Those of you who know me well, know that I am patriotic almost to the point (but not quite) of being jingoist. I consider myself one of this country’s biggest and most enthusiastic cheerleaders.
Occasionally, however, I come across a story that makes me wonder why, if the USA is such a great country, we are still faced by seemingly intractable problems such as homelessness. The story of Bessie Mae Berger, a 97-year-old homeless woman is one of those stories.
Bessie’s story appeared on today’s L.A. Times. As I read about the plight of this sweet 97-year-old woman, forced to live out of her vehicle, I became angrier and angrier. I became angry at the bureaucratic labyrinth that keeps this woman out on the streets. I became angry at a society that turns a cold shoulder to its most vulnerable citizens. Finally, I became angry with a government that spends billions of MINE and YOUR tax dollars to bail out banks and prop up useless ruthless dictators while Bessie and millions of people like her are forced to go hungry and sleep out on the streets.
That something like this happens everyday in Third World nations is unforgiveable – that it should also happen daily in the richest country in the world is downright criminal.
For a full account of Bessie’s story, please go to: Homeless in Los Angeles – Bessie Mae Berger’s Story
Click here for a photo (video and audio) essay about Bessie and her two sons. (WARNING: Some of the images will break your heart): Bessie’s Story – Photo Slide Show
For previous stories about the plight of the homeless, click on the links below:
Los Angeles – Meanest City to The Homeless
The Homeless and their Pets
The Homeless Among Us
Homeless in the News
I hope that you will become as angry as I became while reading about Bessie. More importantly, however, I hope that Bessie's story moves you to take action. I have previously described some of the things that even ordinary citizens like you and I can do to help the homeless. There is no excuse for sitting on our hands and doing nothing.
The time to take action is NOW.
Tomorrow may be too late for Bessie and for our homeless brothers and sisters.
2 comments:
Oh deb !
you are so right ! in our countries , there are a lot of people who are poor so poor are in the streets and are dying slowly everyday just close to us ! and you know that concerns everyone, each age, each person and the government doesn't fight against that ! look at all the people who are living in the streets ! that is terrible and so sad ! so sad ! how many are living in the street how many babies how many old people living in the street , how many work and in the same can live in a correct don't have enought to eat and find a home a place to sleep ! our society becomes more and more egoist and we are here and do nothing and our countries let that going because what is important is the power is the money the finances ! I know that it is complicated very complicated but you are so right deb , we let our brothers, our sisters, our parents, our friends dying everyday and the governments don't do anything to limit that ! there are more taxes ! even some associations ONG organizations use in a bad way the money people give ! that is tooa problem !
Deb thank you for your post and i know really know that it affects you and it affects me too ! we are in a society where the humans are not so important !
you are right we have to move to act to do things ! sure we have to do !in our society, there are more and more people who stay on the road and we can't stand that ! how many people die everyday ? so what is the solution ? yes we have to move to act ! what could we do together ! we could in Between Homes do something maybe act and create an organization to fight against that ! I am ok to do that deb so if you want to act , i am ok to be with you and follow you ! ok
you are right we have to move to act ! time is to action !
thank you so much
jerry
Debbie, as usual you have brought another "face" of the homeless. That a woman almost 100 years old should live ou ton the streets is not just a crime, it is downright obscene. Have you tried contcting the person who write the L.A. Times article? Perhaps there is a way to help this woman.
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