The March 26th 2009 issue of the New York Times headlined with a story about Fresno. With the subtitle, “New Hoovervilles Emerge in Fresno…” our fair city made national headlines because of our poverty.
The article, which I encourage all to read for free at this link, describes an increasing problem in Central California that I’m referring to as the nouveaux pauvre. [NBC's Nightly News has a similar news story you can watch at here.] You all may recall that the French phrase, nouveaux riche refers to those who recently came into money. What you may not know is that the French also have a phrase depicting the opposite: nouveau pauvre. Although the Wikepidia entry for nouveau pauvre is only in French, you can take my word for it that this describes those lesser fortunate folks who have recently come into poverty.
“Hooverville” named after President Herbert Hoover, refers to the name poverty laden shanty towns [pictured here------->] received during the Great Depression. Blaming Hoover for the Depression, his name will forever be linked to poverty.
Fresno Famous, a great blog about our city, has been discussing the very issue of some time as well at the following link: http://www.fresnofamous.com/content/new-york-times-article-fresno-homeless-camp.
My question is: What can anthropology can do for the problem of the homelessness in Fresno?
I invite you to make any comments or report things here that you have found or written elsewhere.
TheAnthroGeek
anthroguy
Felicia Salcido
144 comments
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April 14, 2009 at 4:14 pm
JamieO
Throughout the valley there are more homeless people. I disagree with the article that Fresno went from having very few homeless people to several tents full of homeless families. I have talked to several people who live in the tent city as well as many people who work for the city to help these people. For Fresno, having those sheds to provide a roof for those individuals who need it are next to the tent city. When talking to those individuals they do not want to follow the rules for the sheds or places were shelters can help families. I have seen women and men selling themselves for drugs. I have seen individuals having sex next to the highway were several people driving by on golden state can clearly see what those people are doing. I think that the city needs to talk to each person to see why they are homeless and what they need specifically to help them. Many of those people in tent city are drug addicts and criminals. For other people, shelters have helped families with food and beds. The Margie mason center helps families. Many of the reasons why families don’t go there is because they separate the families if there are girls and boys to prevent issue of sexual abuse. If a family has a boy and girl then they will be separated from their mom. Families would rather be homeless that leave their children to have other issues in a shelter. Once the city helps to get these families back on track with a job and homes then it will get better, but due to the increase in unemployment and increase in domestic violence families and becoming more dependent on shelters for food and a roof over their heads.
May 10, 2009 at 4:39 pm
TriciaM
Yes the homeless as a whole is a mixture of famillies, unemployed hard workers, drug addicts, criminals, and etc. Anthropology is never going to be able to completely eradicate homlessness. There are always going to be homeless people that are homeless just simply because they have made bad choices and do not lead or wish to lead productive lives. Anthropology can only help people that want to help themselves. With that said in mind, thre is currently an even larger homeless population because of high unemployment and unforseen financial troubles. Currently there are lots of hard working homeless people that would take advantage and be productive with any help that they could get. Anthropology can help these inidividuals and job-creation programs should be implemented to help these individuals.
May 12, 2009 at 11:28 am
KieuC
I agree with Tricia. There is so much the government and anthropology can do to help the homeless. They can only help those, who can help themselves. I work in the hospital where there is a program to place homeless people in a shelter, help with jobs placement. Yet very few people utilize these programs. Most of them keep coming back to the emergency department for the same reason, alcohol and drug intoxication. We also have program to guide them to overcome drugs and alcohol addiction. They refuse to admit that they have drug and alcohol addiction. As a health care worker, there is so much I can do for them. I can’t force them to these programs. It only works when they realize that they have problems and get helps. All I can do is get them stabilize and cross my fingers hoping they get their lives together.
May 13, 2009 at 9:43 am
NestorB
I agree with you Tricia, from the beginning to the end. The homeless community is a mixture of families and hard working people and as long as there are people out there making the wrong decisions, homelessness will never be solve, regardless on how Anthropologist do their research. Like you said, they must help themselves first before anyone can help them. So until then, the issue on homelessness in the City of Fresno will continue.
May 13, 2009 at 1:31 pm
iasanchez
Tricia, I agree with you that anthropology cannot completely eradicate homelessness. It is like world hunger. It seems odd to see hunger while living in a country with extreme rates of overweight and obesity. This means that there is enough food. The food is there, the problem is distribution. It seems odd to see homeless people in a wealthy country. The homeless have the resources to help them get started, they are available but they don’t take advantage of them. One of the reasons is that they do not want to put any effort into it-they want things handed to them. There are also those who don’t take advantage of them because they feel humiliated by the mere reason that they have not needed the help in the past. Anthropology can help by trying to understand the ways in which this population thinks. What similarities can you find within the people in this group that lead them to refuse help? That might be a good start to getting people to utilize the resources available and get a step closer to living a better life.
May 11, 2009 at 10:56 am
Ryan Meador
I do think that the homeless is derived from many different issues such as people who got laid off, drug addicts, criminals and runaways. With that being said, I don’t think it is possible for anthropology to fully help the homeless. The reason I think this is because there are people who choose to be homeless or have made bad decisions that have led them to be homeless. I do think that there are ways anthropology could partially help the homeless. The only way I think that anthropology could help those who are homeless are the ones who didn’t choose to be homeless such as people who got laid off for whatever reason and are hard pressed to find a job in this economic climate. I think anthropology could set up job finding or creation programs or at least find part time work for those individuals while there resume is being shipped around to companies for full time work.
May 13, 2009 at 5:21 pm
SylviaV
I’ve never been near the tent city. It’s a shame that these people have fallen as low as to sell their bodies for drugs. There have been clubs at school that collect donations for families in the tent city. Your posting just makes me worry for these families that are there simply because they have had eveything else taken away, that seperating the family is like the last straw. Being a mother, I can’t imagine having my children around something like this. Yet, every one person or family there has a different reason or reasons as to why they became homeless. I agree with talking to eeach person there to figurine out their problems and needs.
May 14, 2009 at 11:46 am
maypalig Y
People sometimes don’t have choice but they have to keep their pride and their dignity. Probably, those who chose to sell their bodies for drugs, tried several times to lead a normal life but they lacked of support from their own family, their friends, the authority…Some choose to live free from any debts because they don’t like to be conditioned by the social and economic system. It is a shame that that kind of people has such a low standard of living in America. Nobody know what can happen tomorrow, maybe we will be homeless too. Moreover, with the economic recession, nothing is guaranted. I also agree that it is necessary to talk to homeless to figure out what are their basic needs. Homelessness is an important human issue that anthropology has to deal with. After all, observing and studying a group of people can only benefit the society.
April 14, 2009 at 4:39 pm
RadhaM.
It’s sad that shanty towns have become headline news for us in this country which is known to the world as one of the super powers.
Hooverville was the term placed on the shanty towns during the great depression, so will our new term be Bushville for our time of depression? What ever the term, how do we deal with the problems that a depression brings with it?
A large portion of jobs in the valley are agricultural based, so not only the economical factors play a part but also forces of nature add to the problems. The farming industry is facing a water shortage at the present time. Towns like Mendota are setting up marches to protest the miss use of water that was set up for farming use(according to a news report). Water is a core basic need for the farmers, this is not their only problem but if basic needs are not met than the community that relies on that industry suffers. As to your question what can anthropology do for the problem of the homelessness in Fresno? Well, they can find out why, how and when these people became homeless to determine if there is a common factor, the general economical depression, or some random reason. Until one finds the reason for a disaster a solution cannot be formed. Anthropologists can be a great influence on research because they work well as ethnographers to listen and probe for unbiased opinions. Finding out what problems the major industries like agricultural are facing and how they can get back to as near as possible to full production so jobs can be created and so forth….
The problem maybe as obvious as unemployment but there maybe other reason for homelessness in Fresno.
April 14, 2009 at 8:06 pm
NicoleG
A friend of mine has recently been traveling to one of the “hoovervilles” and documenting the experience. He’s trying to get into the perspective of the homeless people and understand what’s going through their minds. We’ve had our own personal discussions about it, so I hope I can transfer a lot of it here.
We have to realize that it’s a completely different world for them. It’s survival of the fittest. It’s easy for us to criminalize and demonize them because drugs do play a role in homelessness, as a cause or as an escape from their current situation. (Don’t get me started on the War on Drugs and how its end would start a lot of positive change in this country.)
The system is the problem. We have lost touch. No compassion, no human connection. Anthropologists would help close that gap. While they have no bias and can simply observe, they also would realize that these people are fellow human beings. The friend that I mentioned earlier? He said that the hooverville he visited is placed next to a drain or pipe that is leaking toxic fumes and sludge. So the government plans to move the homeless — a whole 200 feet. That really solves the problem. They don’t care. They’ll do whatever just simply to DO SOMETHING, but it has no real hope for change or compassion for their situation.
Our country has created systems that induce poverty. It’s scary. What do we do, exactly, to heal it?
Let’s get our hearts back, to begin.
May 13, 2009 at 1:35 pm
iasanchez
Very, very true Nicole. I had never looked at the problem of homelessness form this perspective. The obvious way of looking at it is: the resources to improve their condition are there, they are just not willing to help themselves change for the better. I do think that anthropology could help start finding a solution by lookin g at the human component. Make it personal, get to know them. Find out their needs or reasons. Show compassion. Let them know that there are people out there who care and are trying to help improve their situation.
April 15, 2009 at 10:51 am
JordanD
The current homeless problem in Fresno county is not a new situation. For many years people have been on and off the streets in this valley due to national cuts in mental health organizations, non-profit organizations, and other such organizations that aid in creating a new life for these people. The current economic crisis has only worsened the blow for many families and individuals in this area. Many people are forced to go hungry, homeless, and jobless.
As to what anthropologists can do to help the people in this crisis situation would be to talk to them and get to the bottom of what led them to poverty, homelessness, and/or without and job. Once this information has been gained only then can we as a city, population, and nation begin to take the steps needed to create a better environment for these people. More organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and the Poverello House can be created through Federal and State funding and donors. To get to the root of the problem and not just assume we have the answers would be the best route to go for solving this national crisis.
May 12, 2009 at 11:53 am
KieuC
Homeless is nothing new to Fresno; as long as there are unmotivated people and people choose to make bad choices in their life, there will be homelessness. What new is the recent economic down turn put new kind of people on the streets. People dedicated their lives to the jobs. People who are work hard to own a home who have lost their jobs and their home because of the housing bubble has burst. Consequently, they are now on the street in their tents. Anthropologists not only study about the causes of homelessness in Fresno. They need to take step back further and look at the whole economic pictures and how to turn this economic crisis around faster. The jobs will trickle down to these people. Consequently, they will have a better place call home.
April 15, 2009 at 12:11 pm
theanthrogeek
There are some great comments being made here. Guest Author, Felicia Salcido, will be posting about her experiences working around these issues soon.
April 17, 2009 at 11:10 pm
jesslynna
This article in The New York Times was shocking. I have lived in Fresno for many years, and I am shocked to learn that there are 2,000 (accounted for) homeless people living in these “shanty towns”. I heard about these tent cities in the past, but was unaware of their growing numbers. These tent cities also tend to appear in Fresno in times that are not considered “recession” or “depression” as communities of “homeless” people which they have built for themselves. It appears that these “homeless”, (who are bothered by media attention) consider this to be their permanent home. The Village of Hope area appears to be a bit different in that it was built by others (the Poverello House) with the intention of giving people a place to get back on their feet. I believe that the intentions of these non-profit organizations are good, if applied correctly. People can become depressed when in situations like these, which can lead to a lack of motivation to improve their situation. Countries like Canada have tried different tactics, and shown it to be beneficial to the city to build these places and give the homeless medical attention and a stipend for food and alcohol. I think that looking at how other parts of the world have applied anthropology and either succeeded or failed is a good start for fixing the problem here in Fresno. Every homeless person’s situation is unique, and I agree with JordanD that anthropologists could talk to them to possibly get to the source of the problem.
May 10, 2009 at 4:24 pm
TriciaM
I really liked the idea of looking at what other contries have done in the past in an effort to resolve homelessness, and then analyze what has worked and what has not worked. Learning from other countries miskates can save us a lot of money and time. Also, learning and researching about other countrie’s succesful programs and then implementing the programs in our own country in the same way could help resolve homelessness. Also it is a good idea to reseach and learn about programs that we have implemented before in the past. If we do no learn from our past mistakes we are doomed to repeat it.
May 11, 2009 at 11:02 am
Ryan Meador
I think in retrospect it is a good idea to look at what other countries have done in the past, but I think we should remember that each country is different in its own aspect. Many countries may not have the same resources that we have or may have a smaller homeless population. That could lead to their programs being non-effective on our homeless population. I do think we should look at our own history though. We should examine programs from the past that have worked and those that have not worked and also improve on those programs. We should never make the same mistakes twice and we can eliminate that factor by looking at history and learning from it.
