"I'm bringing attention to America's bigotry against the poor," the man said.

[Sapphire Blue]

9/6/2007 10:53:00 AM

Homeless Man Pulls His Own Load

Shelah Ogletree
Reporter for The Daily Record


An economic refugee pulling everything
he owns in a wagon, Roy Gleiter gets
plenty of attention. ‘Sometimes I get
more attention than I want,’ he said. ‘I
have been busted 1,591 times for
sitting, standing or sleeping in the
wrong place.’ -Daily Record
Photo/Shelah Ogletree

A Vietnam veteran and Katrina refugee turned homeless man pulls a 3,000-pound wagon down rural roads. A mentally handicapped woman he calls "Mother" trudges behind the wagon and her service dog walks alongside.

"I'm bringing attention to America's bigotry against the poor," the man said.

Roy Gleiter, 48, said he has traveled America's highways since Hurricane Katrina destroyed his trailer home in Gulfport, Miss., in 2005.

Before the hurricane Mr. Gleiter had a job selling videos and DVDs from a tent set up in a shopping center parking lot. He lived in a trailer provided by his boss.

"The hurricane took nearly everything and we couldn't get assistance from FEMA because it took our identification as well," Mr. Gleiter said. "I didn't know what to do so I piled everything I owned into that wagon.

(snip)

His task is daunting. Caring for the 56-year-old Debra Cowen, a family friend who is bipolar, schizophrenic and has Tourette's syndrome, is a full-time task in itself. Ms. Cowen rarely speaks directly to others, but talks to herself and occasionally screams and bites her hands in terror.

"You should try to sleep at night with her doing that," Mr. Gleiter said. "But she, the dog and the wagon are all I have so I take care of them in that order. I come last. After taking the message of the homeless to America, my next goal is to live one day longer than 'Mom' does."

(snip)

Mr. Gleiter is headed to Washington, D.C., traveling on U.S. 301. Dunn and Benson residents can expect to see his slow-moving wagon in the next weeks if he feels welcome.

"Once you're homeless for three days you're considered unemployable, but I'm earning people's respect by pulling my own weight," he said. "Most Americans are one paycheck away from being where I am."


Read the full article @ http://www.dunndailyrecord.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=90309&TM=41023.43

Edited to add this link:

Home on the Road - with Roy Gleiter: http://www.philipwartena.com/roy_gleiter/

[applegrove]

1. What a great man.

[OldTymeDem]

47. Yes what an accomplishment! We need more "Great Men" like this! NT

[kdmorris]

2. I used to live just off of 301 in Maryland, in La Plata.

I wish I still lived there, just so we could help (although at the time we would have been too poor to help him).

[bobbolink]

3. "HELP" could take many forms, not just $$$$

This man needs PEOPLE there with him at all times.

Witnesses to false arrest, videoing cops.

People to let him know he's not alone in this, and to tell him the good things about himself, because I can assure you, he's mostly getting criticism! Some compliments and admiration would be welcomed, I'm sure.

People to help him to get in naps, etc. He's continually sleep deprived.

People to bring him clean, fresh water.

I'm sure you can think of many other ideas to help him, that don't cost $$$$.

I wish there was a way to get messages of support to him!

[kdmorris]

4. You have a good point

I was mainly thinking of taking him food and water. We had well water and certainly could have given freely of any water he needed. In addition, the house we rented had a huge field that he could have stayed in safely without harassment or arrest. And it was only 35 miles from DC, so he would have been almost there.

[Enthusiast]

30. I disagree............

If you give him water he will need to pee. Where will he pee if he has no bathroom? No water!

[freeplessinseattle]

35. yeah, let's make sure the homeless are dehydrated

so they don't have to pee. what do they need normal human bodily functions for?

[bobbolink]

58. Hey, kidney stones are FUN!

See why us poor folk just l-o-v-e DU?

We feel so cozy and loved here....

