Homeless Update Again.

10 of ?

This evening Samantha said she was going to grill stakes for supper. I declined because I was going to meet with the homeless folks, at the church, where they generally eat dinner on Monday evenings. I cannot believe I turned down charcoal broilled stake for spaghetti, but it was worth it. One of the guys whom I had not seen since the eviction was there and we had a great talk, he has found a camp site and has gotten his dog (Maggie: post 23) back. I was wonderful to see them after nearly a month.

But saving the best for last John, the subject of post 196, has found a job and now has his own apartment. Way to go Big John (Big in spirit, little in statue)!!

Spaghetti, the fellowship and all the great news was better than a stake.

Homeless Update

9 of ?

I had the opportunity to join many of the local homeless for dinner last evening. It was nice to see some of the guys although some faces were missing. This was due partially to relocations some are now too far from the location to avail themselves fo the hot balanced meal. Some feel they had better stay out of sight.

I did reveive some bad news, one of the privated shelters is being required to turn some of its occupants into the street to comply with the fire code occupancy rules . I am sad to here this but at least the Fire Department was truthful in there reason, unlike the recent actions of the police department.

On the bright side an anonymous donor has paid for an additional week at the location where a couple of the evicted guys are staying. Thanks Mr. Anonymous.

And so is life in Dodge City.

200: Reflections

7 of ?

Reflections

As the fire dies down we see some of the item left behind when the homeless left the tent city. As they knew not of where they might go or what they might need when the got there along with the limited ability to move stuff many of their daily use items were left behind. It was heart wrenching to watch Bob leave, what had been his home for the past six years, for the last time. Bob was followed closely by Maggie, his dog (See Post 23), Maggie had the look of something is wrong and I think it us going to be bad.

Reflections on other related issues. In the time since 911 scrutiny of photographers has increased drastically. Some times the police have really gone overboard. One instance comes to mind of a photographer was arrested and taken to jail for photographing in a subway station. The photographer was taking picture for a photo contest sponsored by the subway company. I have always defended law enforcement's rights to stop and ask what you are doing. I have done this frequently on various photography forums. That is the reason I never minded when the police stopped and asked what I was doing on my photo excursions.

In taking pictures in Monroe for the past ten years the police have never said anything to me except for one occasion when someone (so they said, now I wonder) called 911 and reported a sniper on the Skyway Bridge, that is until recently. I even wrote the police Chief a letter commending her on the professionalism of her department during the event. Generally every time I see a law enforcement officer I take the time to tell them "thank you for doing a thankless job." I have always supported law enforcement up to now, but no longer.

As I just eluded to in the previous paragraph the situation has recently changed. In the month of November I was questioned 13 times all by city police. I had attributed this to me letting my hair and beard grow long. A friend pointed out to me that my hair and beard has been long a lot longer that that. As the paper noted the police department has been putting the contrived eviction together for a couple of months. I now realize that due to my association with the local homeless, I, like the homeless, have become a victim of police harassment.

Welcome to Dodge City

199: Homeless and Horseshoes

Part 6 of ?

Horseshoes
The Clang of these will no longer
Ring through the camp.

This image will remain embedded in my mind and remind me of John. As mentioned in the last post I helped carry John's cherished possessions to a place he thought might be safe. Among the items John kept was this set of horseshoes that had been used at Dodge City tent camp.

It seems to me the biggest issue relating to the homeless is we know nothing about them, most consider them a bunch of druggie alcoholic derelicts. So lets meet John. I wanted to use a picture of John but due to my respect for him and his feeling about being homeless, the one image I have of him well remain as a memory for me.

I first met John in November of 2008 when he first came to the camp. Prior to that John had been a cabinet maker. In this day and age of pre-made and ego branded cabinets , the demand for a true cabinet maker is limited. As the construction business faltered his work dried up. He survived for a while on his benefits and savings. When his resources ran out he found himself homeless.

John kept up hope he would go back to work so he kept his essential tools he would need to go to work. These tools bared him from living in a shelter because they could be used a weapons. His only alternatives were to give up hope of getting a job or move to the tent camp. John had hope so the tent camp was his only alternative.

Several months later as the building industry continued to dwindle his son, a carpenter, joined him in the camp until they could get enough money to get him to WV where he could be with family. You might ask why John did not go. According to John the family could only afford to help one and he felt his son should be the one. The one high point of this whole sad eviction affair is as John and I parted company late yesterday he looked at me and said " The longer I know you. the better I like you. You are not one of the typical fly by night do-gooders."

