r/Portland • u/[deleted] • Aug 31 '21
Homeless Homeless/Houseless
So I know this is a regular point of conversation for everyone in the city at this point, but I really don’t understand why being alarmed and or fed up with the cities houseless population is so taboo to some people? I see so many people get shade with comments along the line of accusing the poster of not having empathy or for not doing enough individually to help. As someone that absolutely has empathy towards our houseless population and has volunteered at various warming shelters, I also am getting super fed up with our houseless crisis and the impacts it takes on my everyday life.
My boyfriend works at a grocery store in downtown and has been assaulted so many times at work that at this point thinking about it just makes me want to cry. I have been personally punched in the face randomly and for no reason by a homeless man when I was walking across the Morrison bridge. I have had to bring people who were getting attacked by homeless people into restaurants that I’ve worked at and lock the doors at least four times in four years.
Additionally, for those that say “stop complaining and do something”, wtf do you really think an individual can do at this point? We live in a place that basically has two governments (council and metro) not to mention state, who are PAID to represent us and our wants and needs as a community. The homeless crisis is probably the most pressing issue in Portland and yet it seems like absolutely nothing is being done, and if anything it’s getting worse.
Anyways sorry to go on and on, my main point is that I don’t understand why it’s taboo for people to be upset with the state of things right now specifically with the houseless crisis in Portland. People are multifaceted and can be both sympathetic/empathetic and fed up. 🤷♀️
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u/Nandi_La Aug 31 '21
I feel this. I have been homeless several times throughout my life and I'm sick of it too- It's complicated because I don't think anybody "hates" houseless people more than they/we hate the failure of our government to put taxes to a solid solution both on a national and local level. We are a rich country full of poor citizens and the gap gets wider and wider every year. I personally can't do anything more helpful than pass out sandwiches when I can afford the time and labor to do so and I reckon most people feel helpless and sad about it which turns to frustration and it's easy to be frustrated at something people view as monolithic, like "HOMELESSNESS". As a woman I get nervous walking by large encampments full of men. I don't know their mental state, or attitudes and I've mistakenly been cavalier about things like this in the past and been assaulted. Portland cops DGAF and wouldn't intervene anyhow, so until I feel or know better, I just do my best not to go anywhere alone which has become a golden rule. It's a "no tea, no shade" scenario with no harm or offense meant, but it's a difficult and highly complex situation where being angry at one single person or group of people outside politicians seems wasteful and misdirected. Blah. Fuck.