May 12, 2009 at 12:29 pm
KieuC
I could not agree with you more. Anthropologists should look at how other cities around the world deal with homelessness. In addition, they should also study how to make the job market in Fresno more diversify and hopefully weather the future crisis. Fresno’s job markets are mostly agriculture based. So when crisis like this happen, people are not only conserve on their spend on unnecessary items, they also conserve on food. Which in turn eliminate agriculture jobs.
May 13, 2009 at 2:02 pm
iasanchez
Every country is different. Culture plays a large role. Anthropology can help by looking at these programs and seeing how culture or other factors contributed to their success or failure. Then they can start looking into ways to improve or adapt them to fit within the demographics and characteristics of Fresno.
April 19, 2009 at 11:08 pm
Felicia
I began working with the homeless when I received an email from my professor, Hank Delcore, about local architects wanting to build dwellings for the homeless in Fresno. I never worked with the homeless and definitely wanted the chance to be involved with something that would help out the community.
In January I volunteered to help get a head count of the homeless. I spent my afternoon at the Poverello House. The count is done bi annually to help the city and county implement the Ten Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness. If you did not know this already, the count will provide leaders of the county a better understanding of the number of homeless people.
The Ten Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness was adopted because of this rapidly increasing population of displaced persons. It is about time that the city and county established that homelessness is problem, but what’s next? How does the county end homelessness in ten years? I have been given the opportunity to witness first hand how the community is responding to this plan. It is no secret that there is a need for affordable housing. Yes, it is true that housing costs are low, but it is also true that a large portion people living in Fresno County are going into foreclosure. Thus, the community needs affordable housing. Local architects of Fresno recognized the need for affordable housing and therefore designed and constructed a 350sq ft dwelling that would allow the homeless to live in. The dwellings would be built in a vacated lot in Downtown Fresno. These built dwellings would hope to reduce some of the homelessness in our city.
Where does Anthropology come in? The architects were concerned with the efficiency of living space and wanted to know what the minimum amount of space for a successful dwelling was. A mock up of the dwelling was showcased at Archop night in February and it was the jobs of the student anthropologists/ethnographers to solicit, observe, document and analyze behavioral and communicated responses to the built space. Questions in regards to the built spaced were asked, such as “What do you think about this space?” “Can you imagine yourself living in a space like this?” and “Do you know someone who this space would be perfect for?” The answers were analyzed and conclusions were drawn. The research conducted was used to drive the re-design of the space. I may have more on how the data drove re-design at a later time.
This has been my experience working with the issue of homelessness so far, I am motivated to help in anyway I can and I am privileged that Anthropology has given me this experience. What the local architects are doing is only one step to ending homelessness in Fresno, Ca and I encourage everyone to help in anyway they can. Thanks.
May 12, 2009 at 3:59 pm
KieuC
Providing shelter is the first step is solving the homelessness problem in Fresno. However, that is only the temporary solution. The real solutions is how to find job with decent wages so they can afford their own home. And that is a task that takes multidisciplinary, not just anthropology, from both private sectors as well as the government. For example, the majorities of people in Fresno and nearby counties are depend on agriculture products. Yet, most of the produce I see in the grocery stores are imported from South America countries. Which take jobs away from the local people. Government should create jobs so people have the mean to support themselves and contribute to society. Anthropologist are great at study history of homelessness, root-cause analysis, and apply what worked in the past. And as for us, consume more local grown products.
May 13, 2009 at 1:58 pm
iasanchez
Yes! We should start supporting our local farmers. Start consuming food with the least carbon footprint. It is better for our health and our environment. Although there are produce that cannot be grown in the valley due to weather and soil and other conditions. If we start supporting our local farmers, our local economy can improve. It would open more jobs for people who are now homeless because they have lost their jobs in agriculture. Maybe anthropology can look into ways this can be done. Study the effects local farming and imports have on people.
April 22, 2009 at 7:14 pm
ElicetE.
Homelessness in Fresno has always been a problem, but we are seeing more of it today due to our economic depression. I really do not think their is a complete solution to homelessness. No matter what we do, some people will remain homeless. I feel like there are so many factors that can lead to homelessness and trying to tackle all of them is nearly impossible. Some people end up on the streets because of drug or alcoholic addictions. Others have lost their jobs. Some have lost their families. Some may be immigrants who have nothing, no matter what the reason is, people are lying in our streets on a daily basis. I think the best thing anthropology can do is try to understand the problem. If we can get to know the homeless community and understand their basic needs, maybe we can start finding solutions for them.
April 28, 2009 at 6:22 pm
RudyS.
That was a really good comment, it made me think about the problem in a different way. I can see now, how useful can anthropology be. We are talking about homelessness as a problem but for some groups of homeless people the fact that they don’t have a roof over they had might not represent a problem. Anthropology needs to look to improve the situation and at the same time – it needs to find out what is it that these people really want. It is simple but I, sitting behind a table in a cozy room, probably have no idea what such a person might want. Organizations are trying to provide shelters – but wouldn’t it be more helpful to find out the motivations, dreams and needs of these people? What if they got used to living outside and would like to have something else? My point is – their values are probably so much different from ours that we need to go ask them!
May 4, 2009 at 6:48 pm
NicoleG
Rudy, I think it’s great that you look at it more like a human issue and not just as part of the system. While we have to look at both sides, it seems such a simple step to go and ask them what they want! Of course there will be diversity in their answers — some will be cynics, others will be grateful for any help — but we have to know the statistics and the variables, as fun as math is. Then we can get to know the people and construct ideas based off that information!
May 13, 2009 at 2:08 pm
iasanchez
I agree. No matter what we do, homelessness will exist. There is help out there but some people just do not want it. They choose to be homeless. They make bad choices. Anthropology can help understand the problem-understand their needs to find solutions. Understand them as people. Would their efforts be worth it if they do not want the help? I am not saying we should not try to find solutions to this, or to not help these people. Just take into consideration that some do not want help. They have their reasons. Maybe looking into what these reasons are would be a better start. They can be used to benefit those that do appreciate the help.
May 13, 2009 at 11:15 pm
Maypalig Y
I agree that anthropologists can try to understand the homeless community and understand their basic needs so homeless’ life can improve. Participating in their daily life would be the greatest thing to do to know them, but it would also be a challenge because anthropologists can’t really act without any consentment from the government. Improving a life requires funds, public assistance, psychologic assistance, a whole program of integration in the society. Nothing can be done easily. It would take more than a year to get everything done. Anthropologists are the intermediaries between homeless and the the rest of the population. They represent the voice of homeless and they are their support. Crimes and violence can be part of homeless’ daily life but they are not major obstacles to anthropological study.
April 23, 2009 at 8:18 am
“Fresno’s “Nouveaux Pauvre”” part 2 « TheAnthroGuys
[...] in Uncategorized | by theanthrogeek ElicetE made a really good point in a recent comment to the Nouveaux Pauvre posting. I think the best thing anthropology can do is try to understand the problem. If we can get to [...]
April 23, 2009 at 12:27 pm
Sylvia V
Ther are many things that anthropologist can do to educate people about the homeless population. Researching and analyzing this problem can result in providing more resources and services for these individuals. Many people don’t realize that most of these individuals at one time or amother were contributing to society. Something happened along the way, unemployment, illness, or tragedy, that must have landed them where they’re at today. Antropology can gather information showing that there are many, and numbers are growing. It can also describe in detail what their experiences are like on an everyday basis.
This population needs more attention. I feel for all these individuals, especially for any children that must be living in these tents in this type of weather. Hopefully, the plan to help end chronic homelessness will benefit them greatly.
April 23, 2009 at 8:00 pm
Elicet E.
It is true that all these individuals at some point had a different life. What anthropologists need to study is what factors in their lives led to the drastic change in lifestyle. I think we need to send anthropologists out there to conduct observational studies of homeless individuals. Once they become use to our presence I’m sure they will come to us wondering why we are out there observing them. That is when we should begin our research on their lives. Of course they all have their own stories, but simply understanding a few of their lives will help us understand others like them. I personally have an uncle who is homeless and lives in the Downtown area streets. I know you are probably wondering why we don’t pick him up and get him off the streets, but it’s not that simple. He at one point in his life was married and had three sons. He drank and was very abusive towards my aunt. Eventually she got tired of it and divorced him. Now he lives in the streets drinking excessively. We give him clean clothes and food, but as soon as he gets money, he goes right back to the streets. He has been in and out of rehab, but I don’t know why he chooses to go back to the streets when we offer him a place to stay, food, and clean clothes.??
May 2, 2009 at 12:49 pm
Jessica Huntbach
I know many homeless people, and I agree with what you say. Even if you provide for them, they still want to go back to their homeless ways. I do not know exactly why, but I think it has something to do with the relationship that they have with other homeless. If I had been homeless for a good time period and then I came to live with someone, I would not feel like I was accepted or like I fit it. At least with the tent cities, I know that everyone is in my same situation and there is no difference between us. They are all on the same level when they are out there. It is a whole different ball park when you put a homeless person in a nice place, when they are used to living on the street.
May 4, 2009 at 6:52 pm
NicoleG
It’s great that you used a personal situation with a family member — sometimes I think people remain unaffected because it simply isn’t happening to them or those close to them. But it’s real and it’s there. And everyone’s situation is different. While there are some who seem in a “rut” or a self-fulfilling prophecy, others merely need that extra motivation or helping hand. It’s the people that need generosity and compassion who we can help. Sylvia mentioned gathering all the data as to why these people are homeless and I think that’s a great start. We have to see the errors in the other systems before we attack this one.
May 11, 2009 at 11:11 am
Ryan Meador
I think you are correct in some ways when saying that there needs to be field research done on the homeless and there lifestyles. I do think that the homeless would be engaged in the study because frankly they would have nothing else to do. I do think that we need to draw a fine line between that it is just a study to find out what got them in the situation there in and were not out there creating a program to get them out of that situation. I wouldn’t want to give them false hope on maybe getting a job or donations for that matter. The study would have to be purely subjective and than hopefully the study could lead to something greater that could help out those individuals that are homeless.
May 13, 2009 at 2:20 pm
iasanchez
I do not live in Fresno but I volunteer at a soup kitchen in my community and have seen many homeless people with alcohol problems. Several times on my way home I have stopped at a nearby gas station. I was surprised to find a lot of the people who were lined up at the soup kitchen, waiting to get food because they have no money to buy it, there. Guess what they were doing? Buying alcohol and cigarettes. So, they do not have money to buy food but they do have it to WASTE on their vices. These are examples of people who do not want help. The help to improve their situation is there they just take it for granted. I do not understand their way of thinking. Also Elicet, I agree with you. I do think that observational studies in these areas would be very beneficial and the best way for anthropology to contribute to finding solutions for the homelessness in Fresno.
May 13, 2009 at 11:37 pm
Maypalig Y
Anthropologists can’t study one specific case. They have to provide informations about a specific group of people so we can understand their culture, the way they act or how they live. Sending anthropologists to study homeless is a good idea. I think that anthropologists should become homeless for a certain period of time without revealing their identity, so they can really understand why homeless live such a life. In that way, homeless act naturally and reveal the secret of their daily life without being afraid or intimidate. Saying to homeless that they (anthropologists) are there to observe, would be considered as a threat to the homeless community.
April 23, 2009 at 9:03 pm
CCarlson
I would put forth the idea that these “tent cities” or “Hoovervilles” are more than just a place for the unemployed or homeless to coalesce. These “shanty towns” are in fact a sub-culture to our own society. The tent cities are more than just a place to rest your head sans address; they are the “homeless” social centers where they find common ground with their peers. I emphasize the use of “homeless” in contradiction, because these social centers are their “homes”. There is no mention in the dictionary definition of “home” for the requirement of a mailable address.
It is the culture of the “addressed” to think that the citizens of these tent cities are there only by cause, and their choice to be there is non-existent. What drives their choice to stay in tent cities when other options are available? What do they gain from being surrounded by those in the same plight as themselves? These are questions to be answered by the anthropologist. How they got there is not a cut and dry answer. Every situation that brings these individuals into an “address less” living arrangement is different, but why they stay there may contain a greater percentage of similarity.
April 28, 2009 at 6:35 pm
RudyS.
Interesting comments, I was thinking along this line myself. What if the reason that the homeless people live in these “cities” is just as basic as is yours. They cannot fit into the city community because without money – sad but true – they do not have a necessary status. In these “homeless cities” there is a community in which social roles are being created again and there are probably opportunities to increase your social status, gain respect, find friends, etc. I would go even further and expect this community, as any other, to evolve. Unfortunate thing is that they have no land to expand on and to become self-sustainable. What if they were given some land? But they fate would eventually depend on how strong the ties within the community are, if the reasons mentioned above are true and if the ultimate goal is for their community to prosper or for the individual to join the “roof-over-head” community.
I am still thinking about what I wrote here and I am going to appreciate any comments.
