Compassion Deficit

After reading an editorial in the New York Times titled Compassion Deficit, I have to say that I disagree with the editor's postion. As Americans we are born with the natural ability to grow and prosper. There are some Americans either by choice or by birth who simply cannot conform to this ideal. Its seems a little harsh to view it this way, but there are plenty of people in our country who don't have a lot to their names but they don't give up. I feel like the editor of this article makes it seem like its okay, for people to live on the streets and feel like they deserve a handout. They go about naming cities in the U.S. that are trying to decrease the number of homeless citizens by giving them shelters and providing them with food. Too me this is just a way of enabling people to be weak. If you want to have money...you'll get money. If you want to be poor and remain in that particular situation...you're not going to change. Granted its understandable when circumstances arise that people cannot control, such as job lose then I believe its good to help people get back on their feet, but what I hate is "moochers." As far as the article goes, it was an interesting read by I think if they were trying to prove how beneficial setting up shelters and providing people with food was she should have focused more on one or two cities. But all they did was name cities that were doing different things to help out those in need. They also claim that the reason for most homeless peoples situations to due to forclosed homes, or kicked out renters. This probably is a small percentage of homeless people but I believe a big reason to be drug and alcohol abuse, runaways, or people that just can't cope with responsibility. In writing about homeless people that have been forclosed on, I believe their intented audience would be people with money that would be able to donate to local sheltes, and possibly even banks/governments to allow extra credit or leniency to struggling families as in the past. Like I said I agree with helping out those who are just down on their luck but I don't believe in helping others who refuse to help themselves.