can luxuriate in a state of desperate aimlessness and aching hunger.

We have many choices in life, but economic realities often inhibit those choices. However, one choice that is not constrained by fiscal concerns is that of compassion toward others. Those rich in pocket but poor in spirit choose to be misanthropes, with vagrant souls and homeless hearts.