April 29, 2009 at 4:15 pm
JosephL
About a year or so ago, the city of Fresno designated land for the unfortunate “homeless” to live because the previous “tent city” was unkept, full of drug dealers/users, sanitation was very unhealthy. In the new area which they were to be relocated, the city gave them new tents and a larger area in which to spread. Some of the people did move into the new “tent city” but found it unsatisfactory and wished to go back to their original location. They were unable to go back to the old location because the city came through with clean-up crews and disposed of everything not bulted down and sanitized the location. This caused some bad blood and now the city is faced with a class action lawsuit with some of the homeless people. My point is that the people in these “cities” may want to live out in the world with only the sky as their roof, but many lack the drive to become a self-sustainable subculture (as far as producing their own crops and goods). They were given an opputunity to start a life that was not as “dirty” and potentially get back on what society thinks is the right path, but they reverted back to there old ways.
May 4, 2009 at 12:18 pm
RudyS.
If the situation you described is true, then it seems that the homeless people are not motivated to become a part of a functional society, that they have given up hope, that they accepted their fate and they are living without purpose. If that is the case, shouldn’t the primary goal of the city be to motivate them to change their situation? Since there are people with different perspectives in the homeless community, the city should approach each subgroup differently. Some of the homeless need to be motivated, some need to be taught skills to earn money, some might need better housing and just that.. It seems that the help aimed to improve the situation of homeless people needs to be as diverse as the homeless people themselves are, for the aid to have the desired effect. Maybe it is necessary to acknowledge, which would be sad, that some homeless people are beyond the point when they could be helped. All that would require serious anthropological research.
May 4, 2009 at 7:19 pm
NicoleG
I really, really appreciate your point of view on this. It’s refreshing. While it doesn’t fit into every person’s story, it is undoubtedly someone’s situation.
Homeless is in fact a point of view. While they may not own a home, they are in a community of people. It may be dangerous and have some people under constant worry, but it is a home. That’s why we have to realize they live under different standards and conditions, but they’re doing just what we are — living.
May 7, 2009 at 4:12 pm
CaraMarie
YES!!!! they are living!!!! I love it. Sorry, I just got so excited. It’s what i’ve been wanting to say! I don’t see why society classifies this as such a “problem”. People are people. Isn’t the saying ‘home is where the heart is’? So if they’ve got their heart and they are happy, who’s to say they are ‘homeless’?
May 7, 2009 at 10:48 pm
AmandaLo
I think you bring an interesting point. The people choose to live on the streets because it is what they want. This of course does not apply to everyone. In fact, I think they might use this an excuse to live on the streets because they do not want to make the effort to get out of the streets. You presented a question, why do people choose to be homeless when there are other options available? You think anthropologists should concentrate on questions like this because it will better steer us to a solution. I have to disagree. I think if a homeless person has reasons for living on the streets it is because it is what they want. Like you said people living together in poverty build a relationship that is more precious than life anywhere else. I think we would be wasting money asking everyone why do they choose to live in poverty. “Choose” meaning the decision has already been made. Like I have stated many times you can not help someone who does not want to be helped. Instead ask people what lead them into poverty so we can fix it and possibly prevent it from happening to others.
May 11, 2009 at 11:21 am
Ryan Meador
I am going to have to disagree with Cara in a sense that yes they are living, but there is more to it than that. A lot of these people are not happy with their situations and in desperate times that can lead to desperate measures. A lot of criminal activity comes from people being homeless. A lot of homeless people are drug addicts and need money to get their fix from their drug. Since, they have no money; they turn to crime to get the money for their choice of drug. Its been proven that poverty drives up the crime rate, so I think there are certain individuals that need to be described as a problem. Another reason that the homeless could be described as a problem is sanitary reasons. The homeless tend to leave trash around the streets they are living on and a lot of them aren’t the most clean of people which can lead to easy spread of different viruses that they might catch. But you are correct in saying that some people choose to be homeless and if that’s the case than they should be left alone.
May 11, 2009 at 12:58 pm
CaraMarie
Ryan. I’m not trying to state that EVERY homeless person is happy. One can assume that about any society or culture. Not everyone with a roof over their head is happy either. I am just considering the fact that some are simply living. Going day to day, like any other being in society. For those that are drug addicts and want help, programs are available to them. For those who want jobs and can not find them… is a little more difficult do to the economic downfall. If crime is the issue, not all are criminals although some are. For them maybe taking them off the street and placing them in jail where they will get a shower bed and three nutritious meals a day. Sanitation is a major issue as well. But I do believe the Pavorallo (I can’t spell it) House, offers showers. I feel that there are many ways to become un-homeless…
Maybe the better question to be asked is…. Why do many homeless not care to get help?
April 24, 2009 at 10:07 am
Elsa G
I am very shocked at the homeless situation, especially here in Fresno. I would have never thought that this would make it to the New York Times. 2,000 people homeless?!? In Fresno!?!?! That is unbelievable. I do not have experience with homeless people, or have participated in activities that require me to go to shelters or food areas that serve them but tomorrow, however, I will be out there handing out food for the first time to people who need it. I am pretty excited because I will be doing something that others will benefit greatly. Something that others take for granted and they have a great appreciation for. I find it unfair how people use their personal values to justify homelessness. Not all homeless people are for choice, not all homeless people are drug addicts and prostitutes, and not all homeless people are killers. We have to understand that if they steal they do it because of hunger. They have nothing and no one to depend on. I am afraid that this situation can get worst because at this point, this can happen to anyone. I think that anthropology can help this situation by making a study of homelessness and bring out to the public eye. Study how they got there, why they are there and how they feel about it, in other words, if they have the desire to excel in life. No body knows how bad the problem is. At this point, people are complaining about how they can no longer afford some of the luxuries they were used to, and not knowing how many people live in the streets in their own hometown. By doing such study and bringing that to the public, I feel that more and more people will start caring. There is a lot that anthropologists can do for our homeless here in Fresno, and I hope they (anthropologists) can help officials handle this situation with care.
April 24, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Wesley D
It is no shock that there is an increase in homeless in Fresno among many other cities. We are in a horrible recession and so many people have lost their jobs and their homes. Where else are they supposed to go? The basic needs for survival are food, water, and shelter. As was mentioned in the article, these people have a roof over their heads. It isn’t the ideal one that we think it should be, but it is a roof and they are able to feed themselves in one way or another. Anyone that has been to a third-world country will look at this situation differently. It’s built into our culture that one must live in a physical structure and pay for it, etc… Antrhopology can help the public to understand that this a culture in and of itself. Many of these individuals are there because of necessity and not because of choice.
May 13, 2009 at 2:21 am
BrookeM
Wesly, your point is valid. We, not only n the central valley, but all Americans believe that we need a roof over our heads. I know that I have never been homeless and hope that it will not happen to me ever in my life. I know that I can afford to have something to house myself even in these times. I personally do not know any homeless people, but I know that work is being done to combat the issue. I am glad that Fresno was on the national map, even if it was negative. Fresno is a fine city and deserves to get some recognition.
May 13, 2009 at 7:13 pm
Janel C.
Some other things that anthropologist can do to help out the situation of the homeless individuals living in tents here in Fresno is constructing a study of important points that could help them understand and interpret their situation to those willing to help them. Some important points would be finding out the previous life of the homeless individuals before they became homeless. This would give the anthropologist an ideas of possible factors that might of caused them to become homeless. Another important point to find out would be actually asking them what caused them to become homeless, to see if their hypothesis was correct. Finding out what their lives are like now that they are homeless would be some very important information, so that it can be improved for the better. I think that all of this information is very important in order to help the situation of the homeless individuals.
May 13, 2009 at 8:16 pm
KieuC
I agree with Janel that the anthropologists should conduct a study to have a better understanding about this problem. However, I think anthropologist’s jobs are not just to understand the problem of homelessness but also to prevent future problem to reoccur. The priority concerns of homeless people are food and a place to sleep. However, a goal of simply creating more affordable housing units is not enough; it also needs to include better treatments since these homeless people lack of access to health care. In addition, it also needs to include education, counseling options, and plenty of compassion and understanding on the part of the community.
April 25, 2009 at 9:50 am
CaraMarie
I am concerned that no one has spoke about the homeless as persons. Persons alike to any one of us. Not as evil, drug addicts, alcoholics, sexaholics, terrorizing the world. They are often times just people. Proud of their homes, proud of themselves… sometimes too proud.
There was a man in my home town… haha, he was basically our homeless man. But he walked around every day with an army pack and new pair of tennis shoes. We would talk to him and ask him about his life. He had a sister that was wealthy (which was why he always had new shoes.) He said that was the only hand out he’d take. He just liked to walk around. He didn’t want to have to be stuck in one spot.
I feel that we are classifying these people. Trying to control them. Who are we to judge and control. Let them be themselves. Of course it probably isn’t safe for some of them to be running around (the drug addicts might need to be dealt with). But who deals with the alcoholics and drug addicts in the huge houses of Fig Garden and Fort Washington. Why is it that the homeless are the issue?
The article talks about setting up porta potties and security guards. Which I thought was interesting. Because it almost made the tent city sounds like a condo or apartment complex. Turning it into a gated community. I’m just concerned that a judgment is being made without proper interaction.
April 27, 2009 at 12:15 pm
Elicet E.
It is true that people categorize homeless individuals as a group, and do not see them as individual people. But I think that we do the same for everyone, such as the lower class, middle class, and upper class. I do agree partially that some homeless individuals choose to live this lifestyle. However, I think the majority, if given the opportunity, would want a different lifestyle. I do not truly think any one person would want to live a life on the streets day after day. I think we need to address those individuals that do want a way out. We need to learn what it is that is holding them back from obtaining their goals. Maybe for some its education, maybe for others its money, or possibly self acceptance. What ever the reason, we need to find out what the barriers are that are stopping them from reaching their goals.
April 27, 2009 at 6:03 pm
CaraMarie
I like that. And I agree about classifying the homeless. That’s what I was getting at as well. Is that we shouldn’t lump them all together. Perhaps discussing with each individual (although time consuming) would be the best way to handle the situation. I feel that people should be allowed to live how they want, and not have to conform to a specific lifestyle. Everyone has different ways of living and different standards for themselves. Someone else mentioned something about Africa, and other tribes. I feel that in other scenarios it’s “okay” but in America, in “civilization” it is not okay to live on your own, and on the “streets”. For those that want help… I almost feel as though if they had the drive to follow their ‘dreams’ maybe they would have by now. I suppose some just need a boost. But I definitely don’t think that we should try and fix the problem with one generalized solution. Individuality is what set us apart from the rest of the world.
As for how it looks as a reflection on our society in Fresno. I think that’s ridiculous… I know there are some that don’t want to ‘see’ the homeless. Since the homeless are “dirty and drug addicts”. But really? People spend too much time worrying about what others think. It’s life get over it. If anthropology teaches one thing. I think it’s acceptance and understanding. Judgments and assumptions need to be set aside. Or anthropology is simply not doing its job.
May 4, 2009 at 12:52 pm
RudyS.
I don’t think that introducing security guards will foster the relationships between the homeless and the city. It seems like a privacy issue, the only argument for their presence that could be made is the drug use. I am against fenced communities period but I guess this is the cultural style in the US.
I really liked the idea of searching for the inhibitors homeless people’s motivations. It is something I talked about in another post and I think you expressed your thoughts better. After I read your comment I started thinking and I came up with this idea: How about motivating homeless people by providing them drugs? Wouldn’t an administered injection of a drug increase the medical standards? Wouldn’t drug dealers become “unemployed”? Wouldn’t it be easy to motivate homeless people to become a productive part of the society?
I don’t want to write more, because the longer the post the lesser the likelihood of someone reading it.. But let me point this out: at the dawn of our civilization the primary need of each person was to secure enough food (for themselves and tribe) to survive. After the agricultural revolution, people had enough food and more free time and progress happened. What is the primary need of a drug addict – to get a dose.
May 14, 2009 at 5:28 pm
JoeC
You make a good point. There is a perpetual homeless lady in my town that I often see when I go out. I think people have a tendency to just try to ignore her and look down on her without any knowldege of who she is. Its almost like how kids in school look down on an individual for not fitting in to the mold. Every body has to be just like each other to fill comfort. It could be that alot of these homeless people are like the man you described. In his eyes he feels free, he goes against the grain of society and probably doesnt even realize it. I think people should not look to governmental agencies to solve what they see as a problem. The real solution is to just to be kind to these people when you come across them. Ask them about their day like you did and treat them like a human being. When one gets treated like an animal one will act like an animal.
