Freebird Ruins it for Everyone

Throughout American history, there has been a romantic fixation with freedom. Whether its the cowboys of the open range or depression-era hobos riding the rails, or the fictional Jack Kerouac crisscrossing the nation, there is a sense of freedom associated with traveling unencumbered. Have we learned absolutely nothing from Lynyrd Skynyrd (well...maybe that's a good thing)?

No obligations or rules; nothing to hamper a person's independence. It sounds adventurous, exotic, and even a bit thrilling. To live on one’s own, outside, and disconnected from monthly rent, job responsibilities, utilities, banking, credit cards, and car payments. Some people – perhaps loaded down with debt or with debt or with too much of life’s responsibilities – dream of living “off-the-grid”. Others just want to travel for a year or so to exotic lands, with only a limited amount of possessions on their backs. Basically, your world resembles Shaggy living the good life in the Mystery Machine without having to deal with Fred and the rest of the gang.

These are people who are are living on our streets because they like the off-the-grid life. They live in beat-up old vans or in tents tucked away from society. They eat at soup kitchens, bathe in public restrooms, and panhandle at freeway off-ramps. At night, they tuck themselves into their bedding, away from electricity, television, and anything linked to responsible living. These people are not homeless, they are "home-free," and there needs to be a clear distinction between these two ideas.

Unfortunately, these modern-day “hobos” reinforce a negative stereotype of people who are actually homeless. People confuse homeless and home-free people, and characterize the former as lazy, irresponsible, and a nuisance because they cannot draw a distinction between the two. Those who continuously and intentionally live this lifestyle give homelessness a bad rap.

Imagine having a chronic illness with no one to help you. You can’t work or pay rent; eventually, you end up on the streets. It would be disempowering to be called lazy or irresponsible just because you are homeless. Those who are truly homeless do not embrace such a lifestyle willingly and for the sake of living free and not because they are irresponsible.

Isn't it really society who is the irresponsible party? We let men and women who fight in our wars end up on the streets. We let kids who endure years and years of foster care with loveless families live in alleys or abandoned buildings. So is the case with women encountering domestic violence and seniors struggling with mental health issues.

We live in an irresponsible society.

Clearly, we should not confuse those who embrace a home-free life with those who are homeless. If they want to spend the next few years of their lives traveling through the developing world with a backpack and hiking boots, let them. Perhaps they will find themselves and return home to responsible living. But is does an in incredible amount of damage when those who are homeless are lumped into the same category. There is a marked difference between lounging on the coast in a VW van and huddling in a sleeping bag in an alley because there is no housing available.

Those who are home-free should not be camping out in front of residences or harassing customers patronizing businesses. We should not be wasting the resources of law enforcement, first responders, and frankly, homeless services for people who simply choose to live off-the-grid.

But for those who are truly homeless — whether they want help or have such difficult barriers that they do not know they need help — we, as a society, should do everything we can to get them housed. When you support Samaritan House, you play a significant role in affecting change in the lives of those who are homeless and have no place left to go. You help us keep out lights and heat on. You allow us to feed and clothe people who are doing everything possible to escape the cycle of homelessness.

Most importantly, assisting the homeless means providing enough affordable housing, and for those who struggle with personal barriers – supportive housing, for every person who is homeless.

Because, to me, home-free means providing affordable housing for all.