At the beginning of this post I mentioned that John kept his horse shoes. While helping him load his things I noticed another item he brought with him, His Lunch Box. After all this John still has hope.

I must admit this story is not true of all homeless people, but after being around most of the homeless in the area for the past two years it us typical of the group the police targeted. Others has asked, if I was so concerned why I did not open my home to them. I did check and as I have a reverse mortgage (the only thing that keeps me from being homeless) I am prevented from having non-family members living in my home. As I feel that if the police found out they were here, the mortgage company would find out.

198: Graffiti and Coincidences

Part 5 of ?

Graffiti

Oh, do not bother looking for a defaced sign this was Photo-shopped

As for coincidences, I learned late yesterday evening that another local homeless group was being evicted and had to be out by 12 noon today. They will not say why.

Another coincidence was yesterday evening when I was carrying John, one of the homeless guys being evicted, to Hemby Bridge; a local city police car was traveling the same route a short distance behind us.

197: Ghost Town and Flag

Part 4 of ?

Flag Still Flies at Ghost town

The sun sets over Dodge City, now a Ghost town. As of this evening the Homeless guys have gathered up what they could and left the site.

I need to apologize to Wingate University for my less than flattering remarks in post # 194. At that time I was repeating what the Police at the scene told me. Well it seems now the local police chief has admitted this was a scheme cooked up by some policemen inside her department and was not provoked by Wingate University as previously stated. It seems the local police approached Wingate University laying out a very bad situation and Wingate Officials believed the police.

According to the now revised local Police story the "situation" was pan-handling. As many know I have spent a lot of time over the past couple of years visiting with the local homeless folks. During that time I discovered that yes the evicted guys pan-handle on occasion but the full time pan-handlers are a group living in a house about a mile away.

Again Wingate University I apologize, both you and I were lied to by a segment of the Monroe Police Department. Wingate University did what it thought best based on the "evidence" presented and I reported on the "evidence" presented, both were Bold Premeditated Lies.

Monroe Police Department SHAME ON YOU. We rightly deserve the name DODGE CITY when a segment of local law enforcement can decide to run someone out of town. Right now I am asamed that I ever served in law enforcement (Deputy Sheriff in Texas).

As an after thought I might mention even after getting caught with their hand in the cookie jar the police made absloutly no visual effort to assist with or relieve the 24 hour time limit they imposed. Is this their thought; "Ok so we lied we got what we wanted. So What? we the law." .

Welcome to Dodge City.

196: The Dodge City Trail

Part 3 of ?

Leaving Dodge City

This is John. John, a homeless person, takes his meager belongings and heads down the Dodge City Trail after being evicted by Monroe City Police. The were declared a nuance because of pan-handling. I can attest as an eye witness that these guys were not causing the problem. Yes on occasion they did pan-handle to meet there needs, but the problem pan-handlers were a group living in a house up the street.

The ones up the street had to pan-handle excessively to cover their expenses of living in a house. The evicted guys, however, were trying to live within their means by living in tents.

195: Packing to Move

Part 2 of ?

Moving Day

Came back by the house to warm up and get some coffee. And though I would post this. For those that do not know this is packing for a group of homeless the local police running out of town. As os to day their plot has bee uncovered. Shame on them. More too follow.

194: Homeless Evicted

Part 1 of ?

To Be Evicted

It is with a heavy heart I relay the news these homeless guys and the others living in this camp are being evicted. They were given 24 hours to get out. The reason, an educational institution in another city has "decided" to get the land clear cut. From what I understand there is no intent of building any thing only to clear cut the area.

Not to mention the homeless what about the environment? Do we not require timber companies to replant trees where they clear cut. Do we not criticize other countries for allowing people to clear cut to gain needed farm land. Something does not seem to add up here. This thought is amplified because this tactic has been used over and over to dislocate homeless camps. By using the clear-cut excuse the powers that be can hide behind it and not look like they have no heart by just evicting the homeless. Oh, what evil learks in the heart of man!!

And the worse part is I feel at least partially responsible. Over the past couple of years I have put forth great efforts to get help for these guys. In doing so their camp location has become known to others. Shame on me for stepping out and trying to help those less fortunate than I.

Bloggers NOTE: Please read entry #197 for updated information, including an apology To Wingate University. I was repeating what the local police told me and the News Media.