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Page 4 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, Nov. 9,
self. If] ever see a home—
less person sporting a sign
that reads “Need it for cell—
phone bill,” I’ll surrender $20 i
right there. ,
There was a short period
when I carried single-wrapped I
slices of Velveeta cheese in ,
my back pocket to give out
when someone asked for i
change. The cheese was left
over from a Halloween when I
I ’ve made a promise to my-
gave cheese to trick-or—‘ireat—
IMF; Wl’lil CHINE [0 ()UI. hOUSU.
THESE ,
, TIMES
One visitor asked for two slic~
es, maybe because he wanted
two cheese sandwiches.
But mostly, I don‘t give on
the street —~ maybe it’s 5%
of the time. My response de—
pends on my mood, the state
of the person asking, time
ofday, what a sign reads,
whether I know them, how
they
What I do most ofthe time,
and I bet a lot of people Who
consider themselves consider—
ate do likewise, is feel sorry
for these people. I console
myself by believing I’ve done
enough just by pitying them.
Here’s a betteridea: JULH'v
no! reporter Gordon Weeks
hands out plastic bottles of
frozen tap water to homeless
people in summer. That’s a
gift with a high likelihood
of being used precisely
intended.
Here’s another idea: Lots
of trees in Western Washing—
ton are packed with apples
this year. Apples would be
a healthful handout, and
far healthier than Velveeta
cheese.
What makes passersby
give to people on the street?
Generosity? Guilt? Compas-
sion? Is it a dream of creating
a union where the distance
between wealth and poverty
narrows? Is it a reward for
the cleverness of a beggar’s
sales pitch?
What motivates people not
to give? Selfishness? No spare
change to give?
A belief that change-seek—
ers won’t put the money to
good use?
Is it those people’s convic—
tion that homeless people
are all of one kind: People
purposefully incapable of
self-reliance? But consider
the vast number of unshared
character traits of people who
have permanent shelter, some
of whom were presented with
shelter a birthright.
Why should people who
don’t have shelter be consid—
ered of one character?
The biggest deterrent to
giving likely is believing a
beggar will use the money
for drugs, alcohol, or worse,
cigarettes. Some people don’t
Seeking change on our cities’
want to believe they’re con-
tributing to another person’s
destruction. After all, drugs,
alcohol and cigarettes are in
their price range.
But let’s look at it this way:
Let‘s say seven out of 10 peo-
ple you give money to use it
on substances that won’t help
them get out of the condition
they’re in, but numbers eight
through 10 use it for food and
to set a course for smoother
seas. And once people eight
through 10 get established,
they might patch together a
life that’s more meaningful
for themselves and others.
Jack Kerouac was once
homeless. So was Charlie
Chaplin and Ella Fitzgerald.
Was helping seven people
get stoned, drunk and hopped
up on cigarettes worth
while because three people
did something you consider
constructive? ,
Probably. But ifyou want
to skip the street giving and
contribute to groups that help
people who help homeless
people, that’s worthwhile, too.
SthEtS
In the whole scheme of giv-
ing or not giving it away on
the street, the only approach .
that’s inhumane and WWJD
(What Wouldn’t Jesus Do)
is either ignoring homeless
people or viewing all of them
with constant contempt.
Do those people have such
a high regard for their native
self—worth that they could
never imagine being in a
homeless person’s position? A
twist. here, a turn there, and
any one ofus could be sitting
on the curb, leaning against a
wall, relying on the kindness
of strz‘ingers. How would you
like to be treated then?
The Bible does not contain
the phrase, “God helps those
who help themselves.”
The Bible does contain the
phrase, “If anyone has mate—
rial possessions and sees a
brother or sister in need but
has no pity on them, how can
the love of God be in that
person?”
I Contact Kirk Eric's-0n at
kirkGBmasoncounty.coin
TO THE
Speed dating
Editor, the Journal,
Thank you, Mason County League
of Women Voters for organizing Speed
Dating with thevCandidates. Candi—
dates moved from table to table with
five minutes at each table. Being‘able
to question the candidates directly was
invaluable. I learned about the Port of
Shelton and how it affects Shelton, I
heard about recent issues with curricu—
lum at the school district, and I was
able to put a face to oandidates._lt was
a great experience. I was sorry that a
significant number of candidates chose
not to attend. I would have liked to
meet them.
Leslie Jermain
Shelton
Reader’s critique
Editor, the Journal,
Owing to its multilayered awfulness,
I am compelled to respond to a “let-
ter” by Donna Holiday in the Oct. 26
Journal. It’s in the Letters to the Editor
section under the bewildering, Journal—
assigned title, “Bring back change.”
The thesis, or main point, of this
poorly written screed is that many of
SHELTON—MASON COUNTY
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us — Holiday singles out women, racial
minorities and members of the LGBT—
and—so—on community — are having
their rights taken away by members
of the Christian faith. Women’s rights,
gay rights and even histories (I) are be—
ing eliminated, she claims. Evidence
of any of this nastiness? None is given.
She says Christians are “pushing” three
types of bills but lists only two. She ob-
jects, for example, to placing the Ten
Commandments in courtrooms. Tell
us, Ms. Holiday, which commandment
do you object to most? “Thou shalt not
kill?” Send it to llamas.
The writer seems averse, if not
downright hostile, to the most basic
elements of English grammar. The last
part of paragraph seven, for example, is
no more than a string of non—sentences.
Lists are not intrpduced. Claims are
not attributed. Long—suffering readers
are often left asking, “says who?” after
quotations.
Soon before retiring from my teach-
ing position at a Washington state
community college, I was serving as
chair for the English Department. One
afternoon, a young faculty member
came into my office, an essay in hand.
She handed the paper to me and asked,
“What grade should I give this essay?”
Well, that wasn’t my policy, so after
Owned and published by
Shelton—Mason County Journal, Inc.
The Journal is a member of the
Washington Newspaper Publish-
ers Association.
reading the mess (ala Donna Holi-
Publisher:
John Lester
Advertising:
wiw
F ShclmmMoson Conroy
JOURNAL
I told her I agreed completely. She
day’s letter,) I asked the young teacher, smiled, thanked me, and left my
office.
“What grade did YOU give it?”
She answered, “For me, it was an
easy F.”
R.E. Graham
Union
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