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Showing posts from July, 2008

The Tragic Deaths of the Poor

I will endeavour to delve into a very sensitive matter: A subject of grief and sadness! The premature deaths of many homeless and low-income people! From the start, I am often offended by the arrogant assumption that homeless individuals choose this life! An alarming ignorance that says they would choose to endure homelessness, choose to sleep in shelters, abandoned buildings, loading docks, trains and under bushes to gain a freedom not known by the housed population. This myth reeks of "Holier Than Thou" sentiments, and sadly, portrays a profound ignorance of this diverse and suffering group that are trapped in a lifestyle they dream they could escape from! The Homeless population are frequently subject to society's most dangerous elements, from sickness and disease to murder to Chicago's weather extremes. This past year I have known at least 9 homeless and precariously housed people who have died. This number excludes many of this population, due to their frequent t