[Hpn] STEREOTYPES encourage MURDER of homeless people? Your opinion?

[Harmony Foster Kieding]

Government officials & media often describe homeless people with negative
>labels, such as "filthy, aggressive, crazy, addict, bum".
>
>Do "negative stereotypes" encourage vigilantes to murder homeless people?
>Why or why not?
>
>

"Negative stereotypes" in my opinion, add an encouraging push to vigilantes

already fueled by society's collective unconscious. If they feel that government,

or government officials, will not protect "losers" (another stereotype!!!!)..then,

hey..what the heck..all the more reason to kill,rape,rob,beat, harass those
who have no power to defend themselves.

The story certainly seems the same all around the globe, whether it's accounts
of
homeless people murdered in Japan or Pennsylvania or Canada or the UK, or Australia.
(Or whether
it's Crystal Night in Germany)
Massive re-education of society is needed, both on an individual level and publically.

Our leaders,of whatever nation, should be especially accountable.
After all, it was the world's leaders that got together at the United Nations

and signed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, (which protect homeless

people as well as everyone else). 
But perhaps our leaders that be prefer to continue in the game of invalidating

homeless people as human beings...because if they continue to contribute to

an atmosphere in which society thinks of us as "lepers" (and speaking of lepers,

lepers are people too!!!!!))))then they don't have to lift a finger or spend

precious funds to get at the real causes of homelessness, which are lack of

affordable housing and below cost-of-living wages, among other things.
For me, it comes down to this: "If I am ok with me, I have no need to make you

wrong".
I was talking with someone online in icq a few nights ago, mentioning that I

was spending most of my days/nights being a homeless advocate. My online friend

in one of her messages said "But don't most homeless people want to be homeless?"

As you might imagine, I spent the rest of our "chatting" time waking her up.


Well, her question was indicative of just how many mass preconceptions and
negative stereotypes there are being bandied about in the unquestioning collective
unconsciousness.

I can't tell you the number of times I wish the entire archives of HPN could

be printed on the front of my website (or all of our websites!) for the world

to see and learn from. (But don't worry, Tom..hehe..obviously I'm not going

to do it)(But I can still wish for all our insights to "get out there"!!)

Positively monotypically yours,
Harmony

WorldHome
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Agora/7076/causes.html
 


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