NewYear’s Day in a Tent?
Craig Smith reports in today’s International Herald Tribune (1 Jan 07)on the plight of Paris’s homeless. Apparently the SDF (sans domicile fixe)are not only getting the attention of France’s political hopefuls - from Sego to Sarko - but also France’s middle class who have traveled from various parts of France to keep the homeless company on this New Year’s Day. About 250 tents border the St. Martin canal. They aren’t new. Tents were distributed back in 2005 to help shield the homeless from a particularly harsh winter. Smith points out that the statistics of homelessness in France (86,000) would equal the number of homeless in Los Angeles alone.
There are pros and cons of being homeless in France as opposed to homeless in the US (I can say this from experience having been briefly homeless in the US in Florida). It’s better being homeless someplace warm, for sure. For that reason, I would recommend Florida over Paris, but on the other hand, it wasn’t very pleasant around Ft. Lauderdale at New Year’s Eve when the police used to spray tear gas to disperse holiday revelers. Does anybody remember the ‘good ole days’ I wonder. Just today on Lou Dobbs, “War on the Middle Classes” someone asked how can middle class teachers, firemen, and other hard-working people afford to buy a house - soon the SDF of the world may have to start making room for the middle class to join them so it’s a good idea to get the hang of camping out - St. Martin is a nice view - but still, I’d head south for the winter!
By Parisgirl | Permalink
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Your comment made me think of George Eastman who actually has a street named after him in the Paris’s 13th arrondissment. I don’t know of too many American busienssmen who have that privilege. He gave back not only to his community in Rochester, New York, but he set up dental clinics throughout the world, including France. It’s ironic that nowadays not even most US Health Insurance plans include dental care. What do we mean today when we talk about ‘private’ business? Most businesses are no longer ‘owned’ by just one person as was the case with Kodak at the beginning. If the one person cared about social issues - he or she would spend the money on those issues that he or she cared about. Look at Oprah Winfrey and the school that she just built in South Africa. Private business can make a difference. Stockholders are less likely to understand the benefits of company picnics when they’re just looking at the bottom line.
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In the modern world we see more and more people become homeless for a variety of reasons. Some because of unemplyment, the loss of a job through often the closure of their base of employment and a large drop in living standards, which means they often loose the home they can no longer afford.
Not only do we have single homeless people but whole families to including children.
In my view every country has a duty to as a matter of urgency resolve these modern day problems. It is in my view the responsability not only og Governments and NGO charities, but of private business to help to and in effect put a little back into society to help those who have fallen on hard times.