Activists: Atttacks on homeless rising

[Judi Lynn]

Wednesday, August 23, 2006 · Last updated 11:45 p.m. PT
Activists: Atttacks on homeless rising

By BETH RUCKER
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Tara Cole, who had been living on the streets of Nashville for more than three years, spent her last night alive sleeping on a boat ramp along the Cumberland River.

She was killed in the early hours of Aug. 11, when two unknown males pushed her into the river, according to witnesses. Other homeless people couldn't save her.

"She was one person, but it terrorized the whole homeless population," said Howard Allen, a homeless man who has helped organize a nightly vigil for Cole.

Authorities said the fatal attack was unprovoked, and homeless advocates say such violence is on the rise across the nation. Often the attackers are teenagers or young adults who are more affluent than their victims, experts say.
(snip/...)

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1110AP_Homeless_Attacked.html

[cyclezealot]

1. Sure is a different approach here in Europe.

We read on cold nights, there are special patrols to gather up homeless and get them to shelters. Also, there is sort of an operation similiar to meals on wheels', to get food to them.Of course Europe's homeless situation no where pales to the problems of US cities, as bad as it is.

[Kagemusha]

2. Same for Canadian cities. In the US, though..

lots of people who see homelessness and poverty as proof of moral deficiency, just as affluence is proof of moral virtue. Ayn Rand stuff.

[saigon68]

3. Yup the old Proverb is

LET THEM DIE THEY ARE LAZY (and unworthy)

</sarcasm>

[cyclezealot]

7. Sarcasm?

Not really, I can think of some Repug. acquaintances who talk almost in that manner.

[saigon68]

11. Yes they do in their "summer homes" on their "yachts"

They are blessed by God because they are worthy.

The homeless are Scum to these people.

In hell these people will become Squeege men

[Algorem]

4. reminds the bottom 80%(98%?) that they'd better keep scrambling for

the scraps in dog-eat-dog USA.

[MrPrax]

10. Not true...

Canada's the same as the US...we've got tent cities allover the place, gentificiation, reduced or eliminated welfare payments and a large part of the population that DOES believe that poverty is a moral deficiency and other 'Randian' stuff.

That's just Canadian nationalist bunk...

[enid602]

6. Spain

Lots of homeless in Spain.

[Kickoutthejams23]

8. I don't know about that.

Paris seems to have a lot more homeless than say New York. At least they are much more visible in the streets.

[SweetLeftFoot]

12. London

London used to have amassive homeless population, as bad as any US city, but the Blair Govt has managed to get the vast majority into halfway houses or B+B's - at great cost, but still, they have done it.

[fasttense]

5. This is the result of hate mongering on "Christian" radio.

They dehumanize the poor and claim they are lazy, shiftless burdens on society. I'm sure that's what Jesus said about the poor.:sarcasm:

[Joe Bacon]

9. Christians talk a lot about Jesus

but they follow Ayn (as in MINE) Rand and her pal Milton (The "Invisible Hand" takes care of everything) Friedman.