We 'Street People' are society's unfit. Either we succumbed to our own pain or we couldn't fit the 'norm'. When society's 'normal' people (for the purpose of this article, I'm referring to those with housing options) see us they assume the worst. They view us as alcoholics, drug addicts, criminals and otherwise dangerous people. We are the trash which everyone attempts to ignore, avoid or cover up. Many of us are veteran's whose families deserted us in our time of need, women whose husbands abused us while terrorizing our children or young teens who ran from homes we could no longer cope in. Among us are those who just couldn't get ahead and lost our homes. Some of us have legal jobs and live in cars, others of our kind cannot get work because of the stereotypes laid upon us.

We may walk up and 'bum' a smoke or a dollar, most of us you'll never see. We walk along roads on garbage day searching out discarded soda cans to recycle in towns that pay for the metal. We also find odd jobs in exchange for a meal and a shed to sleep in. 80% of Americans are only two (2) paychecks away from being one of us. Even the mega-millionaires are not completely safe from joining our way of life. Those of us who fell from grace fell hard and find ourselves trying desperately to catch the ledge to avoid the final disgrace. When the 'norm' look at us they see nothing but garbage, people who should get a job or be penalized for existing. They see us as a threat because we may assault them or we scare them. In reality the change I bum off you today may make me the first to help you when you end up in my shoes tomorrow.

The veteran's among us are the most unfortunate. They fought for your right to judge us and scorn us. They fought for your freedom to decide whether to give us a dime or a sandwich. Yet they are judged as harshly as the rest of us. The fact that a man who served in our military is left to sit in his wheelchair and beg while people flow by thinking of what he might do to them is the true symbol of what our country as become. These men and women gave all they could to protect us and now they are deemed worthless.

What about shelters and missions? What about churches and temporary agencies? Why should I stop to talk to a piece of trash about why they are in the gutter you may ask. The answer is because tomorrow you may be that piece of human filth sitting on that curb asking for spare change. We 'Street People' are little different than you. We made poor choices, ended up in situations that we couldn't help and here we sit hoping for a better day. 95% of us would never hurt a soul, 95% of us would rather have a good, honest job than beg and 95% of us have stories that you'd never believe if you would sit and listen for a minute. Street people are the mirror of society. We show you everything you see in your darkest nightmares and we show you the strength it takes to beat it. With a hand up we can do better for ourselves but as long as those who are above us (in their own minds) continue to step on us, ignore us and assume the worst about our character we will never be anything more than destitute men, women and children dreaming of a better day.

Learn more about this author, Skathock Motyka.
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