[Sequoia]

36. Thank God someone invented bathrooms.

Heaven forbid he uses the great outdoors.

[ooglymoogly]

45. Are you nuts fer god sake!!!!

[kdmorris]

60. I'm going to have to assume

that you are being sarcastic (not sure to what end). Because the alternative is that you are completely lacking in empathy and/or basic human emotions.

[Cerridwen]

5. Kick to keep this in front of people.

:kick:

[zabet]

6. A double-whammy...

a Vet and a Katrina survivor.
This is how we take care of our veterans?

"Most Americans are one paycheck away from being where I am."
He speaks a monumental truth in this sentence.

I applaud him.

[keith the dem]

39. Question... At 48 how could he be a vietnam vet?

In 1973 he would have been 14.

[gentlegiant]

48. You're right.

I'm 51, and though I had to register for the draft, it was not in effect. The war ended before I became eligible.
Perhaps he is a veteran, but not of any conflict?

[Megahurtz]

72. Maybe It's A Typo Or Something.

He would probably be more like 58 instead of 48.

[TahitiNut]

61. Yep. That jumped out to me, too. A real hack-job of "journalism."

No 'journalist' of any merit whatsoever would write that.

[ISUGRADIA]

82. Not the only story lisiting his age at 48

http://www.oanow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=OAN/MGArticle/OAN_BasicArticle&path=!news&cid=1173351906038&c=MGArticle

Options:

1- He's messed up and forgot his age
2- Two reporters have now misheard him
3- He's lieing
4- He's messed up about his military involvement

EDIT- His mother is 56 and he's 48?

Vietnam veteran and Katrina survivor walking to D.C. to draw attention to homelessness

Donathan Prater / Opelika-Auburn News
July 6, 2007


ADVERTISEMENT

"They assume that if you’re homeless, you’re either a drunk, lazy or drug-addicted," said Roy Gleiter, sporting a heavy, unkempt beard.

While he may be homeless, none of those other adjectives apply to Gleiter - and he’s willing to go all the way to the nation’s capital to prove it.

Each day, Gleiter, 48, pulls a cart loaded with all he owns - mainly clothing and a few supplies for his dog - an average of about three miles. He is accompanied by his severely mentally challenged mother, Debra, and Poofer, a hound mix.

[brer cat]

7. This story SHOULD dispell

many myths about homeless, but will it? I think not. His selfless care for his friend, and his determination to *do* whatever he can for himself will totally go unnoticed and unappreciated. He is a hero!

[malaise]

8. K & R

to expose a sickening truth.

[Cerridwen]

9. Another kick n/t

[robinlynne]

10. wow.

[Booster]

11. This is just so wrong on so many levels. A kick for Roy, Debra

and their dog. Damn, just damn.

[jody]

12. Kick n/t

[Kingofalldems]

13. As one who was somewhat poor as a youth

It is not the lack of material goods so much as the social rejection by those who have more.

[jody]

14. Kick n/t

[porphyrian]

15. I'll kick that. - n/t

[catnhatnh]

16. Sorry to rain on your parade...

...but when a guy starts right off lying about being a Vietnam vet, I have to discount every other thing he says...currently 48 years of age...so on March 29th 1975 when the last US troops left Vietnam he was still 16 years old...This is pointed out in several comments to the original story.

[proud2BlibKansan]

21. I guess you missed this comment:

The gentleman also looks older than 48, so it's entirely possible, with all he has been through, he has forgotten his actual age. Trauma and stress will do that to a person. It's so much easier to sneer and be cynical than to take a moment to give someone the benefit of the doubt and a little compassion to go with it.

[yellerpup]

25. Maybe 48 is a typo. 58 would catch it.

At 48 he is too young to have served in VietNam.

