The Criminalization of Homelessness: A Call to Action and Compassion

As I navigated the tumultuous journey from having a roof over my head to facing the harsh reality of homelessness, I never imagined that the very act of existing without a home could become a criminal offense. Yet, here we are, discussing the unnerving trend of states criminalizing homelessness—a topic that many prefer to overlook, but one that could touch any of our lives unexpectedly. Through personal anecdotes and a raw exploration of systemic failures, this episode peels back the layers of an issue that demands our attention and requires immediate action. 

Join us as we dissect the alarming intersection of poverty, legislation, and the lack of social safety nets that leave individuals like myself, and potentially you, a paycheck away from destitution. It's not just a conversation; it's a call to empathy and community solidarity. We're tackling the difficult questions and shedding light on the human stories behind the statistics. This isn't just another discussion—it's a personal testament and a collective plea for compassion, understanding, and societal change.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Welcome to Free Concepts, unmask, where we motivate, educate and elevate. I am your host, shaniqua. Thank you so much for listening. Everyone so grateful for your support. Before we jump into our topic, I want to start off with prayer. Father God, in the name of Jesus, god, we come to you, lord, and we say thank you, god, thank you, god, for all that you've done and all that you're doing in our lives. God, oh God, I thank you for my listeners. I ask that you give them an open heart, an open mind, to be able to receive the word that you have for them, god, and continue to bless them wherever they are. God, I thank you for your mercy, your grace. I thank you for your forgiveness and, most of all, god, I thank you for your love. God, I pray for peace all around the world and unity, that we can come together, have compassion for one another and love one another right where we are. God. Thank you so much, lord, for this platform to be able to share my stories, my testimonies. God, to be able to change lives for the God, for the better. In Jesus name, I pray, amen, amen. So, guys, I hope everyone has had a great week.

Speaker 1: 1:15

I want to talk about homelessness. Did you know that it is illegal to be homeless in all states except for Oregon and Wyoming? It says more cities and states make homeless encampments a crime, leaving low-income people with few options. As the number of people experiencing homelessness increases across the country, more cities and states have passed laws making it illegal to live out of tents and cars or sleep in public places. I really think that's sad. I really do. Truth be told, we're all about a paycheck away from being homeless. Anything can happen with losing your employment and not being able to afford where you live. Gas is up, rent is up, everything has increased electricity, our phones, everything day-to-day has increased. The only thing that hasn't increased is our wages, and I don't want to hear that mess about. Oh well, if we increase the wages, then you know we could flood the economy. Heck, we burn money. Okay, I rather to have more than to have less. And also, they've given 53 million to migrants.

Speaker 1: 2:49

Now, I'm all for helping people, but we need to help home first before we can extend help to others. We put into this country, we built this country. We have for myself and as many others, but I've worked 40-something jobs in my lifetime. A lot of my employment has been administrative work, hr working for Fortune 500 companies, and I never thought I would see myself homeless. I've been working since I was 15 years old and been on my own since 13, and I tried to work so hard for my family so that we would never be in that position.

Speaker 1: 3:37

Well, in 2021, I found myself in that position of being homeless. My landlord came and said that he needed his home back because he was going through a situation, and at that time, my spouse and I were going through a lot of difficulties and I felt as if I really needed my peace of mind more than anything. I didn't care where I went, where I lived, where what would happen, but once I left, I didn't know where I was gonna go. I thought I could depend on family or friends and people that I had helped along the way many years and admired and put on this pedestal, but they didn't show up for me like I had showed up for them, and I found myself and my daughter homeless for about a year, maybe a little more, and to know now that it's a crime is ridiculous to me. It saddens me that people are really in need and they need help, and it's a crime which means you could go to prison for being homeless, not being able to pay your bills. It's really sickening. I never thought that I would see the United States of America turn into this. You know we're put here to be able to love on one another, encourage one another to assist and help one another, helping people on their journey through our knowledge and our wisdom that we've gained through our own experiences, each one to each one.

Speaker 1: 5:23

They're also doing away with gigs such as DoorDash and Lyft and Uber Eats. Now I DoorDashed for a year and a half because I was applying for positions, but I needed something immediate and that was the only thing that I could actually do to keep food on the table for my family and provide and keep shelter over my child's head, and I'm so grateful I was able to do that. Because of my daughter, I ended up going to a great school and she ended up being accepted to the College of her Choice. And it's not even doing away with DoorDash and they want to pay hourly and not have them be an independent contractor setting rules and things, and a lot of people depend on that money. And it's so crazy because when the pandemic was here, everyone just loved having DoorDash and Uber, eats and Lyft and things like that, because it really helped them to not go out and catch COVID.