April 28, 2009 at 2:54 pm
AmandaLo
Addressing poverty in Fresno will first require the anthropologist to investigate, observe and question the people living in poverty. It may even be necessary for the anthropologist to live a day or two as a homeless person. During this time it might be necessary to make a video recording the life of a homeless person to show people how dangerous it really is. The world needs to know what is really happening. Working individuals kind of get stuck in this ethnocentric belief that they are better then people living in poverty because poor people are lazy. Yes, this is true in some cases. Brattybrat reported some interesting news about a homeless man who was offered a free room if he pulled weeds and swept the floor, but he refused because he does not want to work. The fact is some people do not want to work and they want to live on the streets. It is the duty of the anthropologist to find those individuals who really want work and who were forced into poverty because of the poor economy. There is no sense in helping someone who truly does not want to be helped. AntiMusick mentioned some important historic facts on Fresno Famous about Jerry Brown. In 1992 Jerry Brown was advocating “The Family Bill of Rights” which stated that every American has the right to 1.) a living wage 2.) Health care 3.) Decent shelter and freedom from hunger 4.) an education 5.) security in old age. I completely agree with Jerry Brown. If people are willing to work they should be eligible for all of these rights.
April 28, 2009 at 4:47 pm
Elicet E.
You do make an interesting point about some people not wanting to be helped. I personally have an uncle who is homeless and no matter how hard we try to help him, he goes right back to the streets. I wish I knew why he chose that life, but he is never sober enough to respond. I also agree with the rights that every American has. I think making a documentary would be a great idea for anthropologists. It allows us to analyze different situations and sort of be able to record them for future reference. This will allow us to observe more than we would if we had to take notes. We could also interact with the homeless community and document their responses or interactions on video.
May 4, 2009 at 7:27 pm
NicoleG
Documentaries, especially when done in the right way, can seriously get to the people. They create movements. If I think of some that influenced how I think, I look to Bowling For Columbine, Sicko, and An Inconvenient Truth. Getting into the mainstream and the media, despite a loss of some noble causes, would be extremely beneficial. While it is difficult to keep things pure and whole-hearted in corporate-funded projects, it can hit home (seriously, that isn’t a pun). But with the awareness growing on this problem, now would be the time to explode it on the news scene even more.
May 8, 2009 at 1:26 pm
RudyS.
I agree with the statement that documentaries can get to people. But which people? Only to those who are interested and those who are willing to watch. And even if they do and they consequently feel disturbed, it doesn’t mean they are going to act. In my opinion, it would be more useful to invest the time and resources into documenting homeless communities and their members for the sake of increasing the involved anthropology team’s knowledge and of a development of a remediation plan. The anthropologist need to determine what homeless people want, what kind of aid would be the most beneficial, how can a regular citizen efficiently help, and present this to the public instead of a pure documentary. I think that people are somehow aware that there are homeless people among us – we can see them begging at the intersections and other locations – but they don’t know about the ways they can help. I cooked for the homeless community in downtown Fresno a couple times and I participated in a few community events. However nice this may be, I know it is only a temporary help. I would be much more enthusiastic about providing help with the knowledge that it would improve the living standards of those people in long term.
May 10, 2009 at 1:28 am
TriciaM
Yes, I will agree on that there are people that just simply do not want to work. Perhaps they do want live on the street or in a tent city. But at the same time I do not think that is very common. I think the majority of the homeless would like to have a job and nice home with running water to live in. For example, there is a homeless man that I usually see everyday walking around Fresno State picking through the trash for bottles and cans. I am sure that many of you have probably seen him. He comes to Fresno State every day like it is his occupation. I am sure if someone gave him a job, he would take it. In order to reduce homelessness anthropologists could help create ‘job-creation’ programs for the homeless.
May 13, 2009 at 2:38 pm
iasanchez
I agree. Some people just do not put any effort into helping themselves. The do not appreciate the help that is being offered to them. I volunteer at a soup kitchen in my community and I see this all fo the time. There are those that are grateful and others who are the total opposite. Like “The Family Bill of Rights” stated, every American has the right to 3) decent shelter and freedom from hunger. Freedom from hunger is the mission of most soup kitchens…they are committed to create a hunger free community, whether it be Fresno or other places. Food is offered to anyone who wishes to go, and if you are in need don’t be picky! One time at the soup kitchen a man who always complains and throws back the fruits and vegetables we serve, was upset because we were serving enchiladas. He started yelling at us and said, “Don’t you know I’m not from Mexico, I’m from California!” Why yell at the people who prepared the food for you to fill your stomach. Be thankful and appreciate what is given to.
April 29, 2009 at 4:34 pm
ChristinaB
As Anthropology studies other cultures across the world, I think that the study of Anthropology could contribute to assisting the homeless by investigating the truth behind it all. Many classify and generalize the homeless as drug addicts and criminals however, how did they get to that point, at what point in their life it it just take a wrong turn? These are questions that anthropology can address to the homeless population to find meaning and understanding behind the prevention. It is certain that for some the use of drugs from the start could have sentenced them to a life of poverty however, it can not be assumed for all. For instance our nation is in a state of recession now where several people are losing their jobs and struggling financially and not a result of drug abuse. Anthropology can get an inside look at the different populations among the homeless, I’m sure several people have a different story. Anthropology could provide help for these people as they investigate the reason for their being homeless. With interviews and possibly living the life they live in a place such as “tent city” in fresno to understand the experience first hand. With the information anthropologists could provide it could be later submitted to people of the community in effort to take further action and help those who live in such unsafe conditions.
April 30, 2009 at 11:50 am
AmandaLo
I completely agree with what you are saying about investigating why people become homeless. Too many people believe that people are homeless because of drugs and alcohol. I think it is important to explain why people fall into poverty. We can find everyone who want to change their lifestyles and determine why they became poor and inform society about the situation. I do not believe it is fair for a person who worked hard all of their life and due to the recession lost their job. They deserve the opportunity to work if they want to. I think if people understand that poverty was forced on some people they would be more willing to help.
May 10, 2009 at 4:08 pm
TriciaM
Yes I do agree that homelessnes is on the rise right now in our nation because of high unemployment. It is also unfair to say that they should’ve seen this comming and should have made precautions or having savings. But there are several industries right now that were predicted to continue to flourish in the future in bad and good times. For example it was not predicted that the construction industry would slow down because there was an increasing demand of houses in California, and there still is. But since the banks are not currently giving loans no one is able to buy a house. As a result there are many construction projects that have just stopped due to a lack of funds. But the bank’s lack of lending has caused a variety of different industries to slow down and be in danger. In return this causes high unemployment. There are many people that have become homeless because of bad luck and are victims of this mess.
April 29, 2009 at 8:39 pm
Shannon N
The issue of homelessness in Fresno appears to be nearly insurmountable. I am a resident of West Fresno and I drive past the area of the Rescue Mission most days. I believe that a lot of homeless people are part of a subculture within our society. This culture is complex and has just as many nuances as any other culture. There are many different reasons that lead to people becoming homeless, but I believe that many people stay homeless because they belong to the culture of homelessness.
It would be very interesting to live among the homeless and study them and observe how they perform daily tasks. Mike Reynolds and two homeless people visited one of my Social Work classes at Fresno City College to give a presentation and answer questions. I was shocked to find out they cook whatever they want to eat. I have all sorts of practical questions and it would be impossible for me to cook without the conveniences I have in a modern home. These people are creative and resourceful and I know they could teach the rest of us about survival.
April 30, 2009 at 6:36 pm
Elicet E.
I think it is interesting how you mention that they cook everything even though they have no stove or conventional kitchen. I think that it is true that we could actually learn new things from them, just as much as they could learn from us. However, in order for us to learn from them we need to interact with them. We need to put ourselves in their shoes. We need to stop criticizing those on the road asking for money and start asking why they are there asking for money. I think the best thing we could do is surround ourselves by their environment and their day to day life. If we did some type of documentary, maybe that would help us figure out their motivations and desires.
May 4, 2009 at 7:31 pm
NicoleG
Your comment drives me to ask a certain set of people I see on the corner of Blackstone and Nees every day on my way to work. I know what you’re thinking — Riverpark? Homeless? But it’s obviously a survival skill to place yourself at a very busy corner with the guarantee of cars stopped for long periods of time. I always try to read what their signs say. I must admit, there are moments where I wonder if my helping hand or offer of a few dollars will help. I hope that they go and get something decent to eat. I remain an optimist on that front. But really, for me to make any effect, I should really park nearby and walk to the divider and TALK TO THEM. It’s easy for us to stay in our cars and give them money and feel like we’ve done a good deed, but really, we’ve just blinded ourselves more to the problem.
May 7, 2009 at 4:24 pm
CaraMarie
i like that. I think that stopping and talking to them would be the best way to ‘deal’ with the homeless. Or at least understand their lifestyle. It is such any amazing community. Like Shannon says above they cook for themselves. It’s amazing how resourceful and intelligent they are. How lost is most of society without a cell phone? Really think about it. Sure most of us can get by if our phone goes dead. But if your phone is out for a few days it really starts to get annoying. I think it would be interesting to learn about their culture and community. I’m sure the intricacies of their culture and way of living could teach us. I love listening to people’s life stories. I think for most of the ‘homeless’ (Can we really find another name for them) they have stories to tell of life, love, fighting, friends, family….
May 11, 2009 at 8:12 pm
Jessica Huntbach
I agree with what you say, but I have tried interacting with homeless, and it seems like they really do not want anything to do with us. They just want to live their lives and not be bothered. Only time I will bother them is if I see them asking for money and they have an animal with them. Then I usually buy them a sandwich and a can or two of dog/cat food, whichever they need. I know they appreciate it, but sometimes they do not even say thank you. I think that their attitudes toward people also have an effect on how society views them. I think if they want to be standoffish towards us, then we will be the same to them. That really is not going to solve the problem
May 7, 2009 at 9:17 pm
AmandaLo
I really like how you view homeless people as a culture. I think it is an interesting description that may be true. When you do something for a long time it begins to feel normal and anything else would feel wrong and uncomfortable. I think it is important for the anthropologist to understand how this may be a barrier for a homeless person to come out of poverty. There is no use wasting time and money on someone who does not want to be helped. After all we are trying to make life better for these people and life out of poverty may not be a better life for them.
May 11, 2009 at 11:31 am
Ryan Meador
You are correct in saying that people view homeless people as a culture. I do think that many people choose to live it as one and if they do than that should be respected and we should let them be. I strongly agree with you that anthropologists need to do research to distinguish the difference between one who lives the culture and doesn’t want help and one who doesn’t live the culture and does want help. Sometimes I think it is hard to distinguish because even the ones who do want help fall into the trap of desperation. They may feel that there is no out even though they want to be out, and that could lead them to do stuff they wouldn’t normally do like commit criminal acts so they can feed themselves. When this happens, society views them as hard criminals who are choosing this lifestyle and that may not be the case. That is why field research is very important in this subject.
May 13, 2009 at 9:12 am
NestorB
You make a good point, when you said, “people stay homeless because they belong to the culture of homelessness”. I too believe that homelessness is just a part of our culture, just like drugs and everything is. In addition, I too believe that it would be very interesting to live life as a homeless in the homeless communities. It would be very interesting to see how they live their lives on a daily basis. It would be very interesting to see how long it would take me to assimilate into their lifestyles. It would just be amazing to see how you feel living as a homeless after you have assimilated into their culture. It’s just like going on a vacation to Hawaii for a month, you get there and you never want to leave and once you leave you just want to go back. I wonder if after assimilating to their culture that this type of feeling will also arise?
May 2, 2009 at 12:39 pm
Jessica Huntbach
I have heard a lot about the tent cities that are all around Fresno, but I have yet to actually see one. I do not plan on trying to find one either. But I do think that homelessness has become a real big problem all over, not just in Fresno. After watching that clip from Nightly News and reading the article from The New York Times, I do think that we need to start helping these people. As some of the people interviewed said, they are good people, and they have just had some problems in their lives. Yes I know that there is drugs, alcohol, and prostitutes in these tent cities as well, but most people are just there trying to survive. I honestly do not think the government is giving homeless people a chance. The Poverello did put money out to build the Village of Hope, but that is hardly fixing the problem. These people deserve the same respect as everyone else, and I think if anthropologists did live in these tent cities for months on end and lived the same life that these people did, they would get a better understanding of why people choose to live like that, and what can be done to help them out. I hate seeing homeless on the street begging for food and money. I do not like knowing that there are people outside in the rain when I am in my own home safe and secure.
May 4, 2009 at 4:45 pm
JosephL
I agree with you that anthropologists need to inhabit these ‘tent cities’ for an extended period of time, like Claire E. Sterk (2000) in P&B did with the prostitutes. The researchers should enter the situation open minded and gain the trust of the homeless community. They need to learn of the individual circumstances of each person, why they are there, how they came to being homeless, do they prefer this life style. Also, the anthropologists need to study the ‘hoovervilles’ on a macro-level, not only studying the individuals in the community but the sub groups and larger groups of people. Educate them on the society and determine if there is a hierarchy within this society.
As far as respect goes, I agree with you that these unfortunate people deserve the respect as the rest of us who are fortunate enough to have a job, the opportunity to get a higher education, and have a roof over our head, but it is just human nature to not understand or reject those who do not fit into the ‘norm’. It is indeed a sad occurrence that the general population has intolerance to things that are different and I believe that this is where anthropologist can do the most good. With the information they can gather, they can spread an understanding of these people and help the rest of us ‘normal’ people to become more tolerant and eventually setting up more wide spread programs to help bring the unfortunate people back to their feet.
