Just recently, my cousin was on her way to a midterm exam when she was viciously con- fronted by a homeless woman. Because we live on West Johnson Street, a one-way street, my cousin often takes her moped down the sidewalk to find a more convenient path to work and classes. This time, my cousin drew close to two homeless bystanders and asked them kindly if they might move slightly so she could get through. Instead of agreeing to these simple terms, the female she had questioned gripped the handlebars of the moped, refusing to let my cousin move, and stated that if she had been hit, she would have sued.
Of course, my cousin had no intention of hitting the woman and had only asked for the extra room to ensure that such a scenario did not happen. All too often, this seems to be the case in Madison. Students take extra measures to give the rising homeless population their space and are rewarded with grief and guilt for not doing enough to better their state of living. It is difficult to count the numerous times I have been asked to \spare a quarter"" or ""share change for soup,"" and was badgered by vagabonds and forced to listen to their tales of woe belligerently detailing how they ended up in their uneviable state.
I am aware these stories have some truth to them, that people might truly have been the victims of unlucky situations leading to their poverty. What I don't understand is the lack of effort these people put forth to change their luck. While some poverty-stricken citizens obtain jobs but don't make enough to get by, these people also rarely rely on Madison students for provisions. This can be plainly seen on the faces of the homeless on Madison's streets, migrating from street corner to street corner by day and by night, never showing evidence of positive involvement in the community.
Some of Madison's homeless spend the majority of their time in shelters or homes, but they find these locations to be such convenient services that they lose the motivation to find anything better and to take pride in a work ethic that might be self-rewarding. In confronting the issue of the rising number of homeless individuals, UW-Madison students are often encouraged to put more time into soup kitchens or to become involved in county meetings that will discuss the disadvantages of these citizens.
What I find particularly daunting is that we are expected to add these activities into our already demanding schedules, but the homeless will still do nothing all day long while we work to improve their world.
I also find it odd that one of the most common symptoms attributed to poverty is eviction due to high-cost housing in the Madison area. While I too wish my monthly rent were lower, I somehow find a way to manage while attending school, writing for The Daily Cardinal and maintaining a part-time job. In this respect, I have little sympathy for those who believe I will spare my last hard-earned dollar for a stranger I do not know and cannot trust to use it in a beneficial manner.
I agree that some members of society living in poverty might truly make an effort to get their feet back on the ground or even to provide a service to community, such as the number of musicians who display outstanding talent, both vocally and instrumentally. However, there are few instances of such well intentioned behavior. Beyond the annoyance, there exists an underlying fear, especially when situations like the one my cousin encountered, begin to take place all too close to home. If the homeless want us to give back so non-discreetly to the community, perhaps their first step should be to consider what exactly they have given to us.
