SHAME BELONGS TO ADDICTS, NOT CITY

To the Editor,

Re: Shame of the City, April 7.

As a taxpaying homeowner and small business owner, I do not agree that
the homeless problem is Nanaimo's shame.

The fact that the majority of homeless people are there because of
addiction is probably quite true. Mental illness being the prime cause
of the addiction is highly untrue.

The of-age individual has to take most of the responsibility for the
predicament.

That there are 300 or so homeless, of which 70 per cent are addicts of
some kind, is not Nanaimo's shame but theirs.

Next, there is the fact that in a booming economy there are jobs, even
low skill jobs to be filled. But they require discipline and a
willingness to be responsible.

It is these two traits that homeless people do not want to
adopt.

Where do these homeless people get the money for their addictive
needs? Panhandling, stealing and scamming?

It's time to get our social service people into helping those that
truly want help into the job market.

Those that don't want to get help need to be counselled that free
food, shelter and even medical care is not a right that they enjoy,
but a privilege that is part of being a contributing citizen.

J. Sharpe,

Nanaimo