[catnhatnh]

64. Or perhaps you missed the paragraphs in the actual story....

where he said he fought off attackers with no problem because of his army training,or that he was a "forward observer"...of course a forward observer was an officer who flew as a passenger in light observation aircraft and worked the radios to coordinate air strikes....so unless he regularly attacked the pilots of a plane he flew in, I fail to see where he picked up his purported hand to hand combat skills....as to forgetting his age,well he seems to remember well the exact number of cops who threatened to arrest him in the last two years.

[Sapphire Blue]

33. That's okay, you're not raining on my parade. It seems that you're trying to discredit what...

... he's doing, though. I don't know whether the '48-yr-old Vietnam vet' is a typo, or he misstated his age, or he embellished on his background. Whatever the case, it really doesn't matter to me; I respect him for what he's doing now. The way that homeless people are treated in this country is nothing less than a horribly shameful disgrace. He is confronting the bigotry.

[Forkboy]

41. Bingo!

Thanks for posting the OP and this reply! :hug:

[Sparkly]

38. I was just about to post the same thing...

Don't know what the explanation is, but that jumped out at me.

[ProudDad]

44. Then read this article

no mention of Vietnam -- just a "veteran".

http://www.greenvillenews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070804/NEWS01/708040321

In case you've forgotten, there WERE tens of thousands of veterans of the many other wars and interventions and occupations since Vietnam ended.

It's more probable that the author of the article linked to in the OP slipped it in out of HER ignorance.

Why don't you check it with Shelah Ogletree (email: [e-mail] ) or do some research instead of dismissing this man's entire story due to some reporter's fuck-up?

[bobbolink]

59. OH COME ON --- reporters NEVER make mistakes.. only poor folk do...

or rather, poor people just LIE all the time!

Unlike the RW, of course....

Thanks for your words of support... :hi:

[Rosa Luxemburg]

17. He shouold challenge George Bush to give him a bedroom in the White House

[antigop]

18. I will ask the question Michael Moore asked in "SICKO"....

WHO ARE WE?

We spend billions on war and people go homeless.

WHO ARE WE?

[jody]

19. Kick n/t

[G_j]

20. now there is a man to admire

forget the stars or the Trumps, this guy has integrity and courage in the real sense.

[wicket]

22. K & R

:kick:

[flashl]

23. Americas veterans and homelessness ANOTHER one of our great shames

K&R

[LeftishBrit]

24. k & r

This is just so shocking.

[Odin2005]

26. It is an outrage that any person has to live like that.

That he is both a vet and a Katrina survivor only adds to how outrageous this is.

:grr:

[Mad_Dem_X]

27. It most certainly is.

It's one of our great shames in this country that anyone, let alone a war veteran, has to be homeless and try to survive from day to day.

[happygoluckytoyou]

28. GEORGE BUSH weighing in on this----

when i was a kid we woulda been grateful to have a wagon, a dog and a good woman

this man should be grateful that in this land of the free he has a highway upon which to walk... tho i would avoid bridges in minneapolis, ha ha ... and levys in new orleans... hehe ... and the whitehouse guard in washington d.c. hoho...

this man is the al gore of poor people... complaining about his lot in life while he has 3000 pounds of stuff... with that much stuff he could supply a hundred shopping carts for poor people all around the city... how selfish

well... gotta get back to this jigsaw puzzle.... thousands of pieces... all the same color... brown....
supposed to look like tony the tiger when i get it finished.... at least that is the picture on the box...

[Doremus]

32. Don't forget ... "Living on the road, pulling a heavy wagon..."

"That's uniquely American isn't it?" <shit-eating smirk> :puke:

[truedelphi]

43. You're doing a great job there, Georgie -

And how right you are - he has a 3 thousand pound load - certainly enough to offer a thousand other homeless people their own 3 pounds worth a material blessings.

####

But seriously, everyone, in California we just passed a state budget that CUT twelve million dollars from a fund for treatment of adults with developmental and mental challenges.

No longer will they have to worry about paying rent - their rent assistance won't exist.

