Pubdate: Tue, 10 Apr 2007 Source: Nanaimo News Bulletin (CN BC) Copyright: 2007, BC Newspaper Group Contact: http://www.nanaimobulletin.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/948 Author: J. Sharpe 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 - --- MAP posted-by: Derek