Not Us vs. Them

It is not even about reducing barriers between Us and Them.

It is instead realising it is all Us. We are all Human, we are all in this together.

I was recently at a presentation for a local transition housing group that is attempting to establish itself on main street in our town. In the presentation a speaker from a very successful and historic homeless shelter from a nearby city came and shared the above thoughts.

He explained that it can be hard seeing the person doing drugs on the front doorstep of the homeless shelter as a person, or the person taking a dump on the sidewalk as someone like us, but that those people are very similar to us, largely just lacking in supports and basic needs (such as housing).

A big reason I am supporting the transitional housing on the main street of my town is the fact that it is there in everyone's sight, subtly expanding people's Bubbles, and perhaps it will encourage us to Just Try to even say hi to the other humans trying to live their lives, or maybe even Make the World a Better Place.

"We shame that guy for taking a dump on the side of the building, but we all are allowed to do that sort of thing in the privacy of our homes. It is a problem if people are struggling with an addiction in front of a business, but its not that big a deal if people are dealing with addictions at home."

• Paul Loewen, paraphrased, not exact quote (Sorry!).