The federal government defines “homelessness” as a person or family that has no nighttime residence or is residing in a public or private residence that is not accommodated for sleeping conditions. Using this definition, what do you envision when you imagine a homeless person? Do you think of an addict that wasted their life? Do you think of someone lazy who refuses to work? What do you think of hobos? Or do you think of people who were failed by America’s negligence? Homelessness has been a major issue for many years now in America. I believe that it is time for us to get past this issue of homelessness. The first thing we must do is for us to get past these assumptions and stereotypes about homeless people. One of the many issues in America is homelessness, and more specifically how …show more content…
These views are just black and white and we should all have one understanding view of these people. If we can do this, we will be more united as a country and be able to solve this situation easier. Beyond that, we must stop feeling so much pity and treating these people as an eyesore. We think that our help will be wasted so we turn away and also feel a sort of pity and disgust towards their circumstances. I am guilty of this but I know most people have also just like me been guilty of just giving these people pity money or seeing them as inferior to us. We assume what these people did or didn’t do or what their story is, which is natural to do, but we allow these assumptions to make us close-minded and judgmental of these people and deny us from helping them. One example of someone failed by the system and hurt by the stereotypes is Keanakay Scott, who wrote the letter, “Dear NIMBYs,” was failed by the foster care system and kicked out when she was 18, making her homeless, leaving her to learn all the life skills by