Imagine reading this letter in the back of the newspaper:
Dear Abby,
This summer I have been inundated with unwelcome guests. They leave trash in my yard and shopping carts they have taken from local businesses. They sit around smoking and hassling the neighbors, even asking for handouts.
They want food but haven’t offered to help around the house. Now they have invited others and their unruly pets.
Meanwhile, my son has a friend who has found a job in town (everyone is shorthanded and hiring) but can’t find a place to live on his service industry wages. I’d love to offer him my space but these others won’t leave. What can I do? I don’t even like going outside anymore.
Signed,
Concerned resident
Now replace “guests” with the word “homeless.” The current situation, Purple Cliffs, is not working. The current model of handouts is enabling them and not changing people’s lives. It is not the city’s or the county’s place to subsidize their choices. It is only encouraging bad behavior. People have rights but also responsibilities and many of their actions are illegal (littering, taking shopping carts, building fires). If faith-based and federal agencies want to help the homeless, that is their role.
We should, instead, support our local businesses that give people jobs and contribute tax revenue. We should be subsidizing and creating housing for workers and those that are investing their energy in our economy and community.
Karen Carver
Durango
