IGNORANCE DIRECTED AT HOMELESS
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posted by Bob at Wednesday, February 21, 2007
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Wednesday, February 21, 2007
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Conscience is the light of the Soul that burns within the chambers of our psychological heart. It is as real as life is. It raises the voice in protest whenever anything is thought of or done contrary to the righteousness. Conscience is a form of truth that has been transferred through our genetic stock in the form of the knowledge of our own acts and feelings as right or wrong. A virtuous and courageous person can alone use the instrument of conscience. He or she can alone hear the inner voice of the soul clearly. In a wicked person this faculty is absent. The sensitive nature of his / her conscience has been destroyed by sin or corruption. Hence he or she is unable to discriminate right from wrong. Those who are leading organizations, business enterprises, institutions and governments should develop this virtue of the ability to use their own conscience. This wisdom of using the clean conscience will enable them to enjoy the freedom.
Dr APJ Kalam, President of India given during the inauguration of the seminar on “THE EFFECTS OF CORRUPTION ON GOOD GOVERNANCE AND HUMAN RIGHTS
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23 Comments:
Official under fire for remarks on homeless
Commissioner Bill Pulkrabek said he isn't backing down from his suggestion to bus them out of Washington County.
By Darlene Prois, Star Tribune
Last update: February 20, 2007 – 8:03
A commissioner's statements that Washington County would be better off busing homeless people out of the county than funding a housing coordinator position is riling tempers.
Bill Pulkrabek, who represents Oakdale and Lake Elmo, admits that he also called some homeless people "jackasses," but he insists that the Woodbury Bulletin, which printed his comments as part of a news story last week, quoted him out of context.
In a story about a Feb. 6 County Board meeting, the newspaper reported that Pulkrabek said that Washington County's homeless problem was grossly overstated and that many homeless people were in that position because of their own bad behavior.
The day after the story appeared, constituents peppered Pulkrabek and the paper with telephone calls and e-mails. Some agreed, but many didn't.
Pulkrabek said this week he's not backing down. The quotes, he said, are "sort of, but not entirely" accurate.
He said that he used the derogatory term but that he was referring to homeless people "who have clearly demonstrated bad history in their behavior, doing things like using and distributing drugs and refusing to pay their rent. These are bad neighbors."
Pulkrabek also admits that he said that the county would be better off "spending $53,045 on one-way bus tickets" rather than on the county housing coordinator's salary. And he knows exactly where he'd send the bus.
"To Ramsey County," he said, with a laugh. "I like to pick on Ramsey County. We joust back and forth."
Other commissioners didn't find Pulkrabek's remarks entertaining.
"Absolutely not," said board Chairman Gary Kriesel. "We approved the [county housing coordinator] position by a vote of 4 to 1. His comments do not reflect the opinion of the County Board."
Pulkrabek's comment about one-way bus tickets appalled Michael Dahl, executive director of the Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless.
"We used to call that 'Greyhound therapy,' getting rid of the homeless in your own community by shipping them somewhere else," Dahl said. "But the best place for people to get help is in their own community, and local housing coordinators know the resources."
Last year, Washington County's housing coordinator worked with 326 individuals and families experiencing housing crises such as mortgage foreclosure, eviction, or an inability to find or pay for housing. More than a third had no permanent residence or address, said Daniel J. Papin, the county's director of community services.
Dahl said he has heard from a dozen people outraged over Pulkrabek's remarks.
"Are there people who make bad decisions, are there bad eggs?" said Dahl. "Certainly. That's not unique to the homeless population. Some homeless have medical issues that would put them into the bad actor category by someone who doesn't know much better. But they're ill. We ought to do our best to help them succeed rather than ignoring the problem."
Darlene Prois • 612-673-4280 • dprois@startribune.com
Quote Bill Pulkrabek- To Ramsey County," he said, with a laugh. "I like to pick on Ramsey County. We joust back and forth."
Bob- Well Bill I'd like to know the names of all the people in Ramsey County who you have conferred with that share your opinion.
I feel it is important to know who runs our City governments through eyes of ignorant prejudice.
Folks, I will send out the usual invitations to this fella and others in Washington County and let them know they are a matter of public discussion.
Washington County is getting so many homeless because Saint Paul is running them out of Town.
Pulbrack(Republican)destroyed 2 of cherylhylar.blogspot.com bldgs reducing to poverty further alicekrengel.blogspot Dakota Co many others:
Bobby Thanks for having St. Paul City Council stalled the LIEP bldg Code until 14Mar07
Hopefully the Office and its employees must be abolished.
It's all about MONEY!
You folks are real funny. Bill should have said ship them to Chicago - God knows we get enough of their trash here.
I, personally, am in favor of euthanizing the homeless. God, they are a pain in the ass and really mess up the groovy look of Saint Paul. That doesn't even take in the smell when you get close.
Hey - maybe we put them in some of those vacant houses. Then the landlords would have someone to keep them up - ha ha!
Finally you go after a Republican. This guy is a major republican activist who was part of Bachmann's campaign.
