Season of giving

Students should help Ann Arbor's homeless

As you return from Thanksgiving break, look around on the streets of Ann Arbor. What do you see? Besides gaudy holiday decorations and flashing lights, you're likely to notice people lining the streets. But these aren't just students looking for a strong cup of coffee. They're the homeless, and they don't have anywhere else to go. Recent state policies have greatly aggravated the homelessness problem in Michigan. And during this season of giving, we all should stop and take time to help the many homeless people in Ann Arbor.

During the past three years, Gov. John Engler has slashed funding for mental health facilities in half. Ironically, when he funds new prison construction, he acts like money is going out of style. But his policies have left a huge, unsatisfied demand for mental health care. Many homeless people sorely need mental health treatment. Many of them have painful life stories, and professional care can help them cope and get on with their lives. But without mental health care, they will remain homeless.

By restoring funding to mental health facilities, the state would help not only the homeless. It would help local business owners who complain about the lost customers who are scared away by loitering homeless people. While that is not an altruistic reason, hopefully it would help convince Engler this is a real problem. It also would help the state's economy by increasing the amount of eligible members of the work force. With an all-time low unemployment rate, Michigan would thrive from more employees to staff many growing businesses. These shouldn't be the only reasons for us to eliminate the homeless problem, but we welcome anything that will.

Sadly, we cannot wait for Engler to grow a heart. As citizens of Ann Arbor, we all must take civic responsibility and do our part to help the city's many homeless. Volunteer in an area homeless shelter. If you don't have the time to volunteer, then dig up some spare change and give it to a homeless person. Most college students are on tight budgets, but every one of us could find a way to gather a dollar or two. That dollar will mean a lot more to someone who has nothing than to you. It could buy the cup of soup that keeps them warm for the day.

Some people say they don't give money to the homeless because they don't want to support drug habits. It's a sweeping and untrue stereotype to assume all homeless people are drug addicts. But if it is a concern to you, then you can buy food and give it to a homeless person. We haven't heard of a huge pizza-for-cocaine market, so you're probably not supporting drug deals.

Homeless people do not want to live on the streets. Who wants to sleep in garbage-filled alleys on an icy winter night? They have physical or mental disabilities that give them a tremendous disadvantage in life. And when mental health funding is cut in half, they have nowhere to go. Political figures like New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani treat homeless people like commodities, worrying more about moving them out of site than actually helping them. In a season that is defined by goodwill toward others, everyone should step up and do their part to help the homeless. If we don't, who will?

11-29-99