Those who help the homeless survive feel sting of mayor's 'enabler' tag

Las Vegas Review-Journal ^ | June 18, 2005 | JANE ANN MORRISON

[Nevadan]

Showing the sensitivity and compassion that earn him praise throughout "his" city, Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman took time out from his busy schedule Thursday to insult a room full of people who try to help the homeless.

Goodman called the "good people" in the room "enablers" who, by feeding the homeless sandwiches and giving them water, "enable them to remain homeless." His words hit homeless advocates present like a stinging two-cheek slap challenging them to a duel.

The setting: A meeting of the Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition's committee on homelessness, a workshop in Henderson at which elected officials would give staffers direction on priorities. The audience was packed with people who work with the homeless, including government workers, church workers and volunteers.

Calling someone an enabler is not a compliment. For Oscar Goodman to call people who hand out sandwiches and water "enablers" is outrageous. Catholic Charities and the Salvation Army are enablers?

He also said he was not optimistic about helping the homeless because of his personal experience with one homeless man who doesn't want any help. The man is known on the streets as Smiley, and in the summer he bundles up in coats and sweaters and every bit of clothing he has. It's pretty obvious he is mentally ill. Goodman said that over the years, "I offered him the moon and the stars to get him some assistance. He rejects it. If we can't get one man off the street, can we succeed? I'm not optimistic."

He did express empathy for the working homeless, people living out of their cars because affordable homes are becoming so hard to find in Las Vegas. And he suggested that a homeless court might be a good idea. But he told the committee on homelessness, which has been working on regional solutions for 18 months, that "what we're talking here is too theoretical; I'd like to be more pragmatic."

Well, it sounded as if his pragmatic solution for the homeless can be summarized in three words: Let them starve.

The people who work regularly with the homeless are amazing folks. They ignore the stench, the incoherent babblings of the mentally ill and the depressing interaction with people living without hope. Goodman, based on his experience with one man, concludes that the homeless "sort of like their lifestyle."

Clark County Commissioner Myrna Williams, a former social worker, didn't let his comments pass. "I feel very sorry for your gentleman who didn't want any help for any reason, but that doesn't negate the premise of the homeless committee."

Although Goodman had left for another event, the Rev. Charles Bowker also couldn't let Goodman's comments go unchallenged. "You are never going to get the chronic homeless off the streets; it's their right to refuse services," Bowker said.

Those people Goodman criticized as enablers are getting to know the homeless as individuals.

"They get to know people by name. They are telling the homeless `I care.' They are the great untapped resources, an army of angels," Bowker said.

Linda Lera-Randle El, who runs Straight From the Streets, said, "I don't think the mayor knows the difference between enabling and abling."

For every Smiley, she said, there is a Gerald Schmidt and a Danielle Waters, two formerly homeless people who changed their lives. "I can't let people die without food and water," she said.

Many will agree with the mayor. Stop feeding the homeless. Don't provide water. Every time I write about homelessness, I receive at least one communication spewing hatred for the homeless (and for me).

Realizing that helping the homeless isn't a priority for most locals, Clark County Manager Thom Reilly, who is trying to help, is appealing to the public's pocketbook. By failing to provide housing and medical care for the homeless, the taxpayer actually is paying millions more than necessary. If the public doesn't care about the people, maybe it will care about the cost.

Perhaps that's pragmatic enough for Mr. Mayor, the man with the big glass of gin surrounded by his own enablers (called city employees), who drive for him so he won't get a DUI.

Jane Ann Morrison's column appears Monday, Thursday and Saturday. E-mail her at jane@reviewjournal.com or call 383-0275.

[tet68]

Mr. Mayor, the man with the big glass of gin surrounded by his own enablers (called city employees), who drive for him so he won't get a DUI.


What a sweet paper, how balanced.
/sarcasm

[CobaltBlue]

Oh, I see, you really don't care what the Bible says, you were just trying to make a point.

[eddie willers]

Remember that the homeless ultimately burned all the bridges to family members to be in the state they are in. No one has to be homeless, except by choice

Very good point.

[JudyB1938]

I absolutely agree with you about Goodman. In fact, he is the best mayor Las Vegas has had in many a year.

You don't see him making secret real estate deals to line his own pocket and the pockets of his "closest friends".

You don't see him entering the City into money-losing propositions with foreign governments.

You don't see him taking property that's been in a family forever so that a private firm can build a parking garage.

