Aggressive homeless encampment sweeps have begun in California following the Supreme Court ruling and Governor Newsom's executive order. You can read the article I am referring to here. At 2:04 in the YouTube video linked here, the Mayor of San Francisco discusses her plan for the sweeps, which is quoted below.
"This is not just about cleaning and clearing because these are people and they gotta go somewhere but we are going to make them so uncomfortable on the streets of San Francisco that they have to take our offer. That really is the goal of what we are trying to accomplish"
If you are a fan of Game of Thrones you will recognize this quote from Jon Snow "everything before the word but is horseshit." I don't know if you have spent time on the streets of San Francisco, but I wouldn't use the word comfortable to describe them. It is evident to me that this approach, intentionally trying to make a vulnerable population of people more uncomfortable, is inhumane. It seems evident the Mayor is less concerned about the people on the street and more about the inconvenience that having people on the street causes the city.
As you listen to the people impacted by homelessness being interviewed, many of them share that they are affected by mental health issues. The shelter is not always an environment that is conducive to personal development, particularly if you are battling anxiety or other social phobias. Shelters are meant to be a bridge to a more permanent solution to housing, but sheltering alone doesn't solve the problem. What is needed is more affordable housing! Giving people a safe space to live is the first step towards progress. It doesn't end there, as providing them with ongoing support and a community are equally important. Whatever deal they offer apparently isn't better than living on the street, which could be why 195 of the 235 people they engaged refused shelter according to the data presented at the 3:05 mark in the YouTube video cited above. We must seek to meet people where they are and take small, positive steps. Taking away people's possessions and their little privacy will cause more problems than it will benefit.
In the video linked here, Governor Newsom discusses how urgent and frustrating dealing with the encampments is. Again, it seems like he is more concerned with the impact the encampments are having than the people who have been forced to live in encampments. I encourage anyone reading this to say hello the next time you see someone living in an encampment. Ask them their name and their story. They are no different than you or I. Homelessness and Mental Health are societal issues. We are the wealthiest nation in the world, yet we have almost 700,000 people on the streets at any time. This is due to our country's capitalistic mindset, where someone only has value if they can produce profit for someone else. Solving the issue has to be done with the people in mind. Supporting the person and giving them the opportunity and time to work through the difficulties is the best way to get them off of the streets and back on their feet again.
It is going to take a community of people who are compassionate and empathetic towards people impacted by homelessness. That is what we are building here are Cherry Willow Apparel! I will continue to advocate for the rights of people impacted by homelessness and point out inhumane treatment and policies when I see them. Join the community and spread the word by sharing the blog or buying apparel. Every little bit helps us get closer to our goal of building community centers to get people off of the street and into housing as soon as possible!