Speaker 1: 6:38

A lot of people were afraid to leave their homes and go to work and this was a better way, and it saddens me to see that we're in this place right now. I'm all for helping people, like I said, but if you didn't put into this country and you haven't worked, I think we need to help the people that are here, the people that have been working, the people that have given themselves to these jobs or careers and put in their time and paid their taxes. I didn't pay. We're not paying taxes to help other people in other countries. We need to get it together right here. I don't know where this world is headed. I really don't understand it. I really believe that we should have compassion and empathy and help one another.

Speaker 1: 7:40

It doesn't make sense to separate families from their mothers, children from their mothers because they can't afford life right now. Everything is expensive and before anyone judges someone else or turns their noses up, you can find yourself in this position as well. All it takes is losing your employment or say you might have family, but then if your family isn't there for you, then what is it that you do? What can you do? It's not a choice to be homeless, you know.

Speaker 1: 8:22

And, um, it's not fair that people need help but they're considered to be a criminal. That's not a criminal, that's a person that's fell on hard times and they need help. So it's not too much I can really say about this, because I have mixed emotions. I'm sad but angry at the same time, and I just don't understand it. I don't get it.

Speaker 1: 8:51

We all need help at one time or another in our lives and, um, I'm a person that never depended on social services and it's nothing wrong with social services, but that just wasn't for me. Waiting for a paycheck that barely even meets my rent or groceries and things you know, it just wasn't for me, and that's why I worked two or three jobs at a time to provide for my family and put into the system the very system that now is considering people to be criminals that have lost their homes, that have lost their jobs and are just trying to make it. They just want to provide for their family and they go through enough as it is with their pride and feeling down and out and feeling bad about the position that they're in, that they definitely don't need to be arrested for not being able to provide. Like I said, we hey, we, we burn money. That's crazy to me. So there has to be something done.

Speaker 1: 10:07

I don't have the solution to this problem. If you guys want to write in and discuss it as well or talk about it and you have something to share, definitely send me an email at free concepts podcast at gmailcom so we can go more into this and talk about it. But I just want to shed light on this on homelessness and us giving 53 million and, you know, giving all this money away to people that, like I said, have not invested into the United States. It just isn't fair at all and people need these gigs like DoorDash and Uber Eats and so forth. You know it's just sad and it has to be a better way that we can do things. We have to be able to take care of home first before we can provide or help and assist other people, and I'm all for helping people, but we have to help ourselves first. It starts at home. So I want to thank you so much for listening. If, again, you have any comments, please email to free concepts with an? S podcast at gmailcom.

Speaker 1: 11:28

I want to encourage you. Anyone that's going through it right now that's just barely surviving. I want to pray for you. I will be praying for you, but I want to pray for you that the God touch these people right now. Help them, strengthen them, show them that you are who you are and you can make anything happen impossible, that you are a God of love, a God of miracles. I pray for you guys out there.

Speaker 1: 12:10

Stay encouraged, do not give up. Do not give up, no matter what it looks like, no matter what it feels like. Never give in and never give up. The enemy wants to knock you down. The enemy wants you to throw in the towel, but refuse to throw in the towel, refuse to give up. Stand 10 toes down and know and believe that they're going to be better days, that you see that this right here is only temporary and that change is coming. There's been times that your back has been against the wall before. There's times that you didn't even think that you would be able to make it, and still God changed things in your life and he sent angels to help bless you.

Speaker 1: 13:00

Never give up on God. Never give up on yourself. Strive harder, be strong and know that God is with you. Even in the times and in the moments you don't feel like he's listening or he's with you or he's, you know, hearing you. He's there. Just call out to him. He will show you the way. Never be afraid of speaking your truth. Be true to yourself. Allow positive change. You are enough, and this too shall pass. Thank you so much for listening. I encourage you to continue striving. Be the best version of you you can be. God has already equipped you with so many gifts and skills and tools. Just sit quietly and hear from him and I'm sure that he will give you the answers that you need. God bless you. Have a wonderful week.