During these splendid summer days, I often sit in Rice Park before I cross the street to the Ordway Center to watch the St Paul Chamber Orchestra perform on Friday mornings. There are always other people sitting and enjoying the pleasant weather. Often there are homeless or vagrant people sleeping on the benches. An inaudible exchange occurred between these two people, and trying to remain unobtrusive, I captured this moment. After a few moments, the officer left and the woman remained upright rather than reclining as she previously had done. The newly remodelled Catholic Charities Dorothy Day Center is just a few blocks away so I wondered why she was not taking advantage of that facility. Our society seems to be trying to take care of homeless people yet I wonder if this social problem will ever be resolved?
We know nothing about this particular woman, but in general mental health issues and substance abuse render many homeless people unable to act on the opportunities that are available to them.
ReplyDeleteIf I was a black person approached by a cop these days, I'd be quaking in my boots. It seems that a lot of folks get shot for just being black these days.
ReplyDeleteSome do refuse, for various reasons, to go to shelters. Some of the shelters do go out and about checking on them and bringing along supplies, such as a meal.
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