this post was submitted on 12 Jan 2024
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step one: a little fucking empathy (slrpnk.net)
submitted 10 months ago by stabby_cicada@slrpnk.net to c/textsfromsolarpunk@slrpnk.net
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[–] conditional_soup@lemm.ee 13 points 10 months ago (2 children)

It's not just the cops. When I was full time as a paramedic, we got called for "man down" or "cardiac arrest" or "sick person" or whatever on homeless people all the time. So now, we have to go and wake this person up who just wants to be left tf alone and make sure they aren't actually dead or dying because they had the absolute gall to lie down where some dingus with a cell phone could see them. If you don't think the emergency healthcare system isn't also weaponized against the poor, you've got another think coming, it's just not nearly as overt as with the cops.

[–] millie@slrpnk.net 5 points 10 months ago

So one time I was homeless during the winter and it was below zero while I was stuck outside. I stuffed my jacket full of newspaper and hid out in a breezeway, but I wasn't sure I was going to make it through the night. It was really, really cold.

The first business that opened was a bagel shop, and it was still subzero when it did. I went in, sat down, and refused to leave. They threatened to call the cops, I told them to go ahead and threatened suicide so they'd PC me and bring me to the hospital. That happened. The ER gave me a warm bed for a few hours and fed me; probably saved my life, certainly my sanity.

I hope the last part of that story isn't a complete fluke. Getting warm shouldn't require a morbidly clever exploitation of the emergency medical system for the sake of survival. I certainly would have welcomed someone showing up hours earlier and offering me a warm bed.

Also the cop who kicked me out of the ATM I'd taken shelter in could have just, you know.. not.

[–] Five@slrpnk.net 4 points 10 months ago

Ambulance service is fucking expensive. This is part of the reason why "give all the homeless houses" is the cheaper solution.

[–] millie@slrpnk.net 12 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

I've lived on the sidewalk and dealt with the dehumanization involved in that. It's certainly ugly. But I've also seen people who are legitimately terrifying for good reason. Like, randomly pulling a knife in a Starbucks while arguing with someone who isn't there terrifying. Both of those situations require empathy, but the latter maybe also requires someone with a taser in case guy decides to get stabby. Personally, I'd rather that someone not be a cop, but the options are kind of slim in that department.

It's not all one or the other.

Pointing fingers at one another in outrage on the internet probably won't be the thing that helps though. Go buy somebody lunch.

[–] Kusimulkku@lemm.ee 6 points 10 months ago

Yeah I'm not giving anyone free pass on being threatening to others.

[–] schmorpel@slrpnk.net 5 points 10 months ago

I've traveled and lived on the streets and met my share of psychotic and/or very lost people. Can't say I've met outright dangerous people, most were quite decent. But a lot of posters from the third world country formerly known as US might have it way rougher on their streets than we have in Western Europe, I don't know that.

[–] Swedneck@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

looks like some people read this and took personal offense lol

[–] stabby_cicada@slrpnk.net 3 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

In a presumably leftist/anarchist Lenny instance, even.

It's fucking terrifying how many leftists have internalized the capitalist propaganda that unhoused people are inherently dangerous and that collusion with agents of state violence is necessary to protect us from them.

It's like veganism, really. It's sad how defensive people get when their feelings contradict their moral principles and they decide to put their feelings first.

[–] Kusimulkku@lemm.ee 1 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Nothing inherent about it. Where I live homeless people are often mentally ill addicts and that naturally brings unpredictability and danger to others. Being homeless isn't a free pass on being a danger to others. So calling cops seems entirely warranted if someone is being threatening or dangerous to others.