Editor:
I was underwhelmed by the lazy article on the Jan. 3 cover announcing the "unfortunate reality" of homelessness in Cortez. I can assure you that homelessness is a much more unfortunate reality for the homeless than it is for the city of Cortez and its aghast citizenry. Michael Maresh's article was so shallow as to deny the homeless even the basic courtesy of an interview. What does Stormy John have to say? All we get is condescending speculation from the Chamber of Commerce as to why the homeless may be unable to socialize themselves.
I was homeless myself for a month last year and I can say with confidence that the cause of my homelessness was a non-existent job market coupled to our local hyper-inflated real estate market. There is almost no affordable housing in Montezuma County, for the reason that wages are so low compared to the price of real estate (and by extension, rent). And here I am, a white, college-educated male.
Imagine then the outlook for a homeless Native female, genetically predisposed to alcohol addiction, facing the condescension of the racially-queasy local elites such as the Chamber of Commerce. Why bother?
Yes, homelessness is an unfortunate reality for millions of people, and the unfortunate solution is social programs that help people cope with the lousy hands they were dealt.
What we do not need is a community that vomits at the sight of homeless people.
Ole Bye
Mancos
Via CortezJournal.com