Another reason to be carefull in LA

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Fred in Skirts
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Another reason to be carefull in LA

Post by Fred in Skirts »

Here is a video clip that one is unlikely to see shown by the Los Angeles tourism bureau.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wwtmDZ ... cuw-zz%3A6
"It is better to be hated for what you are than be loved for what you are not" Andre Gide: 1869 - 1951
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Big and Bashful
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Re: Another reason to be carefull in LA

Post by Big and Bashful »

I am speechless, that is wild!
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FranTastic444
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Re: Another reason to be carefull in LA

Post by FranTastic444 »

I work in a number of US cities that have a sizeable financial services presence. I found myself in downtown LA for the first time the other week and I was shocked at the homeless issue there. Every city I work in and visit in the US has a homeless problem, but the thing that seems to be unique to downtown LA is the sheer number of homeless who have very visible mental illness problems. We saw countless people running into traffic / chasing cars, arguing with themselves in the reflection of shop windows, using a variety of implements to have telephone conversations with themselves (including a brick and a shoe), walking the street and shouting at commuters or arguing among themselves.

I'm pretty blasé when it comes to walking around downtown areas at night, but this is one place where I was extra cautious.
Freedomforall
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Re: Another reason to be carefull in LA

Post by Freedomforall »

FranTastic444 wrote:I work in a number of US cities that have a sizeable financial services presence. I found myself in downtown LA for the first time the other week and I was shocked at the homeless issue there. Every city I work in and visit in the US has a homeless problem, but the thing that seems to be unique to downtown LA is the sheer number of homeless who have very visible mental illness problems. We saw countless people running into traffic / chasing cars, arguing with themselves in the reflection of shop windows, using a variety of implements to have telephone conversations with themselves (including a brick and a shoe), walking the street and shouting at commuters or arguing among themselves.

I'm pretty blasé when it comes to walking around downtown areas at night, but this is one place where I was extra cautious.
I worked downtown Nashville, Tn for most of my career. I can tell you things that you want believe about the homeless. Other cities actually buy bus tickets and send them to Nashville. This is because of the large amount of resources such as food, clothing, and shelter that are available here. They literally come into town by the Greyhound bus loads every weekend. The homeless gain access to computers at public libraries and network with each other to find the best cities willing to help them. Nashville willingly buys bus tickets for anyone wanting to leave. Many of them have mental health issues and serious behavior issues. This often causes them to get banned from staying at shelters. I used to befriend many of them and learned there stories. I recall one guy that I cannot believe is still alive. He became an alcoholic at age 11. He often drinks listerine or any other available mouthwash to get drunk when regular alcohol is not available. He has been drinking so long that his nose has swelled to five times it's normal size.

There was another character that comes to mind as well. I'll call him Kat. Kat was a most talented musician. He could not only sing but could play several musical instruments. Kat sat up tent on the river and used to invite me to visit. He was waiting for his disability check from an injury he received as an iron worker. Kat lived about 6 months in his tent. One day I saw him and he was so excited. He had just purchased a house because his check had finally arrived. It was very exciting to hear. I could go on about so many others that I know living under bridges etc.
I believe we are going to see a lot more homelessness as housing prices become so unavoidable for many.
lazerr
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Re: Another reason to be carefull in LA

Post by lazerr »

In one of my early jobs, I worked with homeless men (the women were not called homeless, they were in another building that was more permanent). at a city owned shelter called "Hotel Hilton" (It had a placard that said "Built with donations from the Hilton Family"(I'm not sure it was the hotel owning family). It had a policy "one drink and you are out", but once sober they were welcomed back. I heard more than a few stories similar and few that changed my understanding of the world permanently. They were most made homeless by mental illness, though they were able to work in the kitchen, and converse easily. Others were long time drug addicts or alcoholics. Many were perfectly happy with homelessness, though not the poverty, and told me tales of the excitement of living on your own (sort of like a business owner might say how nice it is not to have a boss). The tales of drinking mouthwash and cologne were common. Many were living in the suburban lifestyle, and after losing a job, and divorce, out on the street (usually due to the alcoholic binge that resulted from losing everything at once). There are a million stories in the naked city.

That was 40 years ago, I don't think things have improved (the "Hotel Hilton" facility was closed long ago)
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Re: Another reason to be carefull in LA

Post by dillon »

California is not the only state to practice deinstitutionalization as a cost saving measure over building and staffing new mental health centers and commitment facilities. Most states do it too. When you try to do things on the cheap, well, it doesn’t take a genius to soon figure out that you get what you pay for. Deinstitutionalization makes a mentally ill person responsible for taking his meds, without considering that if he was well enough to do that, he wouldn’t need the meds to start with. You can’t make a mentally ill person responsible for recognizing his own insanity.
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Chirp
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Re: Another reason to be carefull in LA

Post by Chirp »

I drive trucks for a living, And crazy people are every were. That guy is lucky to be alive, Props to the driver for reacting so fast.
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Fred in Skirts
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Re: Another reason to be carefull in LA

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dillon wrote:California is not the only state to practice deinstitutionalization as a cost saving measure over building and staffing new mental health centers and commitment facilities. Most states do it too. When you try to do things on the cheap, well, it doesn’t take a genius to soon figure out that you get what you pay for. Deinstitutionalization makes a mentally ill person responsible for taking his meds, without considering that if he was well enough to do that, he wouldn’t need the meds to start with. You can’t make a mentally ill person responsible for recognizing his own insanity.
And you end up with these poor souls committing all sorts of heinous crimes because they are free to do so, just watch the news it really shows up there as these last few weeks have shown us.

Fred
"It is better to be hated for what you are than be loved for what you are not" Andre Gide: 1869 - 1951
Always be yourself because the people that matter don’t mind and the ones that mind don’t matter.
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