Yep. Its true, they suck too.
This is a very sad story of some selfish people that are in a position that they recieved from the citizens by being voted in. How anyone can speak of another humans life and well being like they aren't worth anything is a disgrace. There are plenty of grants and funding available for programs to educate and treat these homeless individuals so that they may also have a life and future to look forward to.
I am sorry but this Bill Pulkrabek should lose his postion for making statements such as those, I understand where he is coming from when he states that; "To Ramsey County," he said, with a laugh. "I like to pick on Ramsey County. We joust back and forth." That is the same feelings much of Ramsey Co. has for people that are going through some tough times in their life. There feelings are why help them if you can get rid of them.
The more I read the worse it gets, I never realized people could be so cold blooded on another humans life.
Nancy
LEST YE BE JUDGED
I WONDER, AS YOU SIT THERE
ALL RIGHTEOUS IN YOUR OWN MIND
IF I BEGIN TO DIG UP YOUR PAST
WHAT DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS WILL I FIND
SHALL WE TAKE A LOOK TO THE PAST
IN YOUR CLOSET ARE SO MANY SKELETAL REMAINS
A SOAPBOX HOUSE OF CARDS AND GLASS
SO DON'T THROW STONES AT THE WINDOWPANES
WHO ARE YOU TO SIT IN JUDGEMENT OF OTHERS
WHO DIED AND MADE YOU ALMIGHTY GOD
LET HE WHO HATH NO SIN CAST THE FIRST STONE
IT'S CERTAINLY NOT YOU.....
THE MIRROR BECKONS FOR YOU TO COME LOOK
AND SEE THAT YOUR REPUTATION IS SMUDGED
SO DO AS YOUR GOOD BOOK TELLS YOU TO
AND JUDGE NOT LEST YE BE JUDGED.....................................
Whatsoever you do to the least of my children.....
He's the one Judge and His Judgment will be swift and severe.
3:55 P. M.
This sounds like the work of Andy H. on 7th.
I think he is still down in the caves under Schmidt's.
We all have skeletal remains, some more than others.
It would be interesting to see what is in Jay's, Kathy's, Lee's and Dave's closets. Old Dr. Bones will be very busy. You see St. Paul is a small town with a big memory.
I would venture to say that most of the people that post here have some skeletons in their closets. The only difference is we will fess up about them and not hide from them because we have learned from our mistakes and moved on to become better people....unlike some at other forums who want to pretend they are something they're not.
You guys here really got penis-envy with e-democracy, don't you?
3:55 doesn't like the truth to be told.
When there is a fire in a theater I don't care if a child rapist yells fire!
The results will be the same, everyone will run for the door.
And run for the door they did! I used to read Edem all the time. No more though, there's never anything interesting going on, just a bunch of stuffy people trying to impress each other. I don't have a penis either!
Who ever posted this about
E democracy
>You guys here really got penis-envy with e-democracy, don't you?
You have a envy over
Susan Kimberiy,
who has has his penis removed.
St.Paul has to many people running their town with No Balls.
We call them and the so called lady's something else.
Anonymous said...
9:38 PM
9:38 PM, it's not polite to peak. Go report back on the stealth of the players here.
I don't have "one" either but, doesn't the size of that along with your mind and heart have nothing to do with how you use it?
Back to the subject at hand- if Ramsey County pushes them off on Washington County, Washington County pushes them back to Ramsey County or else where. These people keep getting moved around probably committing crimes out of desparation here and there.
This is not responsible governing. It isn't humane either. Some of you people in government care about your pets more than a fellow man.
3:55's poetry was directed at Bill Pulkrabek, it is him that is judging people when he should be judging himself and his statements, I am also sure he has his own skeletons kept in his secret life.
The City should be doing much more in providing leadership and support for agencies that work on helping the homeless. Many folks who are homeless are afflicted with extreme poverty or/and mental illness. Nonprofits should collaborate more to bolster their case management in promoting treatment for the mentally ill, as well as linking folks who are able to work to pathways to jobs that pay living wages.
Nancy
As often reiterated through learning about the functions of our American government and its Constitutional foundations, democracy in its' true sense means a system of government in which all its' citizens have relatively equal power to influence the decisions that are made on their behalf. In order to achieve this equal power, all must participate in this decision-making process through voting (and other actions), be well-informed with truthful information pertaining to the decision(s) at hand, and understand how the system works.
Plutocracy, on the other hand, is not a common word in our American society or even our class for that matter. It connotes a system of government rule by and for the rich. The vast majority of citizens thus have very little clout towards this system reflecting their interests. Perhaps that is why the word is relatively unknown by the majority of citizens, as it runs so contrary to the picture we have been given of an equal society in which we are all given a fair shake. However, after looking into current and historical U.S. government policies, I have concluded (in less than absolute terms) that our society is closer to a plutocracy than a democracy.
