Just a few days ago I was waiting at a red light in downtown Nashville when two attractive young women crossed the street in front of me. Walking down the sidewalk to my right were three homeless men I know very well; love them each, but know them to be "problematic" at times as a direct result of their alcohol abuse.
As the young ladies crossed the street, I watched the men, one of whom had noticed the women. In plain view of other drivers, patrons in front of a large and prominent restaurant and other pedestrians, one of the men began pointing at the women, humping the air and making some of the rudest comments towards them I've heard in some time, and believe me, I've heard many in my lifetime.
The three then began following the women, hooting, hollering, making lewd gestures and begging them for their Subway Sandwiches they were eating. I shouted at them to get their attention and finally got them sidetracked enough so that the women were able to move far enough ahead to be left alone, eventually got them in the car and then drove them to the Plasma Center.
They have no idea why I did this for them, other than to think I offered them a ride, and I hope those young ladies felt a little safer when I drove away with the "wrecking crew."
Many guys are stupid when it comes to pretty girls. We do dumb stuff like whistle and comment lewdly at times, but most guys don't actively follow the target of their "affection."
What's also disturbing to me is the fact that while they're ticking off the women, these guys are also helping others form opinions about homeless people in general.
It's this blacking the eye and further sullying the already tenuous relationship of all the other good and decent people experiencing homelessness with the larger community that really rubs me the wrong way.
I think it's the complete lack of respect that accompanies this behavior; the selfish, uncaring"me me me" attitude, that makes me so angry. Folks who read this blog with regularity know well I don't believe that being homeless gives one a license to act like an ass.
And those asses are making it harder every day for everyone involved with homelessness, but most especially for the homeless themselves....
(image courtesy of
Killing Batteries)
Homeless disrupting our lives
By Bill Maxwell, Times ColumnistIn Print: Sunday, May 10, 2009
I live in a lovely neighborhood on St. Petersburg's south side. Homeless people from the Salvation Army facility on Fourth Street S have disrupted life for my neighbors and me.
And we are angry.
Most days, a few of the homeless men who own vehicles park in front of our homes for many hours.
Some stay all day, except when they are running errands to buy booze and cigarettes. Some play loud music and shout at the top of their lungs. I often see a few men urinating in the bushes. Two weeks ago, a couple had sex in their van in clear view of anyone who passed.
One man regularly stares down my neighbors when they drive past. One neighbor said she feels as if the man is challenging her to say something to him. The same man also stares me down when I drive by. On two occasions, he raised his middle finger, which really angered me. I was tempted to confront him, but I thought better of it after I imagined myself sitting in a jail cell or lying in a hospital bed for fighting with a homeless person.
A neighbor walked across the street one day and asked a man to turn down his music. She was met with a stream of profanities. I've seen the man many times, and I, too, have been annoyed by his music. I often see his vehicle parked at the Salvation Army. My neighbor realizes she had made a mistake by confronting the man because he now knows who she is and where she lives.
A handful of homeless men prowl our alleys and rummage through our garbage containers. Sure, people have a right to walk in alleys. But it is unsettling to come out of your house to see a stranger picking through your garbage.
I've only called the police once about the problems, but some of my neighbors call all the time. Others have written letters to the Salvation Army, to the mayor, to the police chief and to our City Council member. Nothing changes.
I've always been accepting of the homeless. I've donated money, clothes, food and books to them. As a child, I was homeless for a time. I've written columns defending their rights. But I'm sick and tired of those who disrespect my right to live in peace on my own property. I don't want a homeless guy giving me the finger in front of my house as I drive to work.
Like my neighbors, I want the Salvation Army to live up to its end of the bargain when residents accepted construction of the facility in the community. We were promised that we wouldn't have any trouble, that the agency would be a good neighbor.
Well, we're having trouble. And we want it stopped.
I have yet to see anyone from the Salvation Army on my street. My neighbors and I believe the agency has a moral responsibility to visit us and hear our concerns. We pay big bucks to live here. The agency's administrators would be surprised that many of us want to help them solve the problems.
We don't want a fight. We want relief.
The police also have let us down. They should patrol our street more often. I stand on my porch and watch people illegally drinking and throwing trash everywhere, which I pick up. I appreciate the police department's concern about not harassing the homeless. But what about those of us who must endure the presence of illegal and unsavory behavior? We have a noise ordinance that should be enforced. Residents should not have to take matters into their hands.
Clearly, the city and the county and not-for-profit groups are trying to assist our homeless population, and my neighbors and I applaud everyone's efforts. But we want these same groups and individuals to listen to our pleas. After all, we're law-abiding taxpayers who worry about our quality of life and the encroachments of the homeless.
I don't have any definite answers to the homeless problem. But I sure would like to have people in authority sit down with my neighbors and me and hear what we have to say.
