If it seem may as though a dead horse is being beaten over the fate of America's poor this week, but its only because there seems to be an abundance of those hungry enough to eat that horse.
With the United States still claiming to be the richest nation in the world, while boasting of having the biggest economy, how do you explain the legions of bums appearing on the streets lately.
Look in any direction in any city town or community and you'll find folks experiencing hard times. They can't be hidden anymore and therefore, they can't be ignored any longer. This is more than a public nuisance , its a public health issue a public safety issue and it should rate being a national disgrace.
When foreigners arrive in our cities for holiday, what the hell are they thinking when an "American" bum hits them up for a handout. Most people around the world still believe the hype of the American dream. Visitors must be shocked to see panhandlers hustling for a living and dirty scuzzy scuzzies huddled in doorways to catch a quick nap before getting their beg on.
Foreigners must be asking themselves why America let its citizens be seen in such dire circumstances when the country purports to be so capable and exceptional. Surly America has an exceptional solution for the plight of the unexceptional.
In every community in the country, there is an infrastructure in place to remove garbage from the streets. They call it the sanitation department. If the people who do those jobs haven't been fired or furloughed yet, they could be enlisted to spot, grab and dispose of the scuzzies promptly and properly. Sanitation workers could be heroes too. They could be considered first responders to the bum invasion.
A harsh solution to a sad state of affairs, but according to those who have plenty, many of the have nothings didn't try enough. Perhaps there is a loser class in America that would do badly even in good times. Perhaps there are people who simple don't want what average the American desires from life.
Maybe a job, a home, a family, the occasional vacation and few discretionary dollars left in one's pocket at the end of the month sounds like too much to work for to some. Some may have aspired to the bum's life. Some people just have no ambition. Some people like setting in the welfare office, sleeping in the park and playing cat and mouse with the the police. Still, while that all could be the case for a few, the reality is, most just fell into it by accident of birth.
A day in the life of the scuzzy ones:
Early morning street scavenging might bring a buck or two, even three on for a good haul of aluminum cans, but the real pickings are in front of the local deli or liquor store. The hours are long and hard because you're on feet all day and on your toes all night. Between the cops, local business and complaining citizens, bums get a lot of exercise staying on the move and staying out of the way.
Heaven forbid, children find themselves living a scuzzy life with their scuzzy parents in public housing. And BTW, public housing is for the lucky scuzzies. For the not so lucky, its the streets where baths and toiletries are luxuries.
Unfortunately, without those luxuries, going to school smelly hungry and scuzzy will bring unwanted attention and the last thing a scuzzy kid wants in school is attention. The result, is high rates of dropouts among the scuzzies. And there you have it, another generation of scuzzies in the making.
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