Letter: Community at large fails the homeless

Letter: Community at large fails the homeless
Sumner Gray
St. Augustine
Publication Date: 06/27/07
Editor: A man lies down on the railroad tracks, another is killed by gunshot along State Road A1A, another found dead under a bridge, the latest one drowns in a retention pond, and three others are known dead this year. These are residents of our community. Their fate is our failure.
All of us.
Contrary to what many uneducated residents think, these people do not choose to be homeless (anymore than a woman chooses to stay in an abusive relationship or an alcoholic chooses a beer at 9 a.m.).
Nothing is as simple as it seems.
St. Augustine City Commissioners -- Commissioner Don Crichlow and Mayor Joe Boles -- have removed themselves completely from the issue, unfairly and inconceivably pawning the entire situation onto the Salvation Army.
Four commissioners have gone back on their word by passing an inhumane no begging ordinance and doing absolutely nothing to help the homeless. Only Commissioners George Gardner has contacted the county and been working on creative solutions.
Where are our civic leaders? Where is the Chamber of Commerce and other business leaders? If 80 of you can meet at the winery to plot banning the homeless, couldn't you also come up with creative, long-term solutions?
Where are the majority of the churches?
There are a lot of good people working hard to help the homeless in St. Johns County, but they are overwhelmed and spread thin. It is my belief that government will not deal with this situation unless heavily pressured.
In the end, as with many social justice movements, the citizens of St. Johns County will need to step up. I want to personally ask everyone to get involved with PUSH (People United to Stop Homelessness) and Food Not Bombs and build a movement from there. Come out to the Plaza de la Constitucion any Monday, Thursday or Saturday, from 6 to 7 p.m., have a meal, meet those in need and organize mutual aid.
Sumner Gray
St. AugustineClick here to return to story:http://staugustine.com/stories/062707/opinions_4679263.shtml © The St. Augustine Record