The program, before being extinguished, had been one true success. It helped keep those who needed it out of the hospital and out of jails - and withut it, those two bureaucracies will be forced to expend and spend MORE than the twelve million dollars saved.

[gentlegiant]

49. Happy, don't waste your time.

I had the same puzzle. Looked nothing like Tony. Half way through, mine came out looking like Willie Nelson. Then my dogs ate it.

[Enthusiast]

29. God, I hate the poor!

Knowledgeable "conservatives" have recently reported that America's poor only find themselves poor because they've made bad life decisions.

Rush Limbaugh says America's poor are the fattest poor in history. He also seems troubled that America's poor have an excess number of televisions in their homes. One day I listened to Rush go on and on that ",Social Security is a welfare program."

I wish poor people would just die! Without the poor our country could reach it's potential.

[OwnedByFerrets]

31. We are spending billions a week in Iraq

so this man has the "FREEDOM" to pull his wagon down the road.:sarcasm:

[Donkeykick]

34. Yep. billions that could be spent for every man and woman in this USA on healthcare!

:wtf:

[redqueen]

37. Healthcare for Americans = no profit, no kickbacks, no perks

Iraq occupation = LOTS of profit for profiteers, LOTS of kickbacks for those helping (or not hindering) the profiteers, LOTS of perks for the same

*sigh*

We need to rid ourselves of politicians who think the only way to do things is the way they've always been done.

[PianoBlack]

40. It is good to see that...

someone is standing up to be counted. Bush has enough problems remembering that there are people living in the country he is the head of (except those who support him...and even then he forgets). It is wonderful to see that this man has taken up the charge to be heard instead of letting the man get him down. (I hate to use that turn of phrase but it suits the situation so well.)

[BrklynLib at work]

42. Don't let poor Babs' "beautiful" mind be disturbed by this picture!!!!

:puke:

[OldTymeDem]

46. I guess it has never occured to him

To get new ID's so he can get assistance.

But anyway,

Whom of you here is going to give him a place to stay, money for food and pay his utilities? Practice what you preach. You all say "how terrible" and thats about it. Reminds me of the Pharisee walking by the beaten traveler on the side of the road...

[BeliQueen]

51. Proud giver every time I'm asked...

...when I have the funds.

My friends are sometimes surprised by my generosity, because one time it meant that I didn't enough cash to pay for my part of the meal, so I had to put it on a debit card. (I would never stiff my friends or give when I'm strapped myself.)

But that's the difference between people who act and people who judge.

[BeliQueen]

52. I guess it never occurred to you...

that new IDs cost money as well.

But just keep heaping the blame on the victim to soothe the conscience--it has worked so well in our society.

[OldTymeDem]

55. I needed to get a new SS card

Didnt cost me a dime.

I applaud those who personally take action to help those in need, as opposed to those whom shake their heads and wonder why the govt isnt doing anything about it. If more people did the former instead of the latter, we wouldnt need the welfare state. Remember Jesus asked us individually to take care of the poor; he did not demand Caeser do it.

[BeliQueen]

67. so exactly how often do you give?

Regale us with tales of your own generosity since you feel that you have the right to sit in judgment.

Also, please do not posit hypothetical situations such as "if I went up to him and offered him assistance, he would continue on his quest." Unless you've actually met this man and offered him assistance, you don't know what his response would be.

You assume an awful lot especially the assumption that you actually know the mind of God Itself. Have you met God? Did Jesus personally speak to you on matters of our modern society and how we should treat our poorest citizens?

[LeftishBrit]

68. Are these mutually incompatible?

How about needing a welfare state AND individual generosity and helpfulness?

I agree that people should not just complain if they themselves never do anything to help; but you sound as though you are taking some of the Christian Right's talking points about charity being the responsibility of individuals rather than governments. This might have worked in the days when we all lived in tiny village communities or kin groups, but not in the complex societies of the last few hundred years.