May 4, 2009 at 7:15 pm
Elicet E.
I like how you brought up studying the homeless community on a macrolevel. Most of the talk around here has been more of a micro approach to things. We have been focusing more on the homeless themselves and forgot about subgroups within the homeless community, or the larger groups that encompass the homeless. I think we do need to reach out to the larger community as well even though they themselves are not homeless. I think they need to be educated and learn about the homeless individuals so they can do their part to try to help the problem.
May 4, 2009 at 9:01 pm
Jessica Huntbach
I agree with you on what you said on reaching out to the larger community. I think that because people are always quick to shut out people that are not “the norm,” they have no clue what homelessness is really about and why people choose that lifestyle. Most people are just too ignorant to take the time to ask questions. They usually just come up with their own ideas and reasons and only believe those. I agree that our community needs to become educated on it and maybe they will realize that they can help in a bigger way than they thought
May 11, 2009 at 11:36 am
Ryan Meador
I don’t necessarily agree with your assumption that we should focus on the homeless on a macro level. I think that to understand as a population as a whole, we must understand the groups and individuals of that population on a micro level. There are many factors why people are homeless and if we viewed them from a macro level, we might make assumptions that are not true from some of the homeless individuals. We should take it case by case and than group it all together at a macro level at the end. I think it does a disservice to the homeless who want out to have them grouped in with other people who live it as a culture.
May 12, 2009 at 1:27 am
KieuC
I agree with you that homeless people deserve the respect like all of us. We are all human beings and so are they. The only different is that we are more fortunate than them that we have a job, good family support and more opportunity to have higher education. It is the anthropologist’s job to find out how their past, their present and how their future would be. Some questions need to be address include: What their life before they were homeless? What path that led to their homelessness? How their life while they were homeless? Is there any problem prevent them get off the street? Even though I don’t think this information would help anthropologists to find a definite solution, the anthropologists could use this information to analyze and refer it to the third party whoever could help to start doing something for these homeless people.
May 19, 2009 at 10:02 am
JaredLong
I agree as well, but I think they need to take it a step further. Why are many people homeless in the first place? Is it drugs, or is it something else? Many people I knew that were homeless were so because of the Vietnam war. They served their country and came back unappreciated and some were actually assaulted. In some cases this caused severe trama to them and many have not been able to socially adapt since. Anthropologists need to examine all the issues before society can make any interpretations.
May 13, 2009 at 6:44 pm
Janel C.
I think that that would be a great idea if anthropologists were to step into the life of the homeless for a period of time, to get a better understanding of what is actually going on within the shantytowns. I had mentioned in my post that the anthropologist should observe and analyze the actives and behaviors of the homeless. But I think that actually living as a homeless and being surrounded by the homeless individuals would result in more accurate and interesting information and data. From what I have read in the article and what I understood after watching the news video, it seems to me like every homeless individual that has been interviewed seems to be able to relate to the others who were living in the same conditions. It is as if they have created their own little culture where they share similar issues, want similar things, and can connect to each other, who are living in shantytowns here in Fresno. It seems to me that everyone who is not homeless view the homeless people as lazy, uncivilized, drug addict, criminals. But this may not be the case. Many of homeless individuals who were interviewed have mentioned about the others who are living in the same conditions as “good people with good hearts”. Many are not lazy at all, and are trying to find a job but it is just so hard for them to get one because of this recession that is going on.
May 3, 2009 at 2:44 pm
RKroytz
Homeless is a big issue and it takes people from all walks of life to help alleviate the problem. Every one that is willing to help can make a big difference from the local churches to government agency’s and from volunteers to employees everyone can help with the problem. Even people in the scientific community most notably anthropologist can help.
Anthropologists have a unique perspective on the human condition. This comes from their experience in studying humans in all different conditions. Because of this they view issues from many different perspectives. They don’t just look at the problem from the normal perspective of today and now. Rather they look it from a historical and cultural perspective of the human species. This allows them to see issues such as homelessness from an outsider’s perspective. This allows them to see outside of the immediate impact and issues surrounding the issue. This different perspective also allows them to be less biased in regards to issues and less emotionally involved.
So what can anthropology can do for the problem of the homelessness in Fresno? Anthropologists can bring a unique and unbiased assessment of the issues and problems involved. They can look at and understand the problem, then move toward categorizing the different issues involved and work toward a resolution. This understanding will be based on the anthropologist unique perspective and there understanding of humans and the human condition.
May 3, 2009 at 10:21 pm
Elicet E.
You bring up an interesting point on how anthropologists perspective might differ from an everyday person. Anthropologists are able to look at humans as subjects in a way; simply people they are studying. They are better at not getting emotionally involved with situations than others are. They are also better at not judging or making quick conclusions about various types of people. I think these skills are important because we need to be able to interact with the homeless in a way that is more observational. We do need to talk to them and befriend them, but we need to know that we are out there to solve a problem, and not for any other reason. I think most people would simply want to offer the homeless some food, money, or shelter. Some may feel sorry for the homeless, while others may feel resentment. These are all normal human responses, but again, they do not give us answers to the problems of homelessness.
May 4, 2009 at 7:35 pm
NicoleG
I agree that anthropologists can use their cultural and historical backgrounds to benefit the situation. But I do think for them to help humans, they need to be human. A lot of the problem with today’s society is that we are too emotionally removed and distant. While I don’t think anthropologists should be raging with anger or crying in remorse over the situation, I think a level of heart and soul would be beneficial. The system is too stripped and barren nowadays, and may have been for too long. If we think of tight-knit tribal societies that hold a balance of survival of the fittest and familial protection, we need to look at the homeless as who we could be, simply with a couple missteps or problems.
May 5, 2009 at 1:34 pm
JosephL
Nicole, I agree that people need to be emotionally involved when approaching this particular situation. When a person is emotionally involved in a situation, they can accomplish monumental things because they can see beyond the surface of the problem and actually feel what the others are feeling and take the proper steps to vindication. But they should not get too involved because being too emotional can blur a persons vision and spiral them into obsession.
I also believe that being homeless is not a permanence. It is more like a revolving door for a majority of these people. That is the great thing about living in our society, people go from rags to riches every day, and the extremely wealthy fall to rock bottom. Right now these people are at rock bottom or pretty close and just need the right motivation to take the first step back to redemtion. It is just a small, but non-the-less devistating hickup on their journey.
May 13, 2009 at 2:30 pm
iasanchez
I agree with you Elicet. Anthropologists are probably the best people to work on understanding this problem and trying to find solutions. They observe and not get emotionally involved which leads to more subjective observations. But then again, I also agree with Nicole. Getting a little more emotionally involved would be advantageous. I think both objective and subjective observations and information are very valuable…equally important.
May 6, 2009 at 11:54 pm
KieuC
Homelessness has always been a problem. According to The New York Times, there are 2100 homeless people live in the “shanty town” in Fresno County. This is already a big number for a small city like Fresno even though this number didn’t include homeless people who live outside of the shelters. In order to reduce this number, it needs a lot of research and studies from anthropologists. There were a lot of ethnographic studies about homelessness have been done in a controlled setting of shelters. Beside that, I think archeological methods also provide insight into homeless people lives by conducting inventories that homeless people threw away or left behind when they were away from the camp. The work of anthropologist on material culture of homeless may help them to find out what homeless people really need. For example, things like shampoo and conditioner are helpless to individuals without access to water. It would be better to send these kinds of things to shelters and not to people living on the streets.
May 7, 2009 at 4:27 pm
Elicet E.
Wow, I didn’t know there were that many homeless people in our shelters alone. This really put the problem into a different perspective for me. I thought you brought up an interesting thing about looking at homeless left overs. We can definitely learn a lot about people based on the trash they leave behind. These things are easily accessible. I also think you make another interesting point about not sending any products to them. They have needs for specific products more than others. It is true, what good is shampoo if they have no access to water. I think as anthropologists, we need to examine their waste and learn more about the living styles the homeless individuals have.
May 11, 2009 at 11:43 am
Ryan Meador
Elicet makes a good point. The best way to study the homeless leftovers is to follow the trail they left behind. Like Elicet said, we would do this by examining their trash. A lot can be said about a person and their belongings, especially for a homeless person. Their belongings are all they have and by examining the lifestyle they are living, could help anthropologists have a better understanding of them. I also agree that the only products that should be sent to the homeless are the ones in the shelters that have access to such things as water and etc… Otherwise, we are wasting money and tax payer dollars on things that can’t be used by these homeless individuals.
May 7, 2009 at 9:05 pm
AmandaLo
I think you bring an interesting point about determining which products a homeless person can use. There is no use in donating things like a VCR or a toaster. Our economy is already bad and money should be spent on things that will be used and not wasted. The anthropologist will definitely need to communicate with the homeless population to determine what it is that they need. Some people have developed strategies to improvise when they do not have adequate supplies. For example, Guillermo Flores, from a New York Times article, powers his kitchen with propane.
May 13, 2009 at 2:45 pm
iasanchez
Very interesting point KieuC. Garbology would be a great way to study the homeless population as it allows researchers to look at their patterns of change between what is or has been said and how they actually behave.
May 7, 2009 at 9:33 pm
AmandaLo
I am currently taking a Health Behavior class, which is based around the study of human behavior. Why people do or do not do particular behaviors. My professor told us something that I will remember forever. He said you can not force or tell somebody that they have to act in a certain way. For example, you can not tell someone to stop smoking. The person has to want to stop smoking on their own. It does not matter if you are the best persuader in the world you have to want to stop or change the behavior on your own. Otherwise, the person will relapse. Sure the person may start off great, but if not sooner than later the person will fall into his or her previous behavior. This fact makes it even more important for an anthropologist to investigate which homeless individuals actually want to change their behavior. There are a lot of homeless people and there is not enough time and money to spend on someone who does not want to change.
May 8, 2009 at 9:48 am
Wesley D
That’s a interesting point that you can’t force someone to do something or force someone to act in a particular way. Just like if someone wants to do a particular thing that is illegal or something, they will do anything possible to do that one thing. Since, we all live in Fresno as a general populous and a society, one can find by traveling to different areas in Fresno that there are different types of culture and “norms”. What may be normal at Riverpark, for example, may not be normal at Manchester Mall. Anthropology can seek to discover why there are differences between these different subcultures and assist others with trying to connect with them. Right now the homeless that live in tent city may think that they don’t have any support from the local government because the government is trying to move them out. Perhaps trying to understand things from the homeless point of view will help build a relationship that will allow some sort of agreement between the two subcultures.
May 8, 2009 at 3:34 pm
JosephL
That is great incite into this particular situation. I agree that it is up to the individual to want to help them selves in order to get better or to better their circumstances. When they want to help themselves, it then takes a large and dedicated support system to show them the steps and motivate that individual through the proper steps. A homeless person may be quite content in their current living condition and having people come through and offering to put them up in a “proper” residence or offer them a job may be intising but will not be the deciding factor for that homeless person to become a part of main stream society. Therefore, I do not think that it should be an anthropologist job to determine who wants help and who wants to stay where they’re at, it is more so for a social worker or psychologist to learn about the persons state of mind and if they are willing to recieve help.
May 9, 2009 at 3:50 pm
TriciaM
When I started attending Fresno State as a freshmen three years ago one of the first things that I noticed was the amount of homeless people. It was shocking to me to see people on a regular basis digging through the trash for bottles and cans. Obviously I am not from the Fresno or central valley area. I was born and raised in southern Orange County. Homelessness does occur in southern Orange County, but it is very rare to see anyone digging through trash for bottle and cans. Most of the “homeless” you will see stand on the corners of the freeway onramps and beg people for money. But most of these people are not actually homeless and are simply lazy homeless imposters that go home at the end of the day. I find this difference very interesting though, and I believe it is a difference of local mind set, values, and work ethic.
Anthropology could help homelessness in Fresno by investigating the problem and help create programs for families to get jobs and homes. There is a large amount of homeless people that are truly homeless due to bad luck and unemployment. The fact that they are willing to dig through the trash for nickels and dimes is evidence that these people do work hard and take advantage of what they can get. If they are given opportunity these can succeed and anthropologist could easily help these people get back on their feet. Anthropologist could talk to employers and create job programs for the homeless with companies. Anthropologists could help create jobs for the homeless by convincing the government or town government to build another shelter for the homeless, and the homeless could be hired to build the shelter themselves.
May 10, 2009 at 10:41 pm
Shannon N
I agree that anthropologist can learn a great deal about the culture of homelessness and there is a wealth of knowledge about a social ‘problem’ that can be gained through interaction and observation. My concern is that there is a lot of deviant behavior involved with survival on the streets. There was a posting that mentioned to article in the text that dealt with the prostitutes. I feel like it is so much easier to obserse different cultures in a foreign, perhaps exotic place rather than to study subcultures who are not valued in our own cities.
