Although, I am concerned about people living on the streets, I find it annoying too.  I think it is inhumane for us to stand by and watch people dig out of the garbages for who knows what?  I find it annoying to have to drive by people holding signs asking for money without asking the question.  There signs usually say, “Anything Helps.  Thank you.”  I get annoyed by this because I have four children that I am providing for, and we are just getting by.  I was raised with Christian values.  When a person asks, you give, or rather they shall receive.

Solutions to this problem are more like enabled.  Places that help people are homeless feed them, provide them a place to sleep for the night.  Some provide computers to help them find jobs, I guess.  It seems a fine line to help when there needs to be more guidelines for help.  If people wanted help, we would teach them to help themselves again.  We would get to the “Root Cause,” of their problems.  If they have physical and or mental disabilities, we need to support those individuals in other ways.  If a person suffered a loss, we need to guide that person through the grieving stages.  If a person is dealing with alcohol and drug addiction, we need to provide counsellor’s who can help guide a person to want to help him/herself.

My experience with alchol is people have to want it, change, to be free from alcohol.  They have hit bottom by living on the streets.  No, you can’t force a person to want help, but you can place “intervention-like” thoughts on his/her mind.  When provided food, put him/her to work.  Give him or her work to work for his/her food.  If that sounds inhumane, it’s not.  If this was your own brother or sister, would you?

To me, homelessness is a state of mind.  It is the next best thing to  suicide.  A person gets to a state of mind that he/she feels helpless and hopeless.  Whether it’s alcohol or drugs, or grief.  Which leads me to believe that, that results in a person’s lack of ability to cope with everyday life.  Some people believe that individuals suffer great mental abilities and the lack of support contributed by society to support those persons.

On the surface, alcohol or drugs is a way to deal with or not deal with a problem.  For example, if a woman had been sexually abused at a young age, and to cover up her pain, she started drinking.  She began drinking to the point of no control, isn’t it possible that she received no support from family and/or friends to help her deal with this issue?  Or perhaps the way her family dynamics worked, and upbringing worked the family was very dysfunctional to begin with.

From my experience with alcohol, one has to want help.  Individuals have most certainly, “hit bottom,” when they are living on the streets.  There must be “intervention-like” measures to allow individuals to want to help themselves.  Because it seems, “giving them food,” is not helping.  It is more like enabling him or her.  I realize that it may seem harsh, but it is the harsh reality for a person to realize “the hand-outs” will no longer be there, unless he/she becomes willing to help themselves.  Such as being required to go to counselling 3x a week to receive food.  To go to lifeskills training 2x a week to get help with clothing. It is like children, their has to be incentive for them to want them to help themselves.  I am suggesting a problem I see with the homelessness issue.  When you have  something to complain about, offer a solution.

Whoever saw today’s problems in our world today, homelessness?  Is it a result of globalization? Is is result of poverty, as the cost of living is high, and the minimum wage is low.  The cost of food and fuel are both high.  All of these things are contributing factors, aren’t they?  I am thinking out loud here.

It is a real concern for man, as the going-concerns is concerned.  Don’t we all have a responsibility to help each other?  I don’t think we can come up with “the answer,” until sacrifices are made.  There is plenty to go around.  The rich are getting richer, the poor are getting poorerer.

Tell me your thoughts on homelessness.

Amazing Annie

The idea that legalizing marijuana is an opportunity for society is ludicrous. The government would more than likely tax marijuana very high. It may be natural, it may not be as damaging a drug as heroin or meth or any other potent drug as such, nonetheless it is a drug. When it is overused to the point of addiction, it can have an impact on a person’s life negatively.  The fact that a person may stay up all night from the use of marijuana use may cause individuals to be late from work or absent from work period. Ultimately, the thought of turning “dope” into a legitimate business is not gonna happen. Marijuana use can affect a person’s normal diet, such as lack of interest from food before and after the “munchy” stage.

Marijuana for medicinal purposes is a good excuse.  For young people to find meaningful ways to legitimize something that has been known to society as illegal since “the 60′s” and may have been the “norm’ back then, but it seems it’s simply a fanatical way to self-satisfaction of saying “we done it!”  Today’s younger generation seem spoiled and society just bow to the demands of the younger generation, like a “favorite child-syndrome.”  For example, now we are in the midst or even discussing making sex trade legal.  What has become of societies morals and values.  Same sex marriges.  I am not opposed to gay people, I disagree with allowing the individuals to get married, that is a different thing altogether, as I cannot control an individual’s decision.  The true sense of freedoms society’s rights are coming to life.

These issues are controversial with First Nation’ People’s rights and freedoms.  This is the whole ideology of politics, make things difficult or unaccessible for certain individuals and make it accessible for others is really all that system is there for.  In another word, oppress a group at bay from interests of others to continue what he/she/they are doing.  Regardless, marijuana is not going anywhere whether it stays legal or not.  But I disagree with the legalization of it because it is not good for individuals, families, and communities well-being, and that is moral.

I am curious and ask your interpretation about what this China censorship really means?  I mean why is China so concerned about what people say?  And why do people concern themselves so much with what everyone else is doing, like the United States?  I mean all people do not believe in the freedom of speech, or have the values of American-European ways?  My view is that, and I am grateful to have a voice and be able to express my concerns and ideas.  I suppose that is what it is all about, huh?  Back to my point of view, there are many, many indiscretions that Americans operate by.  And yet, they so pride themselves in being prudent, educated peoples.

