RASPUTINS AND THE HOMELESS IN SAN FRANCISCO
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No one can really helps the homeless if the authorities do not understand fully why the homeless and the mentally ill who comprise the majority of the homeless practically should NOT be moved to a better level of humanity. Some progress should be offered these human beings as part of being stressed and homeless because of circumstances beyond their control.
Care not Cash is creating Rasputins who are doing all in their power to address the chronic homeless situation without compassion and a deeper understanding of what homo sapiens is all about. Intelligent persons, well bodied, not having a home and sleeping on the streets is traumatic. Now think of those who cannot think well, cannot fend for themselves and are forced to live under the most despicable conditions. Of late this is happening with our 10,000 homeless plus all over the City and County of San Francisco. The San Francisco Health Department has been playing a lead role to NOT understand the plight of the homeless. In the last 5 years the plight of the mentally ill has gone from worse to worst - and only those who focus on this chronic problem can understand the plight of these constituents - that are most vulnerable. One cannot run government and especially a democratic government if one does not understand the value of focused intelligent input. When input is gathered from all quarters it is imperative that intelligent human beings discern and then figure out models to best address any situation. No section of the population should be left out and if one does then one cannot address in toto because of faulty input. Past models that have worked help. Current models should incorporate the best humane principles to hold and bring solace and empowerment to the poor, the homeless and especially the mentally ill. Today in San Francisco that is not happening and Doctor Mitch Katz and those Rasputins who do Mayor Gavin Newsom's bidding better change their ways and their mentality for the better. Recently we heard many homeless people testify and it is not easy to hear the daily trauma that is being added to the already stressed life of the homeless. If a higher percentage of these folks have mental problems the added stress will drive them crazy. The plight of the sane and homeless is that the prevailing conditions are driving them crazy - requesting mental help. Now imagine what it will do to the mentally ill and those who are already wired and need help most. Our shelters, Single Residential Occupancy (SRO) rooms, some respite shelters, emergency rooms, Dining Facilities like Saint Anthony's, Glide Memorial, Martin De Pores and a host of others all over the City and County of San Francisco can do only so much. The San Francisco General Hospital offers the best medical help when it comes to Emergency and some care on the 7th Floor linked to mental services. How ever once patients are given some care and released to the streets or to certain respite facilities we see a lack of follow up, care, and plain humanity. How can anyone sane or otherwise survive on the streets when they have chronic diseases that require a roof and nursing care at least for some basic survival? Think diabetes, asthma, AIDS, cancer - and a host of other diseases. I know of mental patients that live in several facilities that get millions of dollars and have links with the San Francisco General Hospital's Mental Services. One of them is Progress Foundation. The Progress Foundation should have nothing to do with mental patients in San Francisco. They should take their services to Napa where they belong. It is a shame that our City and County of San Francisco go out of its way to do business with the Progress Foundation that has so many violations. Time to bring the City Controller in and start with Chapter 12 L of the San Francisco Administrative Code. On the other hand we have Hospitality House that has a good track record. It helps over 6000 people and has a validated record of over 66,000 patient visits in a year. It gives respite to many and prevents many from being thrown on the streets. Rejuvenates others so that they can take their medication and feel well. Provides support so that the homeless and mentally ill can empower themselves. Spends less and offers more and now the Rasputins have told them to shut their doors! Today Rasputins have changed the model in the Request for Proposals so that a working organization that has a proven track record for the last 19 years cannot work under the present City and County of San Francisco Request for Proposal - which will put Hospitality House out of business. Does this make sense? Care not Cash cannot work if it is not compassionate and if it creates anomalies and further acerbates the focused traumatic situations in certain areas linked to homelessness and the mentally ill. This is happening and the Rasputins who have the EAR of Mayor Gavin Newsom to not want to hear a word. Perhaps Mayor Gavin Newsom should give an opportunity to Paul Boden to sit down with the Rasputins and work out a plan that note down some ideas before Paul Boden vanishes and with him the practical solutions - to help the homeless. Care not Cash pretends to address the concerns of those that get General Assistance. It alienates those who get Social Security Assistance. It really has no long term solution and plan - Care not Cash is good for those who have working skills and are not prone to mental or other chronic illnesses. Conard House and a few other models today find it difficult to comprehend the Care not Cash model that has no long term solution for those who need extra focused help. Again and again a few are given some help and if they do not fit it any model are thrown back into the streets - to face the worst possible conditions and even death. The problems we have with our over 10,000 homeless is not easy. It has not been easy before and will not be easy in the future. What we can do is to care for those who need help most so that the immediate help that is given through many proven working models are not eliminated. Once glaring example is Hospitality House. Saint Anthony's serves food to thousands of people every single day - Care not Cash cannot even fathom this operation for one simple reason Care not Cash and the Rasputins lack spirituality and compassion. Every single day a miracle happens at Saint Anthony's with or without any help from the City and County of San Francisco. Similar miracles happen in the Mission District, in the Bayview, Potrero, Golden Gate Aveune, Taylor Street, and many other places. Care not Cash has nothing to do with these places and without these places thousands more would die on the streets of San Francisco. The Rasputins who hover around the Mayor should be taken to task. Why is it so many Elderly, women, and children are still abused in our shelters? Why is it that women are still raped and have to prostitute to get a bed in a shelter or a room in a SRO? Why do our homeless children have to suffer? When will our Rasputins learn to have some respect for our Elderly? Why do we allow thugs to run our shelters in some places are given authority to do as they please? When will this nonsense stop? Care not Cash is looking at the homeless problem with blindfolds but the thing that will kill it is lack of spirituality and compassion. There can be NO love without sacrifice. The Rasputins are selfish bastards and I have heard too much about them. They think they can do as they please breaking the fundamental principles of good contracting, fair play, and plain common sense. Mayor Gavin Newsom is surrounded by some that are taking him down the commode and into the cesspool. One can form a hundred committees and a thousand Councils but if we have no spirituality and compassion it will all be in vain. Right now the committees and councils that matter do not really know what is really happening. Often times they have to hear it in the news. Right now the committees and council are shocked about certain discrepancies and disparities and have to bite their tongue. No one is really listening to the poor and those that need help. Mostly people are talking down to them and this is wrong. One cannot help any person if one is not given due respect. I have been following the mental and homeless situation for 15 years. The plight of those that need help most today is one that is crying to heaven for help but most of all compassion. This City and County of San Francisco is not any other City - it is San Francisco - the City that is named after Saint Francis of Assisi. |
