Our perspective on a given subject is not always in tune with our knowledge or lack there of.  In the realm of politics or religion for example, our  beliefs and opinions are at times made up of what we were taught or heard growing up.  As we grow we develop an ability to reason, some use the gift of knowledge while others continue to parrot what they heard.

There are consequences attached to not thinking for ourselves.

The most serious is on a personal level in that some deprive themselves of the person they can be.  In some cases a topic becomes dominated by talking heads.   Here is an example.

A facebook friend posted an article to say something had to be done about the homeless and the criminal element within that community.  I agreed with almost everything he said.  Then again we seldom agree with everything someone says.  Yes there is a criminal element in the homeless population but not all homeless people are criminals.  He brought up a bigger issue and one that is long over due.  Stop building housing for the homeless and start building treatment centers to serve the needs of those who have serious problems that render them homeless.

Again we have to find housing solutions for those not suffering from addiction or mental health issues while keeping focused on the most serious aspects of the problem.

There are the homeless by unfortunate circumstance.  There are those in crisis with addition issues and those with long term mental health issues and simply building housing without the additional support for their needs covers up the visual problem in the public’s eyes but the serious problems remain unattended.

To show you an illustration of uniformed comment one person wrote something to the effect of I don’t want to live in a city with homeless people or drug addicts roaming the streets.

Virtually every city in North America has this problem.  It is also likely a significant number of families have members with addiction or some form of mental or emotional issues.  Addiction can take many forms.  Alcohol, prescription drugs, illicit drugs. Not only do we have to treat the addiction we have to treat what caused the problem in the first place until we do it will be a revolving door.  I have had discussions with people for years and it comes down to money it would be costly.          

Well lets look at the present cost of doing nothing.  First when homes and businesses are broken into or robbed there are insurance costs.  That equals higher premiums for everyone.

There are policing costs, lawyers and court time.  Mental stress for families of the victim and the person in trouble.  There are the costs of increased measures to secure loss protection.  In the end there is the major cost of prison housing and or catch and release back into the community to add to the list of repeat offenders.  Well there is a third possibility death for either the offender from addiction or an innocent person on the street going about their business.

The sad truth is if we built treatment facilities and treated the causes of the problems we would likely break even or come out money ahead from what we are doing now.  Saying you don’t want to live with a problem in society doesn’t change the perception or the reality that we don’t have a huge problem already.

 

Fred Steele