GuelphToday received the following Letter to the Editor from reader Maggie Phelan, in regards to how Guelph treats its vulnerable.
I am writing regarding my concern for the increasing amount of anger and hate I have seen towards people experiencing unsheltered homelessness. I have witnessed this a lot in local Guelph social media groups as well as when reading many comments and recent letters written to Guelph Today.
It’s disheartening to read letters and posts of appreciation that the encampment has been dismantled leaving several members of our community displaced. Especially when the downtown community has just had several tragic losses of their community members. Folks are just trying to survive, going through a difficult time on their journey, that others know nothing about. I used to be a bit judgmental too years ago…until I became one of “them”. You never know how quickly your health can take a turn for the worse and addiction and homelessness can be a very unexpected reality. It’s really hard for others to understand who haven’t had to live it themselves, as with many things in life.
I'm grateful that when I was struggling I had caring community members in my circle that were non judgmental of my situation and personal challenges I was going through at the time. This did not at all in any way enable me, but encouraged me and gave me hope. Most people in these situations already feel absolutely awful about themselves, and have internalized stigma already. At the very least can we as a community start to be a bit more kind.
I understand people having both real and perceived threats of danger. This applies everywhere in today's society and will certainly not be eliminated downtown because of homes being removed. I can assure you that criminals live in houses too. These complex societal issues cannot be easily resolved, and I think in the meantime we can use our own discernment to do what we need to do to keep ourselves safe. People shouldn’t have to feel unsafe, but this can exist in many places around town!
It appears there needs to be a lot more public education about these matters. Fighting vulnerable people with discrimination and no real solutions is just going to further divide our community and therefore everyone will suffer. The language we use and care we show to the most vulnerable shapes our community and also shapes the next several generations that will live here.
We went through the same problem this time last year with the encampment being removed. Putting it “out of sight, out of mind” is not going to create permanent solutions for anyone. We need to pressure the government for affordable housing and housing subsidies for those that need them. We need increased social assistance rates. We need to advocate for more easily accessible wrap-around mental health and addictions supports that meet people where they are at. This will help our community as a whole be able to flourish. So many people have also came out of these struggles and now give back to their community in so many ways. I think that can also be forgotten! You never know when the tables could turn. Let's be kind!
Maggie Phelan,
Guelph
