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Homeless protest planned for Wednesday

September 5, 2011

A local activist is organizing a protest Wednesday morning, Sept. 7, on behalf of homeless people in San Luis Obispo County.

Becky Jorgeson of the recently-formed Homeless Project says the protest is planned for 8 a.m. on the steps of the San Luis Obispo County courthouse on Monterey St.

Speakers have not been announced, but according to Jorgeson, the protest focuses on concerns over how local homeless people are being treated. Specific issues include the alleged failure of county government to provide sufficient housing for the indigent, coupled with Judge Charles Crandall’s recent controversial decision to oust several members of the Sunny Acres sober living facility in San Luis Obispo.

Jorgeson is also going public with accusations this week that staff members at both the Prado Road Day Center and the Maxine Lewis Overnight Shelter have shown “a general lack of respect” for homeless people. Jorgeson, who volunteered at Sunny Acres for three years, claims that several homeless people were “kicked out” of the two San Luis Obispo shelters.

The Homeless Project has been working with New Times for the last two months, providing weekly profiles of homeless people in need of work or housing. Jorgeson, who is retired from Cal Poly, has clashed with Dee Torres of CAPSLO, who manages the Prado Road facility, by pushing for more aggressive government support of homeless people.

“I’m hopeful of getting change around here for our homeless, one way or another,” Jorgeson said.

 


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Oh great. This story gives our local angry, personally troubled misanthropes to get on this forum and starts spouting hateful, bigoted, selfish and ignorant comments implying that the homeless are not deserving of concern, compassion or even basic tolerance.


Notice how all these haters tend to lump entire populations of people together with prejudiced remarks, refusing to consider the homeless as unique individuals. Its the first step in marginalizing people and treating them as sub-human. People do this who are too lazy or selfish or just plain uncaring and want an excuse for their indifference and bigotry.


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Examples, or it’s just smoke.


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I’ve read all the posts in this blog and yours stands out as being one of the most vitriolic. Interesting how your intolerant, hateful, angry comments, demonizing comment towards those of us who disagree with you is okay.


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Off topic – After posting I realized I needed to delete “comments.” Is it possible to edit posts after they have been submitted?


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Wow WiseGuy!


Angry

Personally Troubled

Misanthropes

Hateful

Bigoted

Selfish

Ignorant

Haters

Prejudiced

Lazy

Selfish (again)

Uncaring

Indifferent

Bigot (again)


All in a few sentences. You might want to reread the posts again, saving yours for last. You’ll find that almost all of the posts are well thought out and reasonable, except yours which comes off as name calling and angry. Perhaps you have personal troubles?


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I call ’em like I see ’em. Is there anything I wrote that is untruthful.? I don’t think so. Facing the FACTS is a bit troubling for some folks. But I stand by all those comments. I don’t see a single one that you list as being not accurate.


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Let’s all get honest about this. Anyone panhandling, loitering, begging, etc. is outside the services provided because they are doing drugs or drinking alcohol. The Prado Day Care Center is open to anyone wanting two meals a day, shower, washing machines, counseling, bus tokens, etc. Yes, they are thrown out of if they don’t live by the rules, drink or do drugs – geez, yes, they have to live by rules, what a concept to get these services that are available all over this County. How many Loaves and Fishes, Salvation Army offices, CAPS (old EOC), social workers, etc. If they want help it is there IF they want to participate. We all live with rules and laws everyday, some we like, some we don’t. They are made to protect us not punish us and that is what makes our society work. These people beat there own drum, want what they want, when they want it, and the way they want it. That is not the way a civilized society work. We will to stop enabling there conduct and find a long term solution to this insanity.


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Excellent post slobird. The same opints could be made for the illegals, who also just want what they want, but have no intention of obeying the rules…

There are countless organizations and outlets that provide a wealth of services, yet they all have one requirement to participate, obey their rules or bye bye.


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Totally agree. But when our leadership (President, Attorney General, Governor, Legislators, Congress, Senators, etc.) don’t abide by the laws of the land – our role models, how can we expect different from the illegals. We are becoming an unlawful, enabling, greedy “give me me me” society.


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Very true, and the age of entitlement is starting to take it’s toll.

All the years of kumbaya without any planning or oversight along with our dysfunctional legislature is playing itself out state wide. Does not matter who the social handouts go to, they are not funded, there is incredible fraud and there is no oversight. Hence the rash of articles here and other sites reporting the bad news.


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I wonder if that pregnant homeless lady will be there with the homeless guy who impregnated her… doubt she’ll give up her spot next to the AM/PM on Los Osos Valley Road… Oh well, a few more months and we’ll be giving her some tax dollars…


Sadly, she was taken in at one point, but decided she’d rather be on the street. That was before the pregnancy. That kid will have a bright future, at least. Thanks to others who are more responsible. Still, she’ll be rewarded.


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Does anyone know WHY the police doesn’t clean up mission plaza? Is it just that nobody thought of it? Isn’t that their job?


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This dude is my fave: http://www.abcarcade.com/ninjas-killed-my-family.html


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How can anyone be surprised that we have more and more homeless each year? Programs have been in place for years to “help” the homeless, and all it seems to do is create more. It is a difficult position, as people likely want to help, but people also like to “game the system” – we see it everywhere, and at all levels.


Something happened to our collective moral compass decades ago, and it’s only gotten worse. One of the drawbacks is the “sent-a-check” mentality. I know more people who feel that “sending in a check” or paying their taxes IS their way of helping. Some problems cannot be resolved by throwing money at them; in fact, almost no problem is ever resolved that way.


Expecting the government to provide for the “have nots” is a seriously flawed approach. Expecting the government to do anything but take your money is pie-in-the-sky dreaming.


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Excellent points roy,

How many decades has this been a problem and is it getting better or worse?

How much money has been spent building more shelters and supplying food at public and private expense?

If these programs are working, why is the homeless population growing?

Maybe it’s time for a different program, like workfare, limited food stamps or mandated in kind trade for services?


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Too many of the homeless are just lazy bums who don’t want to work. Go to the Plaza and see the Loser Kids hanging out, being stupid, dragging the town down. Of course there are legitimately needy people, like the old dude who writes cryptic little notes on pieces of eucalyptus bark. But really the majority of the so-called homeless just need a size ten boot up the a$$. And for the love of Pete, don’t inflict them on the National Guard at Camp Roberts or Camp SLO. Anyone who’s had to train at Camp Bob has already done enough without dealing with these clowns. Sorry if anyone’s offended, but I went into sympathy deficit years ago. If I can drag myself to work with my aching back, then these youngsters can do something. Something, for Christ’s sake!!! Otherwise, escort them out of the county. Bring back vagrancy laws and put them on chain gangs cleaning up their own encampments. CalCoast News, do a story on the damage done in the creekbed by these losers.


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From the responses I would say none of you has volunteered on a consistent basis to work with the homeless, nor do you go to church on a regular basis or if you do it is not a church that helps. In Atascadero “the churches” and other volunteers are keeping a shelter running. After 7 years this church would like to have their modest church back. If a place isn’t found it will be necessary for the shelter to move from church to church as it did years ago.

There isn’t sufficient trained staff to assist the homeless who are ready to make a change in their life.

8:00 am isn’t too early for the homeless because they have to be out of the shleter’s early while you are dragging you ……. out of bed.


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This is commendable and I am all for it. What I am not for is my tax dollars going to help the druggies and bums that choose to live on the on the street rather than lead a productive life like the rest of us do.


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8 AM, too early for the late sleepers!


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