Hibijibi wrote:

> In the long term, Eric's homeless are best dealt with through family
> intervention in my view, rather than relying on fickle samaritan or
> governmental support.

Sure. But families for some reason aren't helping, any more than the government
and would be employers are. The very best thing would be jobs, so they can take
care of themselves again.

I believe one reason for their privacy (no names, hometowns or personal or
family backgrounds, even with each other, as far as I have seen) is they are
ashamed. Ashamed to be home or go home jobless. I have seen that a number of
times in homeless featured on TV. Shame is also perhaps why most homeless in
Japan don't panhandle as they might in the US. It is a real pity that at least
one man preferred to collapse of starvation before begging or even stealing,
and his friend lay out for about two weeks in increasing cold without even
asking fellow homeless (this man seems to have no friends at all) for a futon.
He has two futon now, thanks to a kind foreigner I know working downtown.

That would indeed make homelessness some matter of choice, but that still can't
be held against them when they are in immediate need.

Or perhaps they were driven out as in, woman claims the house (and kids) in a
breakup. I've heard that, too.

--
"I want to meet my father and say, your sperm became me."

http://tinyurl.com/wc8y