PHOTO/ALEX DAROCY
In America today, the homeless are cast out of society by the economic crisis and then brutalized by the police, the protectors of private property. The quotes on these pages show the compassion of the homeless and their supporters as they fight a mean-spirited fascist ideology of the rich and powerful who care nothing for workers the system no longer needs. If we don’t stand up now and demand that the government provide for those in need, who will be next? Demand that the presidential candidates speak about this! – The People’s Tribune
“Becoming homeless was one of the most eye opening and formative experiences of my life. It helped me understand humanity and compassion in a way I had never considered when I was housed. Homeless people are human beings who deserve to have the same basic human rights as any other individual. Instead, our society penalizes them for being poor and not able to afford housing. The city “sweeps” them out of the way and prevents them from performing basic life sustaining activities. From sleeping to sitting to using the bathroom—by far, dogs are treated better than the homeless. I remember seeing cops kick people awake, DPW spraying sleeping people with cold water, confiscating our possessions including bedding and tarp needed for comfort and survival to protect us from the elements, and never have them returned to us because they are evidence of our criminal activities of sitting, lying, sleeping, and lodging. Sleep deprivation and water torture—it’s disgusting and inhumane and it happens every day across the country—that’s the real crime. Politicians and decision-makers truly do not care about the welfare of homeless people, and are working actively to either push them out of the city through constant harassment and torture, or eradicate them by making their attempts at survival so futile they simply die out. Do the right thing, the compassionate humane thing—pass this bill.” — Julianna Cheng, speaking at the State Capitol in support of a Right to Rest bill for the homeless in California.
“The [Santa Cruz, CA] city council voted 5 to 2 to continue to criminalize sleeping . . . They voted to install nausea-inducing, ear-splitting ‘Mosquito Boxes’ in parks and near bridges where homeless people seek shelter from the rain . . . Several of the five council leaders mentioned . . . that compassion would attract hordes of homeless people to their wealthy city.” — Keith McHenry
“Although I have never been homeless myself, I did get to know many homeless people well. There is a collective and collaborative nature that comes with living on the street. People share what they have. They know and talk to their neighbors every day. My hope is that by giving homeless people a voice in this book, readers will get to know and understand that they are someone’s mother, father, brother or sister.” — Mike Rhodes, author of: “Dispatches from the War Zone” about homelessness in Fresno.
People’s Tribune contributors speak on the attack on the homeless below:
“It’s hard to be furious with a broken heart, but we have to be broken-hearted and furious,” says Sarah Menefee, about the violent destruction of the homeless vigil by the city of Berkeley and the police killing of a homeless man in San Francisco, California.
“The goal is not to help the homeless. It’s to remove the homeless. Torture them out of town. And if they don’t go, they might get shot.— Mike Zint, homeless organizer
Order copies of the People’s Tribune to get out among the homeless at peoplestribune.org.
