WHAT CENTURY IS THIS? © stevenn beck
Hi Friends!
Last evening I walked over to Sixth Avenue from Penn Station. Passing by all the limousines discharging their passengers, I walked down 32nd street. Some kind of construction project was going up on the north side of the street. A large, dark fence separated the construction work from the people passing by. I walked by a homeless person, sprawled up against the fence, covered by a dirty coat Another homeless individual, sitting on some kind of makeshift chair, surrounded by huge plastic bags filled with (presumably) all that is left of their wordily possessions. And then..I looked up and saw more homeless. Up against the fence. One…two…three….four….and on and on, one after another, stretching all the way from Seventh Avenue to Sixth.
Walking down "The Avenue of the Americas"…lurking in the shadows as the rest of the citizens and tourists in midtown go about their business…were more homeless. I walked into a fast food restaurant to use the restroom. There was a guy sitting in a booth towards the back, sleeping under a white sheet. Another homeless man sat with a cup of water across from him, playing with some change. As I waited in line to use the restroom he would get out of his seat, walk to the trashcan, place the empty up on top (but not in) - and walk back to his seat. Placing his change in his pocket he;d then get up, retrieve the cup, return to the table, take out the change - and repeat the activity. Over and over and over again. Cursing the customers under his breath. I didn't blame him. (The store manager BTW just shrugged his shoulders when I spoke with him.)
I attempted enter the subway; more homeless blocking the way. Squeezing past them, there were even MORE homeless down in the station. Boarding the train, I discovered very few riders in that particular car even though the platform had been jammed. The reason: a particularly foul-smelling gentleman stretched out and soundly sleeping in a corner of the car. Leaving the subway car at 14th street and walking through a long tunnel to get to the exit, there was more of the same. Numerous people surrounded by garbage bags, sitting or sleeping on the floor. (Actually, I noticed they were on broken boxes or cartons, all that sat between them and the cold pavement.) Before I could actually leave the station I encountered two policemen evidently breaking up a dispute between a ragged violinist and even more ragged guitarist. (Both instruments were pretty damaged.) It was territorial dispute, each person claimed that particular corner of the tunnel. One policeman separated the men; the other stood back and suggested that the two of them play music together, perhaps it would be more fruitful.
When I reached the restaurant - walking past additional homeless (one elderly woman on a wheelchair, navigating a busy intersection with an impressive display of dexterity, the big sign "HUNGRY….PLEASE HELP!" hanging on the back of her chair) I was almost ashamed to eat all of my dinner. I attempted to make pleasant dinner conversation - but my mind filled with the disturbing images I'd seen on my way downtown. I've worried about this issue before - but the number of homeless seems to have dramatically increased just in the past few months. Quick question: how many of these people were thrown out of their residences in the latest neighborhoods currently undergoing gentrification? (Bed Stuy, Crown Heights, etc.)
My real question is : what is the city government doing about the problem? (Spending its time on the pressing Charter School crisis? Attending lunches and dinners? Plotting their re-elections and political futures? Launching magnificent initiatives such as Vision 2030 - re pedestrian safety - even while taking few real effective steps to actually ensure that outcome?) What's going to happen to all of these people when it gets cold? And- how desperate will they all get - and I wouldn't blame them - before there would be some kind of violent outburst against some innocent individual - because Those In Charge left them down? I noticed in my travels that many blocks on Sixth Avenue south of midtown have inadequate lighting. In Cheslea some streets running between Sixth and Seventh Avenues have almost none. Is it to keep the homeless from being seen? Or something more insidious?
Ohh. I forget. Some in charge tell us that the homeless are in that situation because it's their own fault. And that homelessness is certainly not the government's problem. (If anything, they say, private industry can come together and utilize it's resource to eradicate the problem. Private industry LOVES to use its money to solve social problems. Just a bunch of nice, giving, nice guys. We all know that, right?) And- again they say - there's nothing for the rest of us to worry about, we just continue to do our own thing (whatever that is) safe and secure. Absolutely no safety or health concerns. Certainly, they say, there is no reason to feel badly or expend energy on something called empathy…..or work to advocate for some kind of solution. (Well….at least something happens….) I think it's time to call and write - and call again - on our elected officials. You know- the ones in charge of working for the public good?
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