The homeless are viewed as criminals because we see evidence of criminal behavior. Because of activities such as stealing shopping carts or prostitution, or creating a public nuisance by loitering or panhandling, this culture is in opposition to the dominant culture. I would not want to be a homeowner nor a business owner in the downtown areas that are inhabited by the homeless. I view myself as a compassionate person, but I see there must be balance in any intervention – the rights of homeless persons must not supercede the rights of others.
I know there are facilities for showers and laundry at the shelters. There is also a facility to assist with job searching in Chinatown that is fun by Feed My Sheep ministries. I don’t want us to negate the efforts and programs that are in place to help the homeless members of our community. I also do not want to assume that I know what is best for this population because there are many reasons people turn away from the dominant culture of working and participating in society in ways that are socially acceptable.
I feel awful for the homeowners who are infringed upon by tents across the streets and human excrement. They also have to put up with people loitiering practically in their front yard! I wonder how sympathetic one can be under those circumstances. I am a social work major so I love to see people improve thier circumstances. I understand that getting off the streets may not be viewed as improvement or progress by many people. There is definately a need for study of this culture.
May 12, 2009 at 9:56 pm
RudyS.
This was the best observation mentioned in the comments here. I tried to make a point earlier that there are different groups of homeless people with different motivations and what you pointing out is that people who are willing to look into garbage bins for bottles and cans belong to the group that is motivated to improve their situation by working. It should be the primary goal of anthropologists – to identify those willing people and devise a plan to help them get back on their feet because they are motivated and all they need is a chance.
May 19, 2009 at 9:58 am
JaredLong
The problem is Rudy, that many people don’t want to help. And those that do dont have the means to really help. It will take everyone on a nationwide scale to chip in an effort. People need to help the homeless. But in my opinion many people are to selfish to help.
May 10, 2009 at 5:32 pm
BillyJeaneC.
Originally coming from a small town where homelessness is a big issue, I was a bit shocked to learn that the population of homeless people in Fresno amounted into the thousands, I was aware that Fresno had a prominent amount of Homeless people and I occasionally encountered them depending on what side of Fresno I was in . The problem of homelessness is not anything new, we know that based on the status of the economy and the choices that individual people make, the number of homeless people increases and fluctuates. People are raising more concerns about the issue because of the economy and the increase of the homeless population. We all know that there is not enough help being distributed to these people because if there was their number would not grow so much. As far as the US Govt. goes there is little they can do beyond sending some type of financial aid. Lets face it with all of the problems the Federal Government is facing now, do we really think they will pay personal attention to this little city of ours? I doubt it. Even the California Govt. can’t do much other than helping financially. I think its really up to the local government and the people of Fresno to improve the issue. Fresno city officials need to hire people who can go into these “shanty towns” and find out what the intricate issues that surround the residents to be able to help them. Residents of Fresno also need to come together as a group and realized that its not always up to the govt. to solve the problems. We need to reach out in our community to help homeless people especially those who are eager and willing to be helped.
May 10, 2009 at 7:40 pm
PeterV
Hello, I just wanted to say that I think that a large part of the problem with “homeless” people is not the “homeless” people themselves but the attitude the rest of society has towards them. If they choose that lifestyle who are we to judge them. I agree CCarlson mentioned in one of his posts, that the “homeless” people are a subculture unto themselves. I have known a few people that were “homeless” (they would sleep in abandoned cars) and who supported themselves by doing dumpster diving. If they made enough money to buy their drugs and get some food they were happy. This would not be a lifestyle that I would choose or encourage other to follow. However, they did not bother anybody or commit any other crime except for doing drugs. They were less dangerous then the typical drunk you see in a bar. Again, I feel that the homeless biggest problem is the harassment of them. I feel that another area of research for Anthropology should be to study people’s attitude towards the “homeless”. How does are society define “homelessness”? What are the main areas of concern and fear people have towards the “homeless”? So and so forth, this could be achieved by doing long interviews and with numerous people. From people in the community where a lot of homeless congregate to police, social workers, volunteers who work with the “homeless”. How about doing a study of areas where there are successful “homeless” communities where people in the community accept them. I have other things to say but this blog is going on to long.
Take Care
Peter Vojvoda
May 11, 2009 at 12:52 pm
CaraMarie
i really like this comment. I also agree with you, that society views homelessness as a bad thing. I think that it is a way of life. Society is jumping to conclusions and judging these people and their lifestyle without personally knowing the individual. I’ve spoken with a few “homeless” people, some are completely normal nice people, or even attend church every Sunday (not to say that those who attend church as ‘better’ or whatever), and I’ve spoken with some who hit on me and made me feel uncomfortable. Anyhow, I agree that maybe society is to blame for the ‘homeless problem’. Maybe if society could learn to look at these people, as PEOPLE and not a problem then we could grow and evolve to understand and accept alternate lifestyles. I like what you said about anthropologists finding a community in which the homeless are not a problem, and examine the culture in which the homeless themselves live in along with the government and people of that specific town or city. I feel that homelessness can be examined by anthropologists, however, fixing the ‘problem’ would need more analysis of the community outside of the homeless (the town or city in which the homeless reside).
May 11, 2009 at 11:00 pm
AmandaLo
I see what you are saying. I definitely agree that people can be very opinionated and rude about the homeless situation. A lot of people think homeless people are dangerous, lazy, and dumb. However, I do not think it is a good idea to ignore the problem because they may not be verbally harming the rest of the population but they could be harming our health. People on the streets can not practice proper hygiene techniques and they become susceptible to infections and diseases that can potentially be passed on to the rest of the population. I think it is important to study both populations in order to solve this problem.
May 13, 2009 at 12:02 am
KieuC
I agree with your point of view. There are homeless who are just happy the way they are which is get high on drug and enjoy their worry free lifestyle. But this is not about them, this is about those people who just recently lost their jobs and their houses to foreclosure due to the recent economic down turn. Anthropologist need to interview these people to see what their needs are and what we can do as an individuals and as a community to get them through these difficult time. At this point, they can not rely on the State of California to help them. The state of California budget deficit is 21.3 Billions dollars despite the recent taxes increase.
May 13, 2009 at 9:35 am
NestorB
I understand where you are coming from. Indeed there are many homeless out there who do enjoy being homeless. They drink, smoke, and do drugs as they wish. And of course, it is not about the homeless but it is about those people who had just recently lost their jobs and homes from foreclosures. Anthropologist do have to work with these families to help them get through the tough times and maybe help them from joining the homeless communities. I think that we have to worry more on those people who are in danger in becoming homeless rather than worrying more on how to save those people who have been homeless for quite a while and are already assimilated to the homeless culture. For example, the 9/11 attack, paramedics set their focused on those people who had a higher rate of survival than those people who were already dying. It has the same concept. Let’s set our focused on those people who are in danger and try to save them from joining that type of environment. It is because it is easier for these people recover the hardships compared to those who have been having a hard time for many years.
May 13, 2009 at 6:59 pm
Janel C.
You make a very interesting point. Society does view the homeless as something negative in our world. They are always being harassed and being put down. I find very interesting that you think that they should live their lives the way they want to, and it is very true when you stated that they are not bothering us, because they personally are not bothering me at all. I do think thought that the drug abuse should be dealt with though. It might be their choice to do the drugs but I like to see the bigger picture of the situation. The homeless individuals who are doing drugs are only supporting to massive drug wars that are going around in the world, specifically Mexico. This is not good, because many are being killed because of the production and distribution of the drug from other other countries into the United States. Just so that a homeless individual can get a fix for the night.
May 11, 2009 at 4:12 pm
BillyJeaneC.
I haven’t really thought about the issue that maybe the local community is an annoyance to the homeless community, after reading the above posts I was reminded of the idea that maybe homeless folks just want to be left alone, maybe they don’t like the all the attention and the harassments.My question now is should we leave them alone? If the community of Fresno were to “leave them alone” wouldn’t that make matters worse?If we don’t try to find solutions now, the population will probably grow unless the economy gets alot better in the near future. I know that the homeless community will get through with or without the government’s assistance but wouldn’t it be better if they received some type of assistance from their local government? I was also intrigue on the posts about homeless people being less harmless that we think, personally I found this to be true I have encountered many homeless people and some that fit into the category. They were all polite in asking for assistance whether it be for a couple of dollars or if I had any recyclable materials, etc. I have never really felt like I have been harassed by a “homeless” person. Commenting on the drug issue and the homeless community, I would recommend anthropologists and other members of the community to observe and analyzed the drug situation in the “shanty towns” an report to the local government possible solutions like having a local rehabilitation center to help people quit their habits.
May 12, 2009 at 11:43 pm
KieuC
It is really easy to make assumption and prejudice about homeless and their living style. The picture come to my head when I look at a homeless person is lack of motivation and made bad decisions in their past that lead them to where they are now. It’s an eyes opener for me to homeless people are from all walk of life. Anthropologist can assume the role of an homeless man and live in the tent city for a few weeks. He can gather data about what the Fresno’s community perceptions about homeless. With that data he can education people more about homelessness. Hopefully, it can help change their perceptions about homeless.
May 13, 2009 at 2:57 pm
iasanchez
We should not leave this population alone. We should continue to help them, provide the resources they need to improve their situations and help them! This reminds me of a homeless lady who was homeless because she was mentally ill. Someone from the Holy Cross Clinic spoke in one of my classes and she briefly touched on this story. This homeless lady was from Fresno and had been homeless for quite some years. She came into the clinic for an assessment and when they asked her for some documents they found out she was originally from Montana (I think). Her family believed she was dead because it had been years since she had disappeared. Luckily, she was able to reunite with her family and move back home.
May 12, 2009 at 4:33 pm
Wesley D
I see a lot of stereotypes being made in the last few posts. While it’s easy to make assumptions about the homeless and why they are in the situation that they are in it’s important to understand that this is a whole different type of culture than “mainstream” society. I think that we just need to be able to understand each other and where we are both coming from on our views and ideas. We need someone like an anthropologist to be able to interpret our two different cultures in order that we can coexist together. Perhaps some sort of compromise could be made between the homeless and mainstream society that would enable both cultures to thrive.
May 13, 2009 at 4:42 pm
ForsytheV
I’m glad you said this. Though I did state some of the stereotypes in my post, I wasn’t trying to offend anyone and I do see both sides.
May 13, 2009 at 6:50 pm
Janel C.
I completely agree with you Wesley. I feel that this is why anthropologist would have such a strong contribution in helping this situation. The public is just not aware of the real reasons why many of these individuals have become homeless. Everyone assumes that many are prostitutes, criminals, and drug junkies. But this is not always the case. After watching the NBC’s Nightly News story I learned that there are many individuals who have turned to shantytowns because they lost they` re job and were no longer able to pay their mortgage, or that some just can simple find a job because of the economy in the US.
May 13, 2009 at 11:48 pm
CarlinW
You make a valid point about stereotypes. And I agree that we need Anthropology to help shed light on the differences between the subculture groups of homeless and not homeless persons within a society. Granite it will not be easy to get people to understand such differences. As a student studying Psychology, I have learned that people have the tendency to only attend/listen to information that they have pre-existing stereotypes for; unfortunately people only “want” to hear information that confirms their pre-established beliefs. And notice the quotations around the word “want”, which signifies that people do not explicitly intend to discount the information that might possibly broaden their personal viewpoints, but rather it is a natural occurrence of human behavior to only retain information that is easy to identify with. Thus the task will not be easy and therefore cannot be taken lightly. With this said, not only do I feel that Anthropology can significantly contribute to understanding the homeless, but also other professions can equally aid the situation as well.
May 14, 2009 at 9:14 am
Tami F
Thank you for that insightful information about what we “want” to hear. It makes perfect sense in the way that you explain it. That is probably why some of us really do “want” to understand but somehow have a block. It is probably, as you said, due to preconditioned ideas. Anthropologist along with Sociologist, and Psychologist would benefit by working in collaboration with the homeless advocates to figure out a series of “why” questions and answers. It would be helpful for the mainstream public to be aware of the different reasons and this may help in understanding it. Thanks again.
May 12, 2009 at 11:18 pm
SeanC
As an anthropologist we can look at Fresno’s history of poverty to see if it has gone up or down or see any type of pattern. This might help to see if the poverty has to do with economics or other factors. I am sure that economics has a huge impact on the people living in Fresno. Also, there could be more people moving into the city or more people having children. President Obama said in one of the articles that children and families should not be without a roof top in this rich country. I would like to know what Obama might have planned to fix these problems. I am in support of any decisions he makes; just the article did not give too much detail or say about any plans he might have. From the research that we find we can determine what areas get hit the worst, ethnicity, family sizes, etc. This could help us set up a program to help and provide shelter for the people who are living in tents.
