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"Public spaces belong to the public by right. And the unhoused public, who have the greatest need for public spaces, have therefore the greatest right"

Edit

I kinda made this post out of spite for the fact the most previous post in this community, whose title I quoted/copied, was getting so many downvotes... At the time I posted this, the previous post had about a 30% downvote rate, and it really, really made me mad.

I am relieved tho to see people in the comments here who have real, actual empathy for their fellow humans. Thank you for contributing here.

It blows my mind how normalized it is to hate on those who are struggling. Especially in 20fucking23 when so many of us now are on the verge of it ourselves. Let's be better, everyone - to everyone. I beg you.

The_Terrible_Humbaba ,

For a "Solar punk" instance, this community seems to have very little of the "punk" aspect, and in these comments it sounds more like a "Solar rich liberal" place.

The amount of slander towards homeless people, the propagating of stereotypes, and the removal of personhood in these comments really blows my mind. There are even people defending that homeless people should be sent to prison and have their life managed for them; others claim how it's their own fault they are homeless; some cry about "private property".

And of course a bunch of people claiming this isn't a final/permanent solution, and so it shouldn't be done... as if to say, until we come up with better solutions, these people should just go without shelter. What is really a priority to them, is not having to look at homeless people.

In a nutshell: "It's their own fault! They're probably all heroin addicts anyway. Someone else should come up with and implement better solutions, but in the meantime I don't want to have to see and walk by people who don't have a home!". A Solar Punk Neolib community.

Five ,
@Five@slrpnk.net avatar

When a post gets enough points, it does the Lemmy equivalent of "hitting the front page" and comment character becomes indistinguishable from a brigade. Most of the people commenting on this post aren't from the Slrpnk.net instance. Check out the locals who are though -- excellent people every one -- @stabby_cicada, @poVoq, @punkisundead, @j_roby. These people are making this instance great.

Also, a shout out to the the nice people from other instances - I see you, and you are awesome: @Timecircleline, @ondoyant, @257m, @TheFriar, @Maeve, @rockSlayer, @Gormadt - thanks for contributing.

257m ,

I also don't think people realize how much more space efficient tent cities are. If they buy a giant ass suburban that has a driveway half the size of the house and backyard of perfectly manicured grass that no one walks on it brings house prices up. If do actually want them to start getting off the street try your best to support them and be a good person. If not leave them the fuck alone and atleast don't make their lives more difficult than it already is.

FabledAepitaph ,

I would be cool with chill people setting up tents for a day or two or at night or whatever. But who's going to be picking the used heroin needles up out of the grass and wrangling the drug dealers and gang members when they start showing up? The reason peole don't want tent villages is this, not because they simply hate the "unhoused".

Ixoid ,

Making some pretty out there assumptions about the kind of people who are homeless, my dude...

Old_Dude ,

If you agree with this, you've never seen public spaces taken over by homeless.

tacosplease ,

Perhaps it would make us want to... help them better.

Old_Dude ,

It does, but helping is not giving them free reign over public spaces.

tacosplease ,

I agree. But by allowing them to be in public spaces we're giving some squeak to an otherwise unnoticed wheel. Maybe then it actually gets the grease it needs.

Also... would you want to live in a tent in the park? Do you think they want that? Nobody wants to live their life that way. These are people without anywhere to go. Should they sleep in dumpsters just so we don't have to look at them?

toaster ,
@toaster@slrpnk.net avatar

Yeah! Let's kick them out of public spaces... wait a minute.

pinkdrunkenelephants ,

It's not actually homelessness people have a problem with, it's drug addiction.

can ,

Then surely those same people are working to destigmatize it and provide help right?

Right?

BearJCC ,

I agree, but is it a meme?

poVoq ,
@poVoq@slrpnk.net avatar

Yes, memes are viral thoughts, often utilizing fun to spread, but not necessarily so.

Bluescluestoothpaste ,

You don't need to be an empathetic holistic person to get behind free housing for the homeIess. If you're a truly selfish and purely economically oriented person, then you have to admit giving the homless free homes is economically the best solution for all involved. Alternatives include the taxpayer eating the cost of all the damage they do seeking shelter and survival, or paying a ton of money to police to violently deal with them.

If you prefer those to giving them housing, you're choosing options that are more cruel and more costly -- I don't understand how that makes sense and yet plenty of people seem to choose that.

poVoq ,
@poVoq@slrpnk.net avatar

Because many people perceive homelessness as a proxy for moral failings (such as drug abuse) worthy of punishment.

Of course this is rarely the full picture or even true at all, but we need to get people to understand that this is not a problem that can be solved by punishing people.

moog ,

i dont mind letting people use public areas as a place to stay for the night. but its not just a place to stay for them. its a place to do drugs, shit and piss all over the place, steal from and harrass and assault everyone around them, and let their trash pile up and attract pests. its a huge problem where i am and these people are fucking terrifying to be around. like, i dont want to be inhumane to anyone but where do we draw the line?

punkisundead ,

, i dont want to be inhumane to anyone but where do we draw the line?

