Sunday, November 15, 2009

Common Misconceptions

There are always rumors and gossip, and with homelessness it is no different. Myths usually begin with a grain of truth, but eventually get distorted into something very misrepresented. Here are just a few of the examples that one may think.

Homeless people belong in mental asylums.
Only 20 to 25% of the homeless population in the United States suffers from some form of a severe mental illness. Many of these people get help in some fashion but cannot reside in an institution for monetary reasons. Only those who serve as a threat to themselves or others are forced into these institutions. However to reason that all homeless people are mentally ill and are in need of an asylum is a generalization that does not help solve the problem we face.

It is the homeless people’s fault that they are in their current circumstances.
It is true that some people do become homeless because of poor choices, however there are many other causes that contribute to struggles. Is it really reasonable to say that whole countries make bad choices therefore end up impoverish? The answer is obviously no. Natural disasters and wars are two common causes that leave countries destitute.

Homeless people just need to get a job.
In a homeless person’s world, getting a job involves a cycle which is nearly impossible to be broken. Getting a job requires being hired, meaning that this person must be presentable to the employer. However the homeless person would need to bath and have nice clothes and a place of residence. Then comes the problem; these people do not have the money to be able to make themselves presentable or have a place of residence. To get the money, they need a job; and the cycle continues.

SOURCES
Clyde, "Homeless America". November 15, 2009 http://www.homelessamerican.com/index.html.
"Mental Illness and Homelessness". Naitonal Coalition for the Homeless. November 15, 2009 http://www.nationalhomeless.org/factsheets/Mental_Illness.html.

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