I mean, why do you think that other countries want to attack the US?  I mean it’s okay for them to walk all over countries, bombard their way through borders to do what it pleases?  I certainly do not agree with what has happened in the US, the attacks on New York.  I am not saying that.  I think the United Nations was really initiated to undermine countries by using the view that each country cares about its poverty state, or its …what do you call the German, when they made people abide by the governments ways?  And I think this because look at company’s like Nike who can go into countries and reap the rewards from third world countries because “They have their minimum wage at this…rate.”  That makes it okay.  America makes it okay for companies like this to  operate its businesses this way.  Business is business.

How about what governments do to First Nation Peoples in Canada, no different than America.  The governments walk all over First Nation Peoples in business, political, social areas.  What am I trying to say, I suppose it’s like calling the “Kettle black.”  Is that how the saying goes?  Barking up the wrong tree!  We, as individuals have to be able to look at ourselves first to be able to criticize others and judge others.

It’s almost understandable why some parts of the World at mad at North America, perhaps.  Maybe if it truly lived up to its word, of for example, being a country that is a mixture of all cultural backgrounds, but the least one that it demonstrates lack of respect, regard for are First Nations Peoples, behind closed doors.

I have studied about the oil industry a bit, of how Americans have bullied its way to take over and control oil in other countries.  These can have an impact on how that countries individuals will react to the tactics or shall I say tactless ways of the Americans.

Well, that is my opinion on this issue of freedom of speech and censorship.  It only applies if it affects you in some way.  I certainly do believe that the Creator granted us all the freedom of speech, as he/she provided us all with a voice.  I suppose that was the purpose of it!  He/she also gave us the freedom to choose for ourselves, our own minds, our own cultural backgrounds.  Yet, there is still poverty, racism, and many people suffering all over the world.

I certainly realize that my points of views may be harsh or out of line, it is not my intention to offend any groups or cultures whatsoever.  Now, if you would care to share your views on the topic of censorship and freedom of speech, especially in China, why is it?

Sincerely,

Amazing Annie

via Saanich father who shook his infant son, causing debilitating injuries, is spared jail time.

I think it is appalling how the system works for different people and not for others.  I have to wonder if that person was a Caucasian, because confounded it  if that were to happen to an Aboriginal male, he would be put to jail and the children apprehended even from the mother for leaving her child in the care of a man who could do that to his infant child.  It makes me angry because that is a form of oppression that the non-native society uses for their own benefit at times.  If I sound prejudice and racist, I am not.  I have been oppressed most of my life by the government’s systems under the DIA and its regulations that continue to keep First Nations Peoples in a box.

I often ponder persons in society of non-native descent, and by that I mean Caucasian who give looks like I am a bug and need to be squished, don’t you consider yourself an educated person?  Then why do you get to judge me?  Why does so-called society get to judge First Nation Peoples and the way that they raise their children.  Wasn’t it the governments, and the so-called churches who taught First Nation children in residential schools how to parent? If you are an educated person reading this, you would know that children in residential schools were assimilated into Christianity.  Our children were not allowed to speak their own language or even allowed to associate with their own siblings while attending residential schools.  What rights did the Creator give those people who done this to our society, none.  A person I believe is granted the gift of a child and the rights to parent that child.  All the atrocities that occurred in residential school is still having an impact on First Nation Peoples in all areas, socially, economically.

I have learned throughout my life, if your gonna complain, meaning looking at the problems, at least have a suggestion for the problems.  That is solutions to the problems.  So for instance, rather than apprehending First Nation children, work with the families.  If there is violence, work with the family to keep them together, not in foster families.  Perhaps bring individuals to live in the home with the family to maintain the safety of the children.  Someone to support the individuals with alcohol and drug addictions.  I personally, have and continue on working on myself all  my life.  I believed that I was a dumb, drunken Indian most of my life.  I internalized that.  I am not and have not ever been dumb.  If I wasn’t dumb, then I am certainly not a drunk.  A light bulb came on for me, when I realized that for myself.  However, society can be harsh and quick to judge other cultures.   I realize that I have vered off onto different topics.  I have much to say on these topics.

Before residential schools and European contact, our societies were thriving and healthy.  We had our own governance and a good way of teaching our children respect about the land.  We don’t see that today, with the way Europeans have dominated the lands.  Now look at the globe, global warming has occurred because of the lack of respect for Mother Earth.  We all have  a part, I own my part, here I am on the computer.  I drive a vehicle, run down one that pollutes the air.  I use hydro and the whole shebang.  I was brought up in this society.  Now I choose to live this way.  I would love to learn to live the way my people lived, off the land, but those are rights we have to fight for.

Well, back to the topic, the judicial system works for those with money and persons with credible backgrounds.  I wonder what your thoughts are on the subject.  Who knows maybe he was First Nation?    I am learning how to  use this blog stuff and did not realize where my thoughts were gonna go.  

I certainly have no intentions of offending anyone, but would appreciate your views and thoughts.  Next time I will do my darndest to stay on track and stick to the same topic.

Sincerely,

Amazing Annie