Thursday December 8, 2011, 7:58 am
Heard about this but reading it put tears in my eyes - we need to do this for everyone - just in my neighborhood alone there are empty homes - and I live in the poorest area of my town.

Thursday December 8, 2011, 8:45 am
Anything!

I still picture the abandoned dogs running after the family cars in which the children are
screaming and crying. Dad's face is set hard but still the tears are running down that
man's cheeks. Mom ihas Junior hugged close while she sobs.

Thursday December 8, 2011, 8:48 am
Hey, I think I got talent.

How can I use it?

I know.....Care2.

There, that strutting ego is funny, don't you think.
That's it, cheer up! We, guys got work to do.

Thursday December 8, 2011, 8:56 am

Just take the time to drive around neighborhoods beyond your own. Families that once made an affordable house a home. Empty houses filled with memories and it must stop! Think of what this is doing to the children, that is if you care about the children. What messages are we feeding them - for that matter what food are we feeding them, where are these jobless families turning for shelter?
Can we not put aside contrived political issues and join together as the voice of Americans? The only unity I care about is the unity of the citizens of this country, and the deep need to stop the callous attitudes in our so-called leaders. Far too many in Congress show little or no interest in the dire situations in this country, do we need a new party or just find REAL people to replace the useless bums that utter such patronizing statements that dare blame the victims of this Great Recession.

Thursday December 8, 2011, 9:17 am

We NEED to find real people to represent us

Thursday December 8, 2011, 9:19 am
The do-nothing RepublicanTs have blocked the head of the Consumer Protection Bureau. The work for the banksters.
How much more are they not going to do?

Friday December 9, 2011, 12:11 am
The article states, "The police's boss [would that be Bloomberg?] has $19.5 billion. He's got places to stay all over the world, luxury townhouses in the swankiest neighborhoods in the finest cities in the world and sprawling mansions in lush paradises in the tropics." Yes, I can see how he would be able to "empathize" with the homeless...

Friday December 9, 2011, 9:21 am
Really great story Kit. Thanks.

We do forget about the plight of working families who can't afford housing.

I can't imagine what some people are thinking. Are we going to see everyone homeless before something gets done?

Friday December 9, 2011, 9:31 am

Nah, Nancy not everyone. Just the useless, shiftless, lazy people who were fired and can't find work - or the work that pays enough to supply a family with food, shelter and clothing. As The Newt said, "take a bath and get a job..." Quick easy answers from a man that has grown wealthy by selling his seat in the House to the highest bidder.

Honest, deep concern for the many who are hungry and homeless is what is needed. Real jobs for real money, people seem so willing to refuse to see the real problems - not a deficit, not a phony budget debate, real live human beings with families in desperate need. Obama's job program may not be prefect but it is a beginning. As long as people can sit back and watch their HD/TV they will talk about how sad this is, but what if anything will they DO?

Friday December 9, 2011, 9:44 am
Unfortunately I have too many friends and family on the verge of lay-offs, knowing that they are too old and too overqualified for most jobs. As for me, I know that if I do lose my job, I would be virtually unemployable.

I also have had family that were homeless and understand how hard it is to stay clean when you have to use the McDonald's rest room.

Friday December 9, 2011, 9:51 am

What can you do to help? Go to your local town/city meetings and demand that shelters - real housing be offered for the homeless and that money be spent on the food banks. I think Nancy is far from the exception, most of us know someone that is now homeless and sadly just as people reach an age that they are really excellent that their profession, they are now labeled unemployable - but still too young for Social Security.

Ever noticed how many older, but functional motels just sit and are not used? How many buildings created for office space are empty? Why couldn't we house the homeless in these buildings?

Friday December 9, 2011, 9:57 am
My town already has a great Habitat for Humanity program. They also have homeless shelters that take families as well as one that take ANYONE (no screening for alcohol and drugs). Quite controversial but drunk people could certainly die overnight if out in the winter.

Friday December 9, 2011, 10:03 am

I would be curious to know how many towns like Nancy's have a decent situation for offering shelter and food for the homeless. That is without the phony - trumped up morality we see far too often.

Friday December 9, 2011, 10:10 am
"When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a Communist."
--Dom Helder Camara

This is a very small town but we have a great Food Bank - unlike Florida where groups were forbidden to feed the hungry in the parks and the homeless were often arrested....

Friday December 9, 2011, 10:25 am

I am actually not sure what the food situation is here, but at least they have a warm place to sleep in the winter.

I also remember the one restaurant, a pizza and sandwich place, that was open for maybe four hours on Thanksgiving and the food was free.

Friday December 9, 2011, 12:38 pm
I love Kit B!!! The "let them eat cake" mentality of these gluttonous suited jackals like Newt who sell not only political favors but their very souls and our lives to the highest bidder, sicken me. Anyone who thinks this knuckle dragger is a good candidate for the highest office in the land needs his or her head examined. How dare he generalize those that are down on their luck . . quiet as its kept that's the same stupid phrase that politicians used back in the day at war rallies by those who opposed the Viet Nam conflict. Except it was" cut your hair, take a bath and get a job" what an outdated moron.