[noiretextatique]

76. you needed documents to get that SS card

if you don't have those documents, what do you do?

[bobbolink]

62. Also never occurs to some that you need an ADDRESS! to get new cards...

Geeeez, the rarity of brain cells some times....

[OldTymeDem]

66. Go to the SS office and tell them your situation

I'm sure they would accomodate him. The Salvation Army could help him with this as well. He could also use a homeless shelter address. And doesnt anybody think its odd he was able to save 3000lbs of his personal stuff but no ID cards? How guillable does one have to be to be considered "compassionate"? C'mon use your God given common sense! If I went to up to this guy and offered him help in getting his ID's such as providing him with an address and rides to the appropriate office's, do you think he would accept or refuse and continue with his visionquest to expose how cruel the world is to him? Doesnt he have a scentilla of responsibility to himself?

[bobbolink]

69. BWHAHAHAHA! You're SOOOO sure there are soooo many resources,

yet, you wouldn't trouble yourself to actually check it out.

Your disdain for poor people is so obvious, calling me names and running him down.

It's people like you who are the reason why so many of us are cheering the downfall of the muddleclass. You'll learn the hard way, when you're THERE.

People like you are hopeless, so GOODBYE

[OldTymeDem]

71. Yes I am....

"BWHAHAHAHA! You're SOOOO sure there are soooo many resources"

If that is all you can rebut, I guess I made my case.

Name calling? What name calling? But go ahead and run away

And what did I say about this guy that was disdainful? I asked legitimate questions. If he has the wherewithal to walk to DC, surely he can make it to the local YMCA/Salvation Army...But no, we are bigoted to expect a little effort on his part to get the help he needs such as GOING TO THE FREAKIN PLACES THAT WOULD HELP HIM!

And Yes I am accutely aware of all the resources available to the poor in this country. My pay stub tax deductions reminds me everytime. We are the most genreous people to the poor in the world. Lets just look at the Governmental resources available to poor:

Section 8 housing
Foodstamps
Welfare
Heat and Energy Assistance Program (HEAP)
Medicaid
SSI for the disabled
WIC (mother child obviously)
HeadStart
Pell Grants
Stafford Loans

I am sure there are many others, these are just from the top of my head.

Then there are the State programs,

Then there are all the private charities ....

So when I hear that the govt and society is not doing "enough" I say rubbish!

[Megahurtz]

73. You Know NOTHING About Being Poor And Homeless

and your posts show your complete ignorance, especially this statement:

>>>"We are the most generous people to the poor in the world."<<< :eyes:

You have got to be fucking kidding me.

Have you ever been poor and Homeless and tried to get assistance from these organizations?
Do it.
Go for a few years with nothing and see all the help you get and then get back to me
and tell me how "generous" these organizations and other people are.

You know nothing until you've walked in those shoes.

Holy Crap how pompous can you get!

[bobbolink]

79. Thank you so much, Megahurtz! As one in those shoes, it hurts to get attacked like this so much.

I've felt very alone with all this, and your words really help a lot.

Thanks so very much!

:hi:

[Sapphire Blue]

74. OldTymeDem, please pick up your phone book & call those agencies that supposedly provide...

... "Governmental resources available to poor." Tell them you are in need of:

Section 8 housing
Foodstamps
Welfare
Heat and Energy Assistance Program (HEAP)
Medicaid
SSI for the disabled
WIC (mother child obviously)
HeadStart
Pell Grants
Stafford Loans

Then come back & post the responses that you've received, and expand on "all the resources available to the poor in this country".

BTW, if you're concerned about your "pay stub tax deductions", you might want to look here & here.

[bobbolink]

80. Thanks, Sapphire Blue! The ignorance in this country is just staggering!

And the compassion for those dying from all the crap is...

.....tragic, to say the least.

[Sapphire Blue]

84. The ignorant believe that a safety net still exists; the haters are out to...

... destroy the safety net. The compassionate are attempting to restore the safety net.

