^Culture
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Clackamas Print
3
tiers to the editor: Homeless people and election
)B|
Editors: In response to “Homeless” May 13,2009.
Editors:
Had Lydia Bashaw’s article on “Homeless find ref-
I personally have never seen homeless people on
H Clackamas.” I find it very discomforting that we
the CCC campus, but of course that doesn’t mean
I read your article
on the Associated Stu
¡Homeless people living in the same area that stu-
they don’t exist.
dent
Government’s
Hand stal l walk or jog through. In my opinion, we
Though living on a public capipus may give a
H ha\ e been notified about this sooner!
¿Hjn't blame them for wanting to stay here, but our
small amount of comfort to these people, I believe
they should be allowed to stay conditionally.
jJHis isn ’t a hotel. As a community, it’s our job to set
To the average person, many “homeless” people
^Be kind of safe house for them; it would keep them
^■streets and our campus safe.
push themselves into thè public eye through beg
place.
ging on highways all day.
do not believe I would
have voted if I were
■
If they can stand that
long, they should be able to get some sort of job.
h
the matter and that some of them are disabled.
)^By Grahn
I understand that some people have no choice in
I
believe if a homeless person living on campus is not
H
responding to the article “Homeless find ref
loat Clackamas,” from the May 13,2009, edition of
election.
I was one
of those students who
was not aware that
this election had taken
Furthermore, I
aware that an election
was taking place. This
is mainly due to the
begging or being disruptive, they should be free to
fact that I do not know
come and go as they please.
what the candidates,
once elected, will do
^^Clackamas Print.
Emerald Baldwin
for the campus.
^Bntil reading this article, I had never questioned
student
However, I would
be willing to cast a
¡■safety of this campus. Don’t get me wrong, I am
^Bitive towards the homeless and on one hand am
■l that some have found safety here. However, it
vote and encourage
others to do so if I
d^Bommon knowledge that homelessness is often a
Hilt of drug use and other crime. This worries me.
were better informed
of the benefits casting
Hs much as I’d like to have complete faith in human-
a vote would make. I
eHl ha\ e to question what might be stopping these
^Bants from harming myself or another student for
encourage
students
who take their candi
^Htle money or food? I’m sure hunger could drive
dacy seriously to in
form other students
Hie to desperation, so in my opinion die homeless
^Bld not be given much trust.
why they would make
good leaders. This can
^Bowever, I certainly hope that there is something
be achieved by. set
CCC can do to help these people. Perhaps do-
■g food that is slightly past the sell-by date or un-
^Bied lost clothing? Maybe if we take care of them,
ting up a booth dur
ing high-student traffic
times and speaking out
to students. Another
^Bssue of possible violence or crime can be handled
^Bre it begins.
possibility would be
for candidates to speak
■mi Forquer
with teachers and ask
them to get involved
by handing out flyers
■ident
■responding to “ASG elections show low student
Iment at Clackamas,” by John Hurlburt I was in-
at the end of class with
informative pieces de
tailing why elections
■ on how small the turnout for the ASG election
are important.
No one candidate received more than 55 votes.
|e this might be a big deal, but to me it is not. I
Maurisa Bernardo
both Alyssa and Bailee personally. Both of the
student
lend more time at CCC then any student taking 24
lor any instructor teaching five classes day. They
an excellent job as president and vice president.
e Belmont
Editors:
I write to you regarding the article dealing with the homeless at CCC in the May 13 Print
I feel that news stories today focus on the negative side of life. This article on the homeless is
responding to the May 13 article about “the homeless”
pus. I think that it is wrong for us to take away the
of those individuals who are without homes by tum-
m into an impersonal “thing;” we group them as “the
less” instead of recognizing that they are unique individ-
o are without homes. Who knows? Under different
ces, it could be you, me or your little cousin who
hing for a meal, or a place to lay their heads. With the
t economy, many people are turned onto the streets not
users or criminals.
think it is sad that these people are without homes and
to use our campus. If you’re worried to give them mon-.
use you think they will use it to buy drugs or alcohol,
pem a bag ofgroceries! If you can’t afford to do that, you
[atbare minimum, provide a kind smile.
ifer Rodrigues, student
just another example.
To me homeless people on the CCC campus is a frightening aspect, due to the unpredictability
of Portland’s homeless population. Most homeless have reached rock bottom and will do anything
to fillfill basic needs.
This doesn’t mean that I don’t feel pity or sadness when seeing and hearing these individual’s
stories. What I feel is really needed for these people is help, not an article showing the lackofhu-
manity people have for each other. Why write an article when you could simply ask the person if
they needed directions or assistance to the nearest homeless shelter?
What real ly hits home with the article is that you see parts of yourself in these people. This story
reflects the idea of giving up, when life kicks you down just drown in self pity.
Kelly Fitzgerald
student
Anyone is welcome to respond to any content published in The Clackamas Print. Anony
mous letters will not be printed. Send letters by e-mail to chiefed@clackamas.edu or deliver
them to Roger Rook 135. Letters may be edited for clarity and space.