Why all this homelessness !!!

Homelessness is a matter of concern anywhere in the world. However, it is a particular cause for alarm, concern and even shame when it occurs in the richest of the nations. Sadly, homelessness is a significant problem in most developed countries. Accurate statistics on the level of homelessness are hard to come by. In part, this is because definitions of homelessness vary. It includes not only tho...se who are living on the streets or in shelters and hostels but also those who are living in temporary accommodation or in housing that is unfit for human habitation.

 

Estimates of the number of people without homes in the United States vary from 230,000 to 3 million, including between 50,000 and 500,000 children. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development estimated in 1999 that "there are at least 600,000 homeless men, women, and children in the United States on any given night," adding that roughly one-third of this population is composed of families with children. In its 1997 position paper on eliminating homelessness, the American Public Health Association (APHA) noted that "as many as 7.4 percent of Americans (13.5 million people) may have experienced homelessness at some time in their lives."

 

Homelessness increased in the 1990s, and the fastest growing segment of the homeless population was homeless families. A wide variety of factors contribute to homelessness, but the main categories are: structural problems and individual factors that increase vulnerability. Structural problems include a lack of affordable housing, changes in the industrial economy leading to unemployment, inadequate income supports, the denstitutionalization of patients with mental health problems, and the erosion of family and social support. Added to this are factors that increase an individual's vulnerability, such as physical or mental illness, disability, substance abuse, domestic violence, or job loss. Reducing homelessness will mean addressing issues such as these. A little bit helps! Let us all join hands and together we will make a difference!! Shelter is a basic right!! We should fight to have a home just as we fight to have food and education. It is a human right that we should all feel morally obliged to demand from our societies. We can do it, one person at at time.

 

Join us. Invite your friend to join us to help one at a time to get a shelter, a safe place to lay their head. In the streets many children are exposed to abuse. Safe homes help alleviate abuse. Just saying.

 

WISO Associate

If only the abortion debate was about babies?

If the debate about abortion was about babies, I would certainly be on board. Who wants babies killed? I don’t think anyone in their right mind would want anyone destroying life unnecessarily. Life must be saved at all cost! Unfortunately, the abortion debate emerges out of serious concerns about health and morality. It is for this reason that before one dismisses this debate, it is a good idea to ponder question at the core of this discussion.  

First, it is true life is at the core of this debate. The question that needs to be asked is: whose life is at stake? Quite often anti- abortionists are persuasive in defending the life of the baby. As vulnerable potential human beings, babies’ lives must be protected. However, sometimes, the mother’s life may be at stake as well. In such a situation one is left wondering which life to protect: - the mother’s or the babies. This can be a very difficult decision, better left to the individuals affected.  

 Second, advocates of abortion have argued for cases such as pregnancies occurring through rape, incest, cases of moral abuse that concern us at WISO. Well, while we condemn all forms of abuse we do not endorse abortion as we feel this in another personal decision. We hope and advise that anyone who finds herself in a situation where pregnancy occurred during abuse – incest, rape or such abusive experience, the mother of the child makes the decision to give the child to foster care. However, we insist that this is a personal decision.

We however discourage abuse especially sexual assault and incest. If you witness, suspect any form of abuse, we advise that you call the cops or call this number.

Religion and culture has been cited often times in matters related to abortion.  As a professor of religion, I am aware that there are numerous ways of interpreting the scripture to justify certain forms of abuse – domestic violence, non-performance of abortions etcetera. As controversial as these questions are, it is important to know that they are about real life. The women affected are often our mothers, sisters, wives, and even daughters. Men who care would not let their women go through abuse.

 Each one of us needs to figure out what really matters! We would hope that social justice would be the principles that guide one’s decision Remembers to share and to hug a friend as this is one main ways of altering a situation.

 Do not forget to visit our Facebook and share your experience and of course our website at www.wiso2011.org to see how you can help change one life at a time. Until next time, help stop an abuse, as that will give you the greatest feeling in life. –

 Chao

WISO President.

 

Should Rapists be treated like murderers!!!

This is horrendous!!! It is time that rapists are held responsible in order to stop this recurring behavior. It is our responsibility as humans to discourage this behavior if we notice, hear about it or suspect something!Rapists are like murders because if the victim does not end up dying, her life is often ruined forever!! This unbecoming behavior speaks a lot about our moral decadence. when we get to that point where we condone horrendous behavior such as this, we need to realize that something is very wrong in our moral fabric. moral agents such as pastors, imams gurus and others, need to take this as a serious challenge to their responsibility.

I urge everyone to do something! Yes, even a phone call can save life. If you do not know what to do, give those of us the means to help educate various communities about abuse! Support us in any way you can - by sharing stories, experiences, and ways to stop this behavior. Go onto our face book and see how you can help. Our blog will begin a series of educational notes to help identify an abuser and how to get help. We are together in this and with your support, we can do a lot to reach a large community around the world. Your comments have been inspiring but we have to find ways of stopping horrendous forms of abuse that occur around the world. This poor girl did not have a chance!!! Our condolences go to her family. Read more here http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2306494/Rehtaeh-Parsons-Gang-rape-victim-17-kills-attackers-took-picture-assault-sent-classmates-branded-slut.html?ICO=most_read_module