Imo we draw the line when someone who wants to be housed is threatened with being houseless and provide them with housing. Providing housing first is also the best way to deal with all the issues connected to being houseless like drug use, trauma from violence, mental health issues, etc

Imo the line has been crossed long ago and gets crossed every day and its important to keep in mind when trying to find solutions that are more like band aids on a broken system.

ondoyant ,
@ondoyant@beehaw.org avatar

they are alive, so they need to shit and piss. they consume things, so they will create trash. if they are addicted to drugs, they need a place to do them. if we don't provide for people public restrooms, public trash receptacles, and places to do drugs safely, they will do them in public where you can see them. nothing about any of these behaviors are unique to unhoused people, you just don't see housed folks getting high and shitting in the street because they because have a far more comfortable, safe place to do their private business. you don't see housed people's trash because they have a bin to put it in that takes all the trash to the dump. how are they supposed to do anything different when they have nowhere else to go?

this whole antipathy towards people on the street makes me so fucking angry. they can't go anywhere else. they have to keep all of their belongings out on the sidewalk, they have to shit on the fucking street, they have no other options but to live every moment of their lives in a public place, and we pass judgement on them when it doesn't look pretty. these are human beings you're talking about, not pests, not monsters, they're people that you're watching live in abject poverty, and all you can muster up is fear and disgust. its disgraceful.

Five ,
@Five@slrpnk.net avatar

"We make the community by defending it: Calling police on people that don’t have a house is a violent act to those seeking shelter in the community they belong to."

j_roby OP ,
@j_roby@slrpnk.net avatar

https://slrpnk.net/post/2172321

blazera ,
@blazera@kbin.social avatar

Youtuber i seen with a trend of stealth camping in urban locations, had a video of camping overnight in the middle of a roundabout with a lot of shrubbery. And it had kind of a survival horror feel with cops patrolling around, and i remembered...this guy existing in a public space at night shouldnt be this terrifying or feel so taboo.

Seaguy05 ,

I disagree... public space is our space. No one's need is greater than anyone else's. The homeless need help, the pubic space that we use to get to the store, play with our children, buff highway noise is not the place to get that. Now, I'm not saying financially penalizing or jailing them are the only alternatives but safe camping/RV spots with access to access social services, Wi-Fi, gather for ac/heater, etc seems like a better approach.

rockSlayer ,

I'd rather we just give them housing and a support network to prevent homelessness in the first place. Until then, homeless people have a right to access third spaces for as long as they don't have a living space.

Son_of_dad ,

Everyone is ok with homeless in tents till they set up shop in your street

TheFriar ,

If someone sets up a spot to sleep and keep their stuff close to your house, try talking to them like a person. I live in the City, so there are plenty of people I see all the time. Sometimes they ask for help, sometimes we just talk. I help when I can, but I also say no when I can’t. I stand outside and talk to some of the struggling people close to me for a while sometimes. They’re just people

j_roby OP ,
@j_roby@slrpnk.net avatar

We need more of this right here in the world. Thank you for being an empathetic and decent human.

j_roby OP ,
@j_roby@slrpnk.net avatar

See, this is part of the issue. Too many people recognize the problems, but as soon as any solutions to those problems inconvenience them, any empathy for those problems then goes right out the window....

Son_of_dad ,

I remember this guy in my city set up fake signs for the opening of a new homeless shelter in one of the wealthier and more liberal neighbourhoods in the city, where the "provide for the homeless!" Crowd tend to live.

The neighborhood was up in arms at the idea of the shelter getting set up in THEIR neighborhood. There's a video about it around somewhere.

keeb420 ,

I don't mind the homeless through no fault of their own camping on my street. But I've seen plenty of drugged out mofos camping in front of or near my work I wouldn't want anywhere near my house or those of my neighbors who have kids. I'm talking about the mofos who take apart cars and bikes and whatever else and then just leave everything when they move on. The mofos with piles of garbage that attract rats bigger than cats.

Maeve ,

Ah yes, because everyone in their right minds aspire to addictions.

keeb420 ,

i doubt many people want to be addicts but they succumb to it all the same. regardless it doesnt excuse living like described above and i dont blame people for not wanting to be near described above.

Maeve ,

Again, go spend a night in a shelter. Then say what you said.

keeb420 ,

or... i dont want someones kid to get a bbp from a dirty needle or whatever because they played in garbage left behind. im describing things ive seen with my own eyes. shelters do have their own problems as well. being homeless isnt easy. there are homeless people who dont leave vehicles stripped, needles everywhere, mounds of garbage, and burnt rvs behind. i dont mind those people being around, and i believe some are.

im empathetic to the plight of the homeless, however that doesnt give them free reign over the rest of society. id love to see the nation, as a whole, because cities like new york san fran la seattle ect cant fix it on their own. id love to see expanded mental health coverage and better treatment for inpatient care. id love to see better access and more rehabilitation facilities. also id love to see the people who desperately need those services to take up the offer when and where its available which largely doesnt happen.

Maeve ,

So what are you doing to help expedite anything, other than encouraging criminalization of despair?

keeb420 ,

yeah not wanting to live or work near this makes me a bad person.

Maeve ,

I never said that. I asked what you’re willing to do other than push for further criminalization of desperation.

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