The ignorant need to be informed. The haters need to be stopped. The compassionate need to be increased a gazillionfold.

[noiretextatique]

77. none of those programs will magically produce a birth certificate

or an address.

[bobbolink]

81. It took over 4 MONTHS with a lawyer to get required papers!

Last year, not that it was reported, but over 300,000 people lost their Medicaid, and hundreds of thousands more lost their disability because suddenly all kinds of papers were required that hadn't been before.

This, by the way, came about in the "Budget Deficit Reduction Act", which tells you exactly what they were trying to do -- kill of a whole bunch of us!

And, no doubt, they succeeded. After going without eating for 3 days, having NO MONEY, and no place to go, I was planning to off myself when someone took me in. NONE OF THESE PEOPLE WERE TRACKED IN ANY WAY, SO WE HAVE NO IDEA HOW MANY DIED!!

Yet, ignoramuses can claim how much care and support there is for poor people in this country, and how EASY it is to get the required papers.

No wonder so many of us are :nuke:

[me b zola]

56. Do you know what they say about assumptions?

I personally know of a DUer who offered exactly that kind of assistance to another DUer who was homeless and a complete stranger (didn't know the first thing about the person).


Stick around, you will be amazed at the liberals on this board who live their beliefs.

[EFerrari]

78. No handwashing here. And excellent point. Thank you.

:kick:

[BeliQueen]

50. I hate to sound cynical....

...but here it goes.

If the people on Capitol Hill don't care about the homeless men and women who dwell in the shadow of that great dome, then I'm afraid Mr. Gleiter is out of luck.

But I support any measure to bring this issue to their attention. Maybe it's the fact that he's traveling to see them that might just get them to notice. Maybe if you see the same faces everyday, you get jaded.

God speed, Mr. Gleiter. Let's hope the help you get has a ripple effect to all the homeless people throughout America.

[flashl]

53. You are right about the people on Capitol Hill

IF he gets coverage, it is the average American who will be awoken to the living conditions of other Americans.

Remember the impact of live cameras in New Orleans after Katrina?

Before that event, many Americans believed that all was well in the good old U.S. of A. Then there was Katrina, several reporters were seen crying during their reports as they stood in squalor. IMHO, Americans do not really understand the problems that exist in the U.S. Many believe that all you have to do is get a job and everything will be O.K.

[bobbolink]

63. Yes, I, also, doubt the results willl come from this--but I thank this man for doing this!

I really can't imagine it will have an effect, but.... bless his heart, he's doing what he can, and he's committed to it!

:applause:

[hootinholler]

54. Um If he's 48, how is he a Vietnam Vet?

The earliest he could have enlisted would be '75.

Not to dis his plight, but, the article has something wrong.

-Hoot

[Brigid]

57. Gleiter should go to DC and . . .

camp out in front of the White House.

This country has always had a problem with the poor. We are very concerned that we be seen as the most prosperous country this planet has ever seen, and that doesn't leave much room for those who for whatever reason aren't at least fairly comfortable financially. Other countries know that Jesus was right when he said, "The poor you will always have with you." We just cannot seem to get that.

[ismnotwasm]

65. What a great article

I don't know how many times I've seen people make mean comments about the homeless, the poor or make assumptions based on "statistics". I'm sorry this man has to do what he's doing to get attention directed to the poor, but I'm glad he's got the fortitude to do it.

[bobbolink]

83. " don't know how many times I've seen people make mean comments about the homeless," and many of

those mean and ugly comments are right here on DU, and also in DEM gatherings!

I could tell you many, many stories of just how "enlightened" liberals can be.

:mad:

[KillCapitalism]

70. K&R Good post.

I hope the publicity he gets will help draw attention to the poor and homeless, a group who is largely ignored in America.

[noiretextatique]

75. thanks for posting

:kick: such an inspriing story.