Historically, the establishment of our Constitution in 1787 was based on the Federalists' mistrust of the common citizens perceived "passion" and "selfishness". If "simple majority rule prevailed, nothing would stop this mass from taking away the rights or the property of the minority", i.e. the rich landowners (and their own selfish interests, if I may say). In place of direct majority rule, the masses were to be given "elite representatives, likely to be drawn from the wisest and most virtuous segment of society", themselves somehow immune to the illogical, selfish plague that affects the masses. Should these representatives "go astray, other elites would check them through the ingenious constitutional system of checks and balances", but only other elites. So only the rich could check the rich. Somehow that doesn't endear me to believe that everyone's interests would be represented, as democracy promises. Along those same lines, it was only white male landowners (i.e. those with money) who had the right to vote.
However, it should be noted that with the Declaration of Independence 11 years prior, which declared that "all men are created equal" and that all humans have the inalienable right to alter or abolish unjust governments, an ideological high ground had been set which lay the groundwork for later social movements and Constitutional Amendments that lead us closer to a real democracy. Such Amendments gave Women, Blacks, and young people the right to vote. This ideology significantly inspired big popular democratic movements that brought about the end of slavery, the advent of workers' rights and civil rights, the improved accessibility of a quality education, and the establishment of environmental protections. Although the ideology was promoted through this Government document, the actual blood, sweat and tears to bring this ideology to life has almost always come from its everyday citizens, who, through hardship and perseverance, have pressured the government and its wealthy benefactors to cede these "inalienable rights" to the masses. A good example of this was President Johnson's War on Poverty, which, as a response to the civil rights movement and unrest in the 1960s, gave money and essential resources to low-income community groups in an attempt to empower them to improve their conditions. (Ironically much of this money and control of it became tied up in local economic elites like mayoral administrations and "poor people were never really given the power to run their own programs"- quite a sad example of plutocracy's quasi-shift of power from have to have-not, right back to the haves...)
One major factor that lends me to believe the U.S. is closer to a plutocracy is our government's cozy relationship with corporations. "Corporations are excellent guises behind which to exploit humanity for profit. Corporations are not people; they are groups of people who as a collective whole are incapable of possessing personal politics, morals, and close contact with the people and/or environments they are exploiting. This structure enables the corporation to engage in morally abhorrent activities that few individuals could on their own. Corporations in the U.S., thanks to some careful intellectual tweaking of the Fourteenth Amendment through the Supreme Court, have the legal rights of individuals." "Individuals" with LOTS of money.
Money buys influence in government. Corporations can throw money at politicians to help them get elected. Our elected officials need money in order to run an effective campaign and win office, so they usually accept it. Once elected, they are practically obligated to represent these wealthy special interests (at the expense of the rest of us) by supporting legislation favorable to them- that is, if they want to preserve their political careers. Politicians are thus unaccountable to the majority of voters. The corporations they effectively represent can easily get away with laying off thousands of workers (while taxpayers foot the bill for associated costs of these actions) as mergers and acquisitions give their CEOs and shareholders record profits. As this type of activity happens again and again without government regulation, the gap between the wealthiest and the poorest in our society continues to grow. This growing income inequality reinforces whose voice is listened to and whose is not. It gives the rich way too much influence on our leaders.
An example of the type of fallout we are currently facing because of this is the repeal of the Estate Tax. The result of this repeal and other tax cuts has been a whopping tax savings for the super wealthy and relative crumbs for the bottom income groups in our country. With less tax revenue available and an expensive, seemingly never-ending war in Iraq on the budget, many social services, education, and housing are being cut. This disproportionally affects the have-nots and middle class, whereas the rich can afford these privileges, which should really be RIGHTS for all. Until there is another popular democratic mass movement to demand these rights, plutocracy is winning in America.
Further examples of a government by and for the rich are illustrated by:
*the mostly lower class representation in our armed forces, dying every day for the economic interests of our rich. How many family members of politicians or CEOs are fighting in Iraq right now?
*the extraordinary expansion of the U.S. prison system, which has multiplied its incarceration levels by 4 times over the last 25 years (mostly for drug-related offenses). It is the only growing "public housing" and the only expanding "public-sector employment", i.e. IT IS BIG BUSINESS. We now have the morbid distinction of being the #1 incarcerator in the world, and the numbers keep growing at an exponential growth. The majority of those incarcerated are poor and people of color (as of 1996 Blacks represented 13% of the U.S. population yet accounted for 54% of those behind bars). Perhaps the worst part about it is the lack of true rehabilitation alternatives for those caught in the system. Our political leaders have passed legislation that virtually eliminates education and vocational trainings in the vast majority of prisons and penitentiaries. Thus where are the tools to leave as a better person and avoid getting in trouble again?
*the increasing concentration of Media ownership in the hands of super rich individuals and corporations, effectively selecting what they consider worthwhile or not to report, affecting the public's ability to access balanced, unbiased information, a cornerstone of any true democracy...
But in St Paul we have a system that is ruled "by and for" the stupid. What do you call that?
Why is anyone shocked? He is a republican who was on Michelle Bachmann's campaign as well as a candidate for GOP Chair against the guy he helped win a couple of years ago.
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