With regard to the letter headlined Homeless
or welfare bums in the Feb. 27 edition, I regret the writer has
a view that homeless people and alcoholics have a plan to dupe
society. It is impossible to talk of homelessness and
alcoholism without talking about disease, mental health and the
lack of
affordable housing and mental-health support
in this city.
The disease of alcoholism is one that is
swept under the rug, as is mental health. Those who suffer are
stigmatized. Usually the prevailing wisdom is they are choosing
to live as they do.
As a society we have, generally speaking,
looked away as people in need are left to "vacation into
oblivion" as the writer states.
In this city, the way to success seems to lie
in the oblivion of the PowerPoint presentation where successful
branding will create a vibrant future for the city.
So I ask the same question as the letter
writer, What about the homeless and their wrecked lives? What,
as individuals and a community, are we doing about our
neighbours and family members who are ill?
Mental-health beds are scarce, mental-health
professionals are struggling to keep up with underfunding and
understaffing, which in itself is creating a crisis among
frontline workers in teaching, nursing and support workers. I
say, help those in need first and we will all prosper.
Paul Chislett
, Sudbury