Friday December 9, 2011, 3:44 pm
The homeless..why are they invisible to so many ...:(

Friday December 9, 2011, 4:59 pm
The banks ought to be helt accountable for their evil luring to make a buck and give people their homes back paid in full. Well said Pamela M and Kit B. Bravo....! Thank goodness for San Antonio. They have what they call Haven for Hope here for homeless which finds them a home, feeds them and trains them for jobs as well as other shelters here. Their are men, women and children homeless. We even have the Ronald McDonald House for mothers with kids who are homeless. I wish every city in the nation had simular to help the homeless.

Friday December 9, 2011, 6:44 pm
A Big Thanks to Kit for this article! Everyone should visit their local Occupation and offer their services; also donate whatever you can. Every Occupation will benefit from more "feet on the ground." Going down to my local one tomorrow. My family's now threatened with possible furlough in a couple months. (Keeping our fingers crossed it doesn't happen.) All of us need to stand up for our neighbors and communities whenever possible--there's strength in numbers. And it's just the right thing to do. Let's show The Powers That Be what the 99% really looks like.

Friday December 9, 2011, 7:01 pm

I love the comments here - now get out there and OCCUPY. On my first venture to OWS Dallas I my arm was still in a sling and one cop grabbed me by that arm however, two others pulled him off - some are just doing there job to help maintain the peace others are brutes. The more of us that show up, the more our voices are heard. Make noise, hold signs, put signs out in your yard or on your apartment, write, call (Congress and the president) and shout out how you feel.

Saturday December 10, 2011, 6:52 am
The homeless need support!

Saturday December 10, 2011, 7:29 am
Joh Hoy, that would be wonderful if there were more programs like that. It would also be wonderful if we had a system where everyone could have a roof over their head due to living wages and more affordable housing for those on social security.

As with so much, it is the people helping the people, we can see how much help the banks have given to the people, despite the fact they got help from the people via the Government, a Govt. that seems only to help the banks.

Saturday December 10, 2011, 7:41 am

As I have said before, this can and will only happen one community at time. Don't wait for the FEDs to come riding in as a Knight in shining amour to save the day. Get busy in your own community and make things happen.

I'm so proud of my own home-town of San Antonio, not just for the assistance to homeless, but for ending dependence on coal to become the first city to convert to all solar energy.

We - each of us are the Knights that will ride in for the rescue, only we can make it happen. Never give up and never give in!

Saturday December 10, 2011, 3:14 pm
There are empty houses in all of our neighborhoods or families in danger of being put on the street. What would Jesus do? I don't think he would stand at the door and wonder who worked hardest or saved the most. He would see an empty house and people who needed shelter. That is the bottom line here.

Saturday December 10, 2011, 3:50 pm
Great story. I believe this kind of support will be evident around the country, once people step back and reconsider the options. It all comes back to the idea of community. No one can stand idly by forever.

Sunday December 11, 2011, 2:17 am
Noted and read, thank you for sharing!

Sunday December 11, 2011, 6:32 am
If you think this is bad, Agenda 21 plans to take homeownership rights of everyone, this is just the beginning!

Sunday December 11, 2011, 10:05 am
We will hold down the fort !

Sunday December 11, 2011, 10:35 am
Occupy - And the truth shall make you free -

UC Davis Pepper Spray - What Really Happened (Click Here )

Sunday December 11, 2011, 1:34 pm
Don't waste your time with the above video, its not real.

Sunday December 11, 2011, 1:38 pm
And you know because .... ?

Sunday December 11, 2011, 2:20 pm
Camila, Thanks, I won't.

Sunday December 11, 2011, 2:42 pm
What is legal isn't always moral.

DANIEL ELLSBERG PEPPER SPRAYING IS POLICE TORTURE

Remember it was legal to shoot and kill the American Indians at one point. British colonial authorities offered £100 per Indian scalp – which adjusted for inflation would be about US $20,000 in present-day money. That was certainly incentive....do we know who is giving the Mayors and such incentive to pepper spray?

Sunday December 11, 2011, 3:06 pm
Very true Dandelion.

Sunday December 11, 2011, 5:06 pm
Bravo Dandlelion....!

Sunday December 11, 2011, 6:04 pm
Thank you, Kit. I think this part of the OWS movement will continue to grow and they are joined by other orgs like ACCE and CPI in this fight. I have joined these two groups as well and by doing so have added to the actions taken in San Diego City Council meetings as a rep of MoveOn. There are many ways to get involved locally. One thing ACCE and CPI are doing is trying to get a measure passed that will fine the banks S10,000 a day, if the empty homes are not maintained and protected. This is being done in many other cities in CA and it has passed in many of them. This appeals to the cash strapped municipalities as it costs them a lot of money in police and fire departments when the banks just kick people out and leave the homes to rot and attract squatters that use them to house drug and prostitution rings. The real hope it to deter banks from foreclosing at all because it will be cheaper to let people stay and maintain the homes. Of course, as the banks probably get a nice juicy tax write off for the losses on these mortgages and get to resell for cash from land speculators...we'll see. Yes, it's quite a scam, fool people into these mortgages, bet against them, then when it all come crashing down, get bailed out, take tax losses, foreclose and get the house back to resell.

And meanwhile, as Dandelion's great post of an interview with Daniel Ellsberg says, peaceful protesters are brutalized and arrested while these criminals face no prosecution. In fact, they sit in their cushy offices and make more bonuses!

Thanks again< Kit! "We - each of us are the Knights that will ride in for the rescue, only we can make it happen. Never give up and never give in!"