Homeless people should not be hated; they should be helped

Homeless people should not be hated; they should be helped

Re “Homeless aren’t treated like criminals” (Marcos Breton, Jan. 10): Mr. Breton writes often of the problems he imagines with homeless people or “the toxic mix of illegal campers,” as he fondly referred to them in a recent column. He argues that Sacramento is treating the homeless well. He cites statistics for the cost of trash removal.

According to the Sacramento Regional Coalition to End Homelessness, anti-homeless laws are increasing even faster than the population of homeless people. A lack of affordable housing, medical care and jobs remains a problem. I stand with the coalition in asking for more ethical expenditures of public funds and the treatment of the homeless.

Homeless people aren’t vermin, but victims of circumstance

Re “Homeless are dying, fight over camping ban pointless” (Erika D. Smith, Jan. 12): The homeless are referred to as a problem. In many cases, they are seen as nothing more than human vermin that threaten the safety of the community. But they’re not. They are human beings who, in many cases, became homeless through no fault of their own.

I serve at the Community Dinner Project. You see people that are grateful for food and a friendly smile. Many of us are just one paycheck away from becoming one of them. It’s scary that your basic right to be human would be taken from you.

Enough with the protests about helping homeless people

Re “City warms to ‘safe’ area for homeless” (Page 1A, Jan. 11): I don’t understand all the bleeding hearts for the homeless that have been protesting. There are normal, working people who could probably use some help from time to time, and here the city is wasting time on a small fragment of the population.

Put them to work doing trash pickup. If they want respect, you must earn it. If you are going to give them a place to live, make them earn it.

Where were the tears of Nixon, Bush, other U.S. presidents?

Re “Where are Obama’s tears for soldiers?” (Letters, Jan. 11): I don’t remember any tears shed by former Presidents Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Reagan, Bush Sr. or Bush Jr. when they found out about the soldiers who died as a result of their military foreign policies. On the other hand, I don’t believe any president other than Obama has had to explain to the American people why children were shot to death while attending school.

This story was originally published January 14, 2016 at 10:00 PM with the headline "Homeless people should not be hated; they should be helped."