Naming the Problem

For John, BLUF:  In the process of writing about how we are mischaracterizing racism in these United States, Blogger Sarah Hoyt touches on how we have misnamed some serious problems, by grouping them under the name homelessness.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Telling The Truth

From ACCORDING TO HOYT, by Writer Sarah Hoyt, 9 September 2025.

Here are the key paragraphs:

We need to have the courage to teach the truth to the young.

You know other truths we need to teach to the young? The “homeless” or “unhoused” aren’t in fact normal human beings in need of a house. The names are a lie.

Naming them that, pretending that, just points at the wrong problem and calls for the wrong action.

Yes there are a lot of people in the US who can’t afford a place to live, or are in trouble house wise, because times are hard right now, particularly for the young.

BUT–

But that doesn’t mean that people who have any skills/ability to navigate the normal world are living on the streets. Oh, there will be some: orphans without friends exist. But they’re rarer than hen’s teeth.

Most people on the street are mental health tragedies, and/or criminal and/or willfull mooches, or some combinations of all three.

And I’m torn on this, because mental health is a slippery thing, but on the other hand there’s such a thing as an obvious danger to himself and others.

Different people see different aspects of what we call homelessness.  What we call Homelessness includes people who are mentally ill, who are drug addicts,♠ who suffer from other substance abuse, and who are legitimately without housing.  There is no "one size fits all" in a situation like this.  We need a new aaproach, and perhaps the best approach would be to drop homelessness and adopt "continuum of care" for all such effortts. .

For sure, what we are doing now is not working well.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  For example, Lowell Resident David Prestipino has been posting videos, appear before the City Council and appearing on City Life Show to talk about drug addiction and its pernicious imipacts..