You have seen him, however, cater to the individual citizen with the smallest of problems.

You have also seen him TRY to deal with all of the homeless, not just that one man. Yet, it was useless. Until the mentally ill are forced to be confined to facilities that can provide for their care, there will be wild-haired raving people walking the streets.

BTW, I think it's funny that a relatively low paid RJ reporter has the nerve to try to tell a "rich man" like Goodman how to conduct business. Obviously, he already knows - or he wouldn't be sitting pretty with all that money he has. He didn't need the mayor's job. He took it, because he truly wants to help Las Vegas grow and prosper.

That gal can take her ball point pen and yellow-lined pad and shove it! And maybe she should try a little toddy herself to mellow out.

[geezerwheezer]

I love sanctimonious, holier-than-thou people who love to put words to use that they have no idea of what they are saying. I also have learned to never argue with a fool in public because folks may have a problem figuring out which one is the fool!! But, I must say, you are making it easy for them.

[CobaltBlue]

MATTHEW 6:12,14,15 NKJ
12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
14 "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15 "But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

MATTHEW 18:35 NKJ
35 "So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses."

MARK 11:25-26 NKJ
25 "And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.
26 "But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses."

LUKE 6:35-38 NKJ
35 "But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Highest. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.
36 "Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.
37 "Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
38 "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."

LUKE 11:4 NKJ
4 and forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one."

[CobaltBlue]

Matthew 5:
5:21
Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
5:22
But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

[CobaltBlue]

Matthew 5:
5:21
Ye have heard that it was said of them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
5:22
But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

[geezerwheezer]

Let me refer you back to post#25. It may help you open your eyes and perhaps, your heart.

[CobaltBlue]

I guess you sneer at all that peace and love junk in the Bible. You're in it for the smiting! :)

[T-Bird45]

Your mention of the work the Salvation Army is doing in LV brought to mind the scene I observed in Washington DC one early evening late last month. This was about two blocks from the White House where I noticed a gathering of obviously homeless men camped out on every park bench while soccer games went on in the park. While waiting for a friend to buy some T-shirts from a vendor, a Salvation Army van pulled up.

Besides the SA logo, it also had wording to the effect of Homeless Patrol or Soup Patrol -- you get the drift. The men converged on the van, got food, and returned to their camping spots on the benches. As one of the men passed me, he was verbally jousting with no one in particular about "the United States of America...". As you and others in this thread have noted, most of the homelessness I was observing was a choice by mentally unbalanced minds.

In the situation I watched, the SA was "enabling" these men to continue making the choice that was keeping them on the street. This detracts from the climate of any city in a way that is similar to the "broken windows" analogy used by Rudy G. in cleaning up NYC. This is the primary way that the SA and others fail in their compassionate outreach because it does not take into account the unintended consequences that reduce the quality of life for the residents that really contribute to the life of a city. This seems to be Mayor Goodman's thesis and I also applaud his resolve.

[Nevadan]

I have to agree for the most part with your observations. I think that we must be careful in the help we give that we do not actually harm others in the process. There is an excellent, essay by Dr Michael Bauman of Hillsdale College called, "Dangerous Samaritans: How We Unintentionally Injure the Poor" that I think you would appreciate reading. It can be found at : http://www.libertyhaven.com/theoreticalorphilosophicalissues/ethics/dangeroussamaritans.shtml

One point however re: the enabling being done by the Salvation Army that keeps the mentally ill on the streets. It seems to me that the responsibility of the mentally ill remaining on the streets lies not with the Salvation Army, but with our own government policies that allow it in the first place. Since the mentally ill are pretty much allowed to roam free unless they are endangering someone else, I do see a role for organizations such as the Salvation Army which are meeting some of the physical needs of these pitiful individuals. But, I have to agree with you that it would be nice if the quality of life of the rest of us would not be impacted in the process!

[geezerwheezer]

As I wrote to you earlier, please refer to my post at #25. I also suggest that you learn to reflect on your hostilities as they will drag you down. What I get out of the Bible is not of your concern, as that is between me and my Maker. So, feel free to butt out!!

[T-Bird45]

Thanks, I have bookmarked your link -- only had time for a quick skim but it does look interesting.

I agree concerning government policies on the mentally ill but the Salvation Army's approach allows the government to make that choice. This makes the SA a dual enabler. It is an appropriate use of government to help those who truly cannot help themselves.

Have a great Monday!!