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Help those who have no choice

Editor: Re: The fallout from his search for shelter, Sept. 13. Steve Robinson has now had it with homelessness and wants to get an apartment of his own, because he can afford it.
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Not everyone who is homeless shares Steve Robinson’s ambition or ability to return to housing

Editor:

Re: The fallout from his search for shelter, Sept. 13.

Steve Robinson has now had it with homelessness and wants to get an apartment of his own, because he can afford it.

That is good news, but some people choose to be homeless indefinitely because they do not want to contribute to society. So why, then, should we, as a society, contribute to them?

Some people also choose to drink and do drugs excessively, so much that they can no longer function in society. So again, why should we then support them and their habit of choice?

If you choose to be homeless or have addictions, you simply cannot give up then; you have to take responsibility for your own actions, which unfortunately usually means living on the streets.

If, however, you have been diagnosed with a mental illness without the use of drugs or alcohol – or are temporarily homeless due to unforeseen circumstances – then you should get the support you need, as that was not by choice.

We, as a society, need to start determining who is deserving of our support and who is not, so we can stop the vicious cycle. We cannot constantly be expected to help those in need who do not help themselves, by providing expensive funding and housing, especially in the most desired locations and in these difficult times.

At the very least, there should be a ‘no tolerance’ policy for drugs and alcohol when providing the support. That way, we are not only helping those lost souls rebuild their lives, but they are also helping themselves by taking responsibility for their own actions, which, in the long run, will be beneficial to us all.

Cheryl Berti, White Rock