Posted by octopusprime on March 30, 2004, at 1:53:06
In reply to Re: boy you guys sure are a lot nicer than i am » octopusprime, posted by jay on March 30, 2004, at 0:44:26
i'm not offended, jay. and i don't think you were mean.
and you are right about the shelters being dangerous, especially for the mentally ill.
and welfare is a joke.
there are so many things wrong with the world we live in and i know a couple of bucks won't change it ...i do feel lucky to have what i have. and i know it's just bad luck that leads some people to the streets. but i have had some very bad experiences with people on the street (somebody taking a lighter to my running car with me in it, somebody different following me home, etc). it makes me wary, and leaves me feeling threatened, bullied, harassed, and unsafe. it hardens the heart.
i admire the work social workers do. i couldn't do it. i lived in a very cheap building before and got really involved with my neighbours. they struggled with addiction. it broke my heart to see what their kids went through. and i was depressed like you would not believe. i couldn't do it any more. i left. and now i just can't be involved any more.
maybe this is too personal ... but i think topics like this are so personal for people that are close to people in poverty ...
poster:octopusprime
thread:330003
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20040324/msgs/330209.html