Ever since being stranded by my family in the Mojave Desert, I have had to find creative solutions to bizarre problems and have become of aware of what is wrong with the non-homeless in contemporary American society.
The people I have had to live with over the last few years have had severe alcoholism, addiction (opium, suboxone, heroin, and meth) and extensive criminal histories, in addition to periods of homelessness.
These were not the types of people I would have chosen to stay with prior to my indoctrination into Scientology via Narconon Fresh Start. But I learned a lot about people.
What I learned is that these supposed criminals and drug addicts turned out to be surprisingly reliable and predictable compared to those who believed themselves to be on the right path.
Why would someone on drugs who steals, be more helpful to me than many people claiming to be Christians or family members who claim to care about me?
Criminals understand the world is unfair because they have been arrested and had to deal with the court system and police officers who are less than truthful. Gross inequity is a religious term for treating people unfairly in a way that should warrant their removal from the church.
Criminals don't have a formal process to kick each other out of their criminal club, because they are always open to meeting new people who might have solutions to the problems they are struggling with. Often the solution they choose is more illegal drugs.
It is very easy to judge someone who takes illegal drugs and blame drugs on their lack of a job or family. What the Christians are missing is that a circumstance lead to out of balance drug use and they became trapped. They are also missing the practical usefulness of illegal drug use.
A hopeless person can't get a top notch doctor. They often can't get to a pharmacy.
Street drugs are available where the homeless is at and they get them from people who are in the same situation as them.
It is easy to refuse to give a homeless person money thinking they will just spend it on drugs.
Here is the problem:
If you had no place to go at night and needed to sleep on the ground, opiates are going to help that person to rest at night the first time they try it, and from then on. The value of a good nights sleep is greater than the harm a drug will do.
In fact, researchers cannot determine whether meth use over multiple days does more damage to the brain, then the lack of sleep that occurs on a meth binge.
These homeless people are not trying to get your money to go to some magical evil criminal party; they just can't sleep well on the rocky ground and don't feel good.
All people who are not eating well are not going to feel well and will seek out a way to feel good. Sometimes it feels good to scream or drink. In the short-term drugs or alcohol will release endorphins and make them feel better even if it is only temporary, which is where their focus lies.
A homeless person doesn't have a budget, a 1 year plan, and a 5 year plan. They want to rest somewhere and find clean socks.
They are trapped in a bad situation.
The only real way for them to even start to think about giving up drugs is to provide them 3 healthy meals a day and a comfortable bed. Only then will they be able to think clear. Maybe they will choose to stop taking drugs, maybe they won't. What I am telling you is they can't stop until they have a normal diet and a safe place to sleep.
Nobody eating fast food everyday is going to make good decisions. Few people will pass up a drink, if they know they are sleeping on the ground that night. Eventually they develop a taste for malt liquor. Just as you might have developed a taste for a double tall mint mocha.
Before you think about buying them a burger and fries, consider a salad, or better yet cash.
They are sick of fast food and struggling to sleep on the ground.
Give them what they want and what will help them in the short-term.
Hint: It isn't your judgement of their drug use!