May 13, 2009 at 8:57 am
NestorB
Homelessness has been a great problem for the City of Fresno. Yet this problem continues to rise due to our nations economic down turn. Many families are now without a job and are running out of savings. Sooner or later many of these families who had just lost their jobs and due to our economic crisis at this moment, many of these families are having a hard time looking for another job to support their families. In result, I strongly believe that there will be a dramatic increase of homeless families in the homeless communities.
Many of these people living in these homeless communities are or were hard workers, veterans, alcoholics, drug addicts, and etc. Many of these people were once forced out of their homes. However, these people had a choice to make their lives a lot better. In these cases, many of these current homeless people choose to live their lives living on the side of the road or under the bridge with tents. They never did anything to change their lives. My parents always told me, if you want us to help you deal with your problems, you must first learn how to help yourself. This makes sense to me now. People can lend help to these homeless, but if they don’t help themselves first, then the issue will never be resolved. Many of these homeless people are living comfortably. It may not seem comfortable to us, since we are with necessities, but many of these homeless people are living comfortably. They just want to be left alone and let them live their lives as they choose to.
Anthropologist will never solve the issue on homelessness in Fresno. As long as there are addicts and alcoholics who can not help them selves first, there will always be people living in the street or under bridges. I see homeless people all the time asking for money. I never would give money because I know that they would only use that money to buy alcohol. They have a choice to live a different lifestyle, but many of these people just don’t want to change. Therefore, no matter what, problems with homeless in Fresno will always be an issue.
May 13, 2009 at 11:22 am
Tami F
There are many good points in these remarks. I am continually reminded of one homeless guy that is usually on the corner of Herndon and Blackstone. He always seems to be happy and usually there are several people with him. If you can imagine, it’s almost like a social gatherin. Recently I saw him and a couple of people sitting in beach chairs. I was in the far left lane so I could not see if they were soliciting donations (but I would think so). I have never been close to him as I am usually turning left but I have seen his prominent sign on his grocery cart that says “Happy Hobo.” It is apparent to me that this is a choice – otherwise why would he advertise that he is happy. The issue of substance abuse is valid – according to the media’s portrayal – but how can we really know unless we are part of this population. What Anthropologist could do is a long study where they are immersed in and live in the environment. Once they have the needed data they could facilitate education and/or counseling services for those homeless individuals that do not have a choice but are surviving in the only way they know how.
May 13, 2009 at 8:42 pm
Maypalig Y
Some homeless know how to survive because they choose to be homeless and they are used to live in this way. Those who have recently become homeless, didn’t choose to be homeless and thus they don’t really know how to survive. There are many factors which can explain why people are in such a situation. Anthropology can help to understand their lifestyle, but it can’t really help to improve their life. To do so, anthropologists can publicly present the issue so the government would take it seriously and then, it would set up a financial program and a counceling one to help them. It is becoming an important issue today and I think that anthropologists are the only one who can efficiently expose the issue. Anthropologists’ observations and participations in their daily life would be crucial not only to improve their life, but to let them know that whatever the situation can be, they exist as a group.
May 13, 2009 at 12:31 pm
Janel C.
There are many possible things that anthropologist can do for the problem of the problem of the homelessness in Fresno. To start off anthropologists can help educate the public about the homeless issue that is occurring here in Fresno. I personally was not aware that this was occurring here in our city of Fresno. I have always known that there was a large population of homeless individuals here in Fresno, but I didn’t know that it was becoming such a major problem, to the point that New York Times needed to do an article about it. Just simply making people aware of the situation would be a really big step for anthropologists to make in order to help with the issue. For instance, anthropologists can collaborate with the governor and do observations of the homeless individuals in Fresno and discuss their analyses of suggestions about how to improve their living situation. In a way it would be like observing a tribe, because this homeless individuals have come together and have created their own type of culture.
May 13, 2009 at 7:25 pm
Maypalig Y
At school, we learn about great people who contributed to the society and who are mostly rich people, about people from other countries usually from different backgrounds to emphasize on cultural differences, but we don’t learn anything about the “nouveaux pauvres” who also contribute to the American society. As homelessness is becoming very important, I agree that we need to know about them and that anthropologists should discuss about the issue with students. A good collaboration between people such as with the governor, would make people be aware of the issue. A campaign would be very helpful, so we could find as soon as possible solutions to improve their life. Illegal immigrants can find a way to be legal in the country and to get help from the government, so homeless should have the same rights. I admit that I don’t know anything about homeless. I can see many of them sleeping on the sidewalks when I go to downtown of Fresno, but I never ask myself who they really are. Something should be done to give them a voice in the society.
May 13, 2009 at 4:40 pm
ForsytheV
These days you can not drive down the street without seeing at least one or two people standing on the corner with signs claiming they are homeless and in need of assistance. It is such a sad sight! To think that we live in one of the wealthiest countries (or at least we were), and then have so many people who are out of jobs and/or homeless; it’s so hard to fathom! In regards to your question, yes I do think anthropologist can aid in fixing the problem of homelessness. I do not think that anthropologist alone can alleviate the problem completely, but they can definitely help. Like any problem, there has to be a team of professionals on the same page to help solve it! Anthropologist specialize in observing and researching many aspects of society. By researching the components and possible reasons people have become a part of that unfortunate way of life we can begin to figure out a way to fix it. Many of us see homeless people and think they are that way because of some drug or alcohol problem. Even though this may be the case with many of them we must also address that there are some people who are homeless because of bad financial choices and do want to get back to their life. With that said, people have to want to be helped!! I think that if people, like anthropologist, can figure out which of these individuals are on what level of wanting help then we can start to piece together a plan to help them. This is where other professionals come in. Like I said before this is a societies problem and it will take a group effort to fix it. We must get the ball rolling on this issue before it gets even worse, and I think that anthropology is a great place to begin!
May 13, 2009 at 7:58 pm
Maypalig Y
Anthropology is a good place to start dealing with the issue, but anthroplogists can’t solve the problem by themselves. Ideas, strategies, observations or solutions from different people must be combined to get a stronger system of solutions to help homeless. We usually think that some people are homeless because of drugs or alcohol, but we need to know that many people don’t have the choice. Sometimes we don’t choose to be who we are. Life is life, but we need to know that there is always a solution to a problem. Homeless are a part of the society and they should be observed, studied and then helped. They are put apart because they are poor and many people must think that they deteriorate the society’s good image. Actually they don’t. If we find a way to improve their life, the society’s good image would be better than ever.
May 13, 2009 at 5:19 pm
SarahC
Homelessness can result from several different factors, from alcohol and drug abuse to unemployment, but it is only with hard work and a positive attitude that homelessness can be turned around. It is not a lack of helping resources that is holding the homeless back, but a lack of will to change. Programs should not focus on giving away the things that the homeless need, but rather make them earn it so that it is worth more to them and they understand the idea of working to get what they want. For example, the homeless people that want a free meal should help clean dishes or such. If a homeless person wants to get off the streets, they should have the opportunity to work for what they want.
May 13, 2009 at 8:12 pm
Maypalig Y
Everyone should deserve what they earn. Many homeless don’t deserve to be homeless, but they can’t do anything about that. Moreover with the economic recession, many have more difficulties to get out of their situation. I have recently read an article about homeless in Fresno and one of the woman who has been interviewed, said that finding a job was hard because she couldn’t buy new clothes to go for interview. Who was gonna hired her? Many of homeless lack of confidence and thus, they prefer staying apart from the society. Anthropologists should make people be aware of the issue, so a program could be set up to help homeless.
May 15, 2009 at 2:43 pm
RudyS.
That’s a great idea. I think that exploring what homeless people want and finding ways to help them think of themselves as a valuable part of the society would increase their ambition and self respect. I really don’t like when people here say that anthropology should “make people aware of this issue”. I am sure that the guy working in McDonalds who kicked the homeless guy out after 30 minutes is well aware of this issue. Awareness doesn’t mean things are going to change.
May 15, 2009 at 6:41 pm
Tami F
I wholeheartedly disagree with your opionion of the “awareness” issue. I live in North Central Fresno where the only homeless situation I see is the occasional single, usually male, standing on an intersection asking for donations. To me this does not indicate that there are 2,000 people living in “shanty towns or tent cities.” Awareness, to those of us that live in a fast paced, barely have time to think about our own issues lifestyle need to be “beat over the head” to “hear and see” this important issue. I appreciate your opinion and everyone is entitled to one – this is mine.
May 13, 2009 at 6:45 pm
Janel C.
There are many possible things that anthropologist can do to help solve the problem of the homelessness in Fresno. To start off anthropologists can help educate the public about the homeless issue that is occurring here in Fresno. I personally was not aware that this situation was occurring here in our city of Fresno. I have always known that there was a large population of homeless individuals here in Fresno, but I didn’t know that it was becoming such a major problem, to the point that New York Times needed to do an article about it. Just simply making people aware of the situation would be a really big step for anthropologists to make in order to help with the issue. For instance, anthropologists can collaborate with the governor and do observations of the homeless individuals in Fresno and discuss their analyses and suggestions about how to improve the living situation for the homeless. In a way it would be like observing a tribe, because the homeless individuals have come together and have created their own type of culture. Once the anthropologist are informed of the situation they can inform the public of the situation, and those who have the resources and who willing to put in the time can help with the issue.
May 13, 2009 at 10:59 pm
Tami F
The more I learn about the homeless, the more empathy I have for this population. There have been a lot of guud suggestions of putting the homeless to work, working with other agencies, anthropologist, sociologist, health care, political, etc. There is a problem and it is not getting better but I believe, idealistically, that Fresno is heading in the right direction with its 10-year plan to end homeless, to the architectures working on efficient living spaces, and others bringing attention to the media regarding the problem (such as the NY Times article). In February, Mike Rhodes, an editor at Fresno Alliance, spoke to a homeless man outside of a Madera McDonalds. Rhodes stated that “McDonald’s is harassing homeless people by forcing them to purchase, eat, and leave within 30 minutes.” This Madera McDonalds appears to be a favorite breakfast spot for the local homeless. The patrons will make a purchase and then watch CNN on the big screen television. One of the floor managers informed the paying guests that they needed to consume their purchase and leave or security would be called. It was implied that there was not a “no loitering” sign posted, nor any “policy” that customers needed to consume their meals within a thirty minute period. There was also discussion about whether other cultural populations would be expected to leave within thirty minutes as Rhodes said “If they start forcing Jewish, African-Americans, or other groups to leave if they stay longer than 30 minutes…I will let you know.” When we step back and see an interview such as this one it makes us more aware of the bigger picture. The man interviewed looked like a “regular” guy. Although I viewed the video stream on a very small screen, it appeared that this “homeless” man was clean and well spoken.
May 13, 2009 at 11:19 pm
JamieA
The homeless population consists of many different races, gender, and personalities. There are people that are homeless because they suffered at one point of an alcohol or drug addiction or because their job was lost etc. No matter what the reason behind their living situation, their problem is public and it should not be ignored. The study of this population can be done by anthropologists and their information can be spread to the general population to raise awareness of the reality that these homeless people face everyday. Their struggles can include starvation, weather, illness etc. and they have virtually no means to support or aid themselves. I think that people take for granted what they have and this can be altered if they knew and understood what people do not have. I understand that everyone is struggling to make ends meet because the economy is not in everyone’s favor at this point in time, but we should all not lose sight of the fact that there are others out there that have it way worse.
May 14, 2009 at 9:38 am
maypalig Y
We are in America and I think that it is not acceptable that a homeless has to leave the Mcdonalds in thirty minutes otherwise, security would be called. Homeless represent a group of people like any others. They have rights and also dignity. People generalize everything too much. They stereotype and then everyone is victim of this process. It’s discrimination against homeless. Some homeless may have bad records but not all of them. Some did not choose to be homeless. Some just look for any support from people, a warm place to go to eat and to relax. Anthropology would be very helpful in stopping discrimination against them. It would place homeless in a category of the American population and then, it would teach people their values, their ways of thinking… All homeless are not so bad. It’s like if we think that rich people are all good people, but it’s not true. Some of them take advantage of their position in a company to steal funds.
May 14, 2009 at 5:27 pm
mayM
I think before Applied Anthropologists could accurately help people who are homeless, they would have to be willing to live amongst them when doing research. This type of research would probable take several anthropologist compiling information about the different practices and routines, nighttime activities, sleep patterns, what is valued (likes and dislikes),of different groups of homeless people within the Fresno area.
Some questions, I would like to know regarding people who are homeless include…
Do the homeless divide themselves into different classes or groups?
Is there a “Homeless Culture” per say that one has to adapt to and abide by, when living in a homeless community?
Are there any unspoken “Does and Don’ts” unique to the homeless community?
May 15, 2009 at 1:26 pm
HaliC
I definitely agree with JoeC’s point. Many homeless people have accepted where they are and how they live. Obviously I think some are still struggling and are in need to get out of this poverty, but many are there and feel that they are comfortable living outside. I believe some people that live there just want to be left alone and do not long for a solution to getting out. I like JoeC’s expression of when you treat people like an animal, one will act like an animal; this is so true. I have been downtown with the homeless many times and they definitely take pride in their tent or shack that they live in. They decorate, have things in a particular way, and have locks on their doors, and they have spent a lot of time creating their home, just has we do with our home. We need to treat these people just as any other instead of being afraid and/or looking down upon them.
