Amherst Police and Fire personnel tend to Christopher Lynch this evening, one of about a half dozen of the homeless who frequents the downtown, drinks too much, then falls down and cannot get up.
Let's call it what it really is he's a drunking bum. Their like pigeons you keep feeding them and they keep coming back drunker than ever. There are a small percentage that are down on their luck but a mass majority are worthless bums that need to sober up and stop being an eye sore.
He is a drunk. He's also a vet. He says he drinks mostly for the pain. That would be the pain in his missing leg. I think he has a new prosthesis, not sure.
Has anyone (i.e. select board, town manager) noticed what is going on in downtown amherst? Seems like a lot more incidents involving homeless people - problems with businesses (the haircutter, the liquor store, etc) and harrassment. I am getting more and more wary when I am downtown.
Don't worry, the new homeless shelter will send them to the north end of town. There's two package stores within stumbling distance. Also a bar across the street.
@7:56 you're not the only one getting wary. We were downtown mid afternoon the other day and two of the regulars were running around in traffic shirtless, screaming f-bombs, etc. Saw a family obviously from out of town (college visit probably) and they looked shocked. Great image for Amherst to present.
Anon. 8:44 please drop the smug righteousness. You want 'em in your backyard? Good, start building a shelter.
No. That's the problem, we built a shelter, and they came....
These guys are not from here, they are not our down-on-their-luck neighbors. They are professional addicts and panhandlers who come here for the easy pickings and the lovely shelter.
I am also a parent who is now concerned about letting my 13 year old daughter walk up town for a frozen yogurt.
The police reports tell the tale of verbal abuse, harassment, drunkenness, public urination, lewdness, sleeping in bushes,ATMs, doorways, etc.
Shut down the shelter and they will all go back to Springfield!!!
I think it is time we start calling these folk what they are: BUMS. If UMass isn't friendly to veterans, and it well may not be, that is another thing, but they are supposed to have opportunities and it is their own damn fault for not taking advantage of them!
And how many of these so-called veterans actually ARE? Remember the guy Clinton authorized to be buried in Arlington until the pressure got too hot for even BillyBoy?
UMass is the greatest home to veterans. Amherst College is too high brow, Hampshire College is too peace-nik, and the town of Amherst is so open minded their brains fell out years ago. UMass is the institute picking up the slack when it comes to education, including veterans. What other school has ROTC? What other school has a veteran only club? What other school performs honor ceremonies?
This is why as a UM student we hated Amherst. The knee-jerk reaction by the locals that we are all the same...
I must say I am appalled by the lack of understanding and compassion shown by many of the prior entries. These comments demonstrate only ignorance about substance abuse and addiction as well as mental health issues.
Instead of condemning these individuals, perhaps it would be more productive to pitch in and volunteer to help them or, perish the thought, go after the root causes such as poverty, trauma, etc.
But, perhaps that's too much to ask as it actually requires some of the compassion missing here.
Anonymous said... Don't worry, the new homeless shelter will send them to the north end of town. There's two package stores within stumbling distance. Also a bar across the street
The Survival Center is not planning to be a shelter- is it?
I must say I am appalled by the lack of understanding and compassion shown by many of the prior entries. These comments demonstrate only ignorance about substance abuse and addiction as well as mental health issues.
I must say I am disgusted by schmucks who take the "ignorance" and "lack of compassion" route. Screw you!
Do you have any idea what other people have dealt with -- and how much easier it would have been for them to have gone the "oh, poor me" route? Do you have any idea how much you are INSULTING them with this stuff?
I am disgusted by people like you -- and YOU are part of the problem. Yes, you want to have a dependent population to justify your jobs and taxpayer-paid largess but you actually are part of the problem.
The middle is not going to hold much longer -- and some of us aren't all that far from the Chinese solution to substance abuse -- China did end its Opium problem, didn't they????
If he really was in Vietnam, it was more than 40 years ago. That is four decades to get his act together, to find some cure for "the pain" and the rest.
At this point, I think involuntary commitment to a locked ward is the solution. Clean up your act or we lock you up.
Or euthanasia. That's what we will be seeing a LOT of under Obamacare, lets just start early...
These guys are bums. And the only reason they're here is the shelter. Close it, and they'll follow each other to the next stupid town that allows their bad behavior. You people who make excuses for them embarrass the vets who come back, wounded or not, and are productive citizens. These guys are bums. Give them a one way bus ticket to Springfield.
a person can be compassionate to addicts and homeless people and still be concerned about being safe downtown and the safety of their children. both problems need to be addressed.
Chris Lynch is NOT a veteran. That is a LIE he tells people to buy him (drum roll) BOOZE!! He actually lost his leg in a motorcyle accident years ago. Dude never served.
Are you serious? You are recommending murdering homeless people (euthanasia) so that you have have your quaint, little sleepy village?
Most of you folks seem to be sick, petty, ignorant and selfish. You're the ones who should be "locked up." These bums are the only diversity we have in this whitebread town!
Yeah,so according to many of the posters on this site,homeless people are nothing but sub humans. Many of these people had a life at one time. Things happened to them,their mind,etc etc. Can you imagine all of the vitriolic hate that you spew at these people. I volunteered there several times and met some very good people that stayed there. They are not Subhuman "Bums" and Derelicts as you describe. They do not utter poor me,poor me over and over again. Many of the older guys at one time had lives. The poster who said let us put an end to this garbage. What does that mean? Exterminate Homeless People?Are you entertained when you see videos of people beating and burning and killing homeless people on the Internet? Please,explain to me what you mean. To these posters,you are,in a word,sick and scary people. Because someone does not posess the same things as you do or might have lost their mind does not make them any less human than you are. F----k you. You make me vomit. You are Evil.
