Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Homeless in Ocala


Local officials have made it almost impossible for the homeless to exist in our fair city. It is not as bad here as in Fort Lauderdale, however, where the folks running the place have made it illegal to feed the homeless in public places.

21 comments:

Birdman said...

Just the opposite here. You can almost be offered a tax incentive. Sad all around.

William Kendall said...

That's what happens when the mentality is "me first" and not consideration for others.

Sylvia K said...

It is hard sometimes to realize just how blessed and fortunate you are until you see something like this!! There are hundreds of homeless people wandering around this area, gathering trash to recycle and get something to buy food -- or drink with. I see it every day. I live in an old neighborhood, but it has recently been invaded by the homeless and I'll probably have to look for another place to live before too long. It's so sad.

Judy said...

It is sad to see. I don't know how they survive and wonder what happened in their lives that put them on the streets.
I like your new banner photo.
Thanks for your kind words and encouragement. I plan to post from time to time when I have something interesting to show but not every day.

Sharon said...

This post made me think of an art piece I saw in London many years ago called "Scrapheap Services" by Michael Landy. Basically, it was about a fictional service company to would sweep up all the undesirable people and pour them into the people shredder. It was a pretty powerful exhibit that I will never forget seeing. you can see a picture from it at the link below if you want. http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/landy-scrapheap-services-t07221

RedPat said...

There was a program started here several years ago that found homes or reasonable rooms for as many homeless people as possible and it succeeded to certain extent but there are many homeless with psychological problems that couldn't or wouldn't be helped and even in our fierce winters you still see a few people sleeping rough. And the ones who now have rooms have to beg or sell special newspapers to supplement their welfare/social assistance payments. It's a real tragedy. At least here they have full medical care.

Kate said...

Not feeding someone?! That sounds positively Draconian! Our national health system has been a disgrace and the plight of many of the homeless can be traced historically to a change in treatment of the mentally ill, among other economic trends.

Kay said...

The latest "economic meltdown" that has created the excessively wealthy has also begun a new, entitled sense of "me first." Congress and the elected class has masked it with "gridlock" but it seems to me that it's a convenient way to let the less-haves twist in the wind. And the arrogant are passing nasty laws like yours.

magiceye said...

Tough indeed!

cieldequimper said...

Please don't get me started...

Karl said...

It is sad to see such scenes, here we have similar situations...
Like your new header!

EG CameraGirl said...

Hmmm. Floridians have a bad attitude, methinks. Most homeless people are NOT homeless by choice. It's not as simple as some people think it is.

VP said...

Most of these people, at least here, have mental problems and their living in the streets has nothing to do with poverty.

Halcyon said...

It always makes me sad to see homeless people. I think alot of them are affected by mental illness, which is even sadder. :( No matter what anyone says, I don't believe these people want to be homeless (i.e. they are lazy or something). Some people are just dealt a harder hand in life.

Anonymous said...

'Illegal to feed the homeless in public places'... that's a very sad state of affairs.

Anonymous said...

'Illegal to feed the homeless in public places'... that's a very sad state of affairs.

Stefan Jansson said...

Very sad it is. Sorry to hear about the Fort Lauderdale way.

Andy said...

It's a tough life and people make it even more tougher.

Hilda said...

What?? That's downright cruel.

Is handing a sandwich to one person considered feeding? And you can get arrested for it?

LOLfromPasa said...

Interesting comments here about a part of our society that is sad.

Gunn said...

Just SAD.

"Photographers deal in things which are continually vanishing and when they have vanished there is no contrivance on earth which can make them come back again." — Henri Cartier-Bresson