May 19, 2009 at 4:49 am
mayM
I was thinking about HaliC’s comment about the way the people in tent city decorated and organized their tents. I have to admit that I have never been to Fresno’s tent city to see what it looks like, although, I do understand what you are describing. Many years ago, I had the experience of living in a tent for three months during the summer. I was working in Mammoth at the time. When my housing arrangements fell through, I resorted to staying in a tent until my summer job was finished. I put my things in storage and learned how to do without. I did the same thing people in tent city did, regarding organizing everything in my tent to look and feel like a bedroom/house. I did have to buy an alarm clock with batteries because I had to be up at five o’clock in the morning. I remember not liking to get up at night and use the out-house toilet, mainly because the weather was cold at night. I would shower at a trailer parks shower for a few dollars. I had to use earplugs to fall asleep. I have not thought about that for a long time.
May 15, 2009 at 3:52 pm
Shannon N
May M posed very important tasks for anthropologist to answer in order to gain knowledge of homeless people and to develope strategies to “help” the homeless population. I put the word help in quotes because there is an assumption that interventions would be seen as progress by this subculture. If these people truly are part of a culture and they are satisfied with not pursuing the goals set forth as desirable by the dominant culture, perhaps there i nothing one can do about the homeless situation.
If I were an anthropologist seeking to do something about Fresno’s homeless population, one of my goals would be to find out ways the homeless population could continue their way of life WITHOUT infringing on the rights of other people in this city. When I speak of infringing on others’ rights, I speak of property rights, including the right to not have squatters on one’s doorstep and property rights as far as not having one’s possessions stolen nor being repeatedly asked to contribute to the upkeep of other adults.
Perhaps there could be a system imposed where the city can provide land for use by the homeless and the homeless would need to provide for the upkeep and maintenece of this area. There could be a minimal usage fee that would cover expenses such as sanitation and rent.
I propose this ‘solution’ with my tongue in my cheek because I do not see how chronic homelessness can be helped by asking people what they want. Everyone has wants and the majority of people understand they must contribute in some capacity that allows one to earn resources to provide for one’s wants.
I am not talking about unfortunate people who have fallen victim to the recent economic downturn. I am speaking of people who are in the numbers of this city’s chronic homeless population because these are the people who more than likely belong to the culture of homelessness.
I have heard a homeless man describe working for $7.50 per hour as “prostitution” he gave the impression that working for the then minimum wage was beneath him some how. That is the mentality anthropologist must seek to interpret and describe because I believe a lot of people would work for any wage to avoid becoming or continuing to be homeless.
May 15, 2009 at 6:43 pm
Tami F
Well said Shannon N. I think your suggestions are insightful and should be seriously considered by the “powers that be” as a step toward a solution to this growing issue.
May 18, 2009 at 3:29 pm
BillyJeaneC
Good point Shannon N. at some point anthropologists and other researchers need to consider why homeless people are in that situation. Some people who mean to do good end up misguiding things which leads to confusion and more problems. Anthropologists need to research and observe individuals carefully and determine how long they have been homeless, what sort of things have they done to try to get out of homelessness (if they wanted to) and other obstacles that might have stood in their way to get our of their situations. We all know that the problem of homelessness is not something new, I think whether anyone steps in to help out the homeless community or not, it will still survive. There will always be people who wont have a home for a while some of them will get back on their feet because they decided that homelessness is not their ideal path in life. A lot of people will also remain homeless because for them that life is enough, they are in a sense satisfied with their situations. Many might think what about those people who don’t have any choices? I think we all have a choice in what decisions we act on in life. There is always someone out there willing to help, their help might not be enough but that is up to those individuals asking for help to get on their feet and choose the life they want to live.
May 18, 2009 at 8:25 pm
HaliC
I agree with what MayM declared. This is a very good way I believe to find out the true needs of the homeless. If we have not found solutions for these homeless people by just talking and interacting with them, it is safe to say that we must do something more to really find out how to help.
Anthropologists going into the community as a homeless person would gain so much information about whom we are dealing with. I really thought MayM’s questions were very suitable for gaining knowledge in how to make a difference with this community. Other things to find out are what the struggles would be for a homeless person to find work and be accepted there in order to keep the job. How would they wake up in time for work without an alarm clock, how would they come hygienically prepared for work?
If the homeless community wants to see change, I feel like we will be able to help them a lot. But the question is, how willing are they to see this change. Are they afraid of what will happen if they have resources to get out of homelessness? Will they take advantage of the resources we provide them? I see the next step to be for anthropologists to live amongst the homeless to find out their true struggles in life and interacting with them as one homeless person to another.
May 19, 2009 at 6:14 am
mayM
Maybe some of the homeless are truly against having the lifestyle we have and see it as being a slave to our possessions. I can see the attraction of not being tied down to a J O B or to all the expenses that accompany having one. The same goes for the expense of owning or renting a home this could easily be seen as unattractive by those who are debt free. It is easy to become slaves to our possessions and properties. If you really think about it most of us will or already do spend forty hours a week earning the income to pay for things like; a house, two cars, and a toy such as a boat. Then on top of that, we pay for the insurance on the home, cars and boat. We also pay for life insurance because we would not want our loved ones to be without these things if we died. I hope I don’t sound morbid or unappreciative for what I have. I do appreciate what I have and love my job. I just want to bring to light the possibility that some individuals who are homeless may want to live out the rest of there lives without debt and all the hassle that come with it. Even so, I have to presume that all humans want to be comfortable and that comfortable means something different for each of us. Just another thing Anthropologists could find out during their research about the homeless community.
May 19, 2009 at 9:56 am
JaredLong
Im from Modesto, Ca and homelessness is no stranger to me. Homelessness in Modesto has always been high. But in my opinion they must be treated with respect like everyone else. The largest injustice done to homeless people is done by middle-high class folks. Most people tell them “get a job, get off the drugs.” A fair amount of homeless people Ive talked to are not on drugs, and can not change their situation even if they wanted to.
In my opinion what we must do is offer aid to them, in any way we can. Set up hotel like shelters to get them off the street. Have regular drug tests and not allow those that abuse to use the shelter. Also give them food. While this sounds un-necessary to most people. It will create jobs in a economy that is wanting.
May 21, 2009 at 5:22 pm
Viet T
I was thinking about how the homeless community is not very well organized. Here we have an opportunity to be organized for them. This may sound crazy but I feel like sharing it because there is nobody here for me to ask right now anyway. Thinking along the “give a man a fish and he’ll eat for a day, teach him how to fish and he’ll feed himself” lines, I wonder if a non-profit style of company making widgets could be set up on behalf of the homeless community. And suppose the widgets are a cereal. Could the government subsidize such a thing? Like making the grain a little cheaper for a good cause? Anyway, while I’m out here, the cereal company could provide some jobs for those homeless people, and all of the proceeds beyond costs go towards providing energy efficient housing to a numerical waiting list of people in those homeless communities who sign up. If the cereal is good and people support the cause and continue to eat it or use any widget, the number of people on the list will decrease. As opposed to an outright donation, people who donate to this cause get something material in return. Right now I wish I knew a businessman, a lawyer, an economist, and a congressman. Thank you anthropologists for your inspirational comments. P.S. I live in Fresno and anything that could come of this would start here. Thanks again.
May 22, 2009 at 3:46 am
BPlatt
Anthropology can be employed to understand the cultures represented in the new “Hoovervilles” of Fresno. Hopefully with a better understanding of why some of these people are homeless and make the decisions they do we will be able to address the adversity they face.
I agree with Jared Long’s assertion that such simple slurs as ‘get a job’ do do an injustice to many of the homeless as several would be unable to hold a job due to mental or other medical conditions that go unchecked because of limited access to doctors or medication.
May 22, 2009 at 1:20 pm
peterv
Hello everybody,
Viet T I like the idea you have of starting a business that would help the homeless people. I know that there was a business in S.F. that would hire the homeless to advertise on street corners I think this was the original street sign business. Maybe this project could be done here in Fresno. Also,
there was a homeless newspaper that the homeless would write and sell on the street corners. I think this would be a very good idea because it would teach the homeless very important business skills. They would learn how to write and edit a paper. They would learn how to promote and sell papers. They would learn how to approach businesses to get people interested in advertising. They would learn how to work as teams with other people. They
would learn how to develop budgets and manage money. I think the best part of this idea would be the sense of empowerment it would give the homeless. The only negative aspect of this is that some of the homeless may not be interested in doing this type of work or may not want to work. Also, there is the fact that some of the homeless have mental disabilities that make it impossible for them to work. I think it will take more then one solution to solve this problem.
Take Care, Peter Vojvoda
May 24, 2009 at 7:07 pm
mayM
I like the idea JaredLong had about setting up hotel like shelters, and the idea about drug testing those who want to utilize them. However, I have to disagree with his statement, “The largest injustice done to homeless people is done by middle-high class folks. Most people tell them “get a job, get off the drugs”.
It is the middle to middle-high and the upper-class folk who donate the majority of the funding to keep facilities and services running for people in need, including the homeless. I believe it is human nature to want to help others who are down and out. I think one of the major factors more people don’t jump in with both feet, to help the homeless people, is fear based. The fear of getting hurt by a criminal or drug addict, fear of being conned, or fear that their donation will be used to buy drugs are all obstacles for people who want to help. I’m not saying these fears are unhealthy or bad, on the contrary I think people should be cautious and knowledgeable about what they will or will not support. I also think we should be careful not to judge individuals who have intolerance for those suffering from addiction. Their intolerance may be based on knowledge from first hand experience with an addict and choose not help, for good reasons.
Anthropologist research may need to branch out to reveal difference types of barriers that cause dissonance. Knowing reasons why people are unwillingness to help the homeless community may shed light on a new approach to get people involved.
Some questions I would want ask would be:
What keeps you from giving to the homeless?
Would you be more willing to help, If you were guaranteed the homeless person or family did not use drugs?
This knowledge could help when making a plan to get people involved, in helping the homeless.
September 25, 2009 at 10:17 am
Joseph A
I have seen homeless in many places all my life because I lived in the bay area near San Francisco, where there are many homeless people. It is something that is hard to deal with, but I feel that we should be able to help in some way. MayM you bring up some really good questions about why people don’t get involved in helping the homeless and I fell that if those questions were answered then we could possibly help in some way. To answer some of those questions yes i would be willing to help more if I was guaranteed the homeless person wasn’t going to use drugs, but that’s why when I do help out a homeless person I always give them food rather than money. There are multiple times where I have driven down blackstone after going to the store and given a homeless person some food from the groceries I just bought. I also know that many people are afrraid to approach homeless people. But actually if you go up to a homeless person and offer them something to eat or have a conversation with them, they are more than happy to talk to you and are thankful for the food.
September 27, 2009 at 7:57 pm
CelinaG
In order for anthropology to solve Fresno’s homelessness problem it would also have to take on individual lifestyle choices, Fresno’s economy and mental disorders. There’s really no cure for homelessness and even shelters have their problems. The homeless with mental disorders would have to be helped through our health care system which is as big a problem as homelessness. Drug addicts and other criminals living on the streets need rehabiliation centers which due to our economy there are not enough of and typically funding is scarce. Those people living on the street because of recent unemployment need some sort of subsidized homes or apartments designed specifically for people recently affected by our economies downturn. Good luck anthropology in solving all of societies problems, unfornately you also need funding on your side.
September 28, 2009 at 12:06 pm
Lisa C
The homeless have been in Fresno all of my life. We have used different programs to help these people that are down on their luck, whether that be joblessness, drugs, addiction, or runaways. I do like the idea of Viet T of offering jobs and ways that the homeless could earn money and self-esteem to get out of the problems. The Poverello house is a great option of helping people and families to find personal services and food, yet many are too proud to go there. There is no one answer as to how to solve this issue, but it will take a lot of people to get out of their comfort zone to help either with money, time, or services.
September 30, 2009 at 12:00 pm
Jose V
Most people think that homelessness is due to drug addiction and plain laziness, but that is not necessarily the case. I believe that it will take a lot of hard work on the behalf of anthropologist to help the homeless community. They would have to start by understanding the individual issues that lead a person to becoming homeless, like alcohol or drug addiction. But there are many other reasons that people turn homeless for example mental issues, such as traumas or depression, criminal evasion, or simply out of work. It would take a team of experts in anthropology just to understand the individual fundamental issues that are leading people to homelessness. I truly think that if anthropologists combine their filed work along with other medical, psychological, and sociological professionals they can help the homeless community diminish. By addressing the fundamental issues of each individual person, whether it be as simple as finding the individual a job, or helping them clear their criminal history so that they too can be a productive citizen of the community.