We are all just people

Since I started this blog I have met all kinds of people. From politicians to the homeless I have even met prince Charles on one of his flying visits to the crisis building in Aldgate. I must admit most people I have met have been homeless but I have always tried to get across the message that homeless people are no different to anyone else. They are just people with problems and no home. Either because no one listened to them or they simply had no other choice but to become homeless. Now this could be because of drugs and drink and believe me when I say paying rent is the last thing on anyone's mind who has a habit or they have out stayed their welcome on a friends floors. Maybe there can be so many reasons more serious ones. Why someone ends up on the streets and we all know that once you have reached your lowest it's hard to motivate yourself. It seems to be a human trait we all have but imagine having all these what we think are unsolvable problems and becoming homeless or hiding them by drinking or taking drugs. Life just goes on around you and things only get worse but because you are already in a bad situation you don't see it. So your life style becomes just an existence. It becomes your way of life and you now have greater extra problems because you now have a drink and drug habit. Which started at first maybe to help you forget whatever demons or problems you had. To forget about the loneliness of being all alone. How do you get back in touch with your life? Manchester authorities think by making homelessness illegal in it's city center it will help cure the problem as if it were some kind of disease and they are not the only council that are now reverting to this way of getting people off the city center streets. They are now using the excuse it leads to drugs and vandalism and unruly behavior. It does seem that this is fast becoming a revamped council law. A modern day vagrancy act if you like. Why don't they go the whole hog and have a stop and search policy and if they haven't got a pound coin then they are vagrants, well that's how it was in the old days and it seems to me that were we are heading. Since when is it a crime for anyone to sleep in a shop doorway? It's a crime that they have to but who am I to ask this? I have heard politicians and well respected members of the public say, we now have centers they can go and get treatment. Yes there are but the waiting lists are growing and by the time someone wants to change the wait has put them back again. I think there is an art to catching someone who is ready to give up their habit. Rehabs should be available for them but because we have an ever growing drug culture. Is the expense is far too great to build more rehabs? Even when we see the youth of today suffering. The question is it worth it? Always comes up. You all say, if one or more rejoins main stream society. Then it's saving the tax payer money. They wont be stealing to fund their habits street crime and burglaries will be reduced. Some might even get back to work and then pay tax. Not to mention other lives are not going to be wasted. Which is more important money or life?