LOVE IT WHEN NARCISSCISTIC DECENDENTS OF THOSE WHO MAKE VETS HOMELESS ARE RUDE INSENSITIVE AND CANT USE THEIR REAL NAMES MAKING SUCH STATEMENTS .. WEAK
Let's call it what it really is he's a drunking bum. Their like pigeons you keep feeding them and they keep coming back drunker than ever. There are a small percentage that are down on their luck but a mass majority are worthless bums that need to sober up and stop being an eye sore.
ReplyDeleteLarry, why don't you go after them the way you go after the UM kids? Track down all their sources of handout money, and all the rest?
ReplyDeleteLets put an end to this garbage.
And unlike a UM kid being hauled to the hospital, YOU paid 100% of this run.
He is a drunk. He's also a vet. He says he drinks mostly for the pain. That would be the pain in his missing leg. I think he has a new prosthesis, not sure.
ReplyDeleteThere but for the grace of God, go I.
Nothing excuses the amount of alcohol he consumes.
ReplyDeleteHas anyone (i.e. select board, town manager) noticed what is going on in downtown amherst? Seems like a lot more incidents involving homeless people - problems with businesses (the haircutter, the liquor store, etc) and harrassment. I am getting more and more wary when I am downtown.
ReplyDeleteYeah, let's get these bums out of here. We want our world to be free of eye sores and beggars. "Are there no prisons? Are there no work houses?!"
ReplyDeleteWe want our world to look good, nothing that reminds us of the shrinking middle class and the many recent war vets.
Anybody remember all that flag waving and all those Support the Troops signs we all plastered on our cars?
Yep, not in my back yard, though. God no. Are you kidding?
Don't worry, the new homeless shelter will send them to the north end of town. There's two package stores within stumbling distance. Also a bar across the street.
ReplyDelete@7:56 you're not the only one getting wary. We were downtown mid afternoon the other day and two of the regulars were running around in traffic shirtless, screaming f-bombs, etc. Saw a family obviously from out of town (college visit probably) and they looked shocked. Great image for Amherst to present.
ReplyDeleteAnon. 8:44 please drop the smug righteousness. You want 'em in your backyard? Good, start building a shelter.
Come one, come all.
ReplyDeleteCome, discover what an open sewer this mirage utopia really is.
No. That's the problem, we built a shelter, and they came....
ReplyDeleteThese guys are not from here, they are not our down-on-their-luck neighbors. They are professional addicts and panhandlers who come here for the easy pickings and the lovely shelter.
I am also a parent who is now concerned about letting my 13 year old daughter walk up town for a frozen yogurt.
The police reports tell the tale of verbal abuse, harassment, drunkenness, public urination, lewdness, sleeping in bushes,ATMs, doorways, etc.
Shut down the shelter and they will all go back to Springfield!!!
Enough!
ReplyDeleteNot all disabled vets lay around drunk all day harassing people. Here are some examples of ones who don't and aren't:
http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2012/05/28/inhaling-fire-marine-in-afghanistan/
http://www.commentarymagazine.com/2012/05/28/brothers-in-iraq-and-afghanistan/
I think it is time we start calling these folk what they are: BUMS. If UMass isn't friendly to veterans, and it well may not be, that is another thing, but they are supposed to have opportunities and it is their own damn fault for not taking advantage of them!
And how many of these so-called veterans actually ARE? Remember the guy Clinton authorized to be buried in Arlington until the pressure got too hot for even BillyBoy?
Anon 314, what are you talking about?
ReplyDeleteUMass is the greatest home to veterans. Amherst College is too high brow, Hampshire College is too peace-nik, and the town of Amherst is so open minded their brains fell out years ago. UMass is the institute picking up the slack when it comes to education, including veterans. What other school has ROTC? What other school has a veteran only club? What other school performs honor ceremonies?
This is why as a UM student we hated Amherst. The knee-jerk reaction by the locals that we are all the same...
Dear Anon 12am,
ReplyDeleteI actually think that UMass students, who are allegedly tomorrow's leaders, should be held to a higher standard than these lost souls.
That's why we are so disappointed by them.
I must say I am appalled by the lack of understanding and compassion shown by many of the prior entries. These comments demonstrate only ignorance about substance abuse and addiction as well as mental health issues.
ReplyDeleteInstead of condemning these individuals, perhaps it would be more productive to pitch in and volunteer to help them or, perish the thought, go after the root causes such as poverty, trauma, etc.
But, perhaps that's too much to ask as it actually requires some of the compassion missing here.
Anonymous said...
ReplyDeleteDon't worry, the new homeless shelter will send them to the north end of town. There's two package stores within stumbling distance. Also a bar across the street
The Survival Center is not planning to be a shelter- is it?
Compassion (or even a willingness to withhold judgement in order to gather more facts) is often in short supply at this site.
ReplyDeleteI must say I am appalled by the lack of understanding and compassion shown by many of the prior entries. These comments demonstrate only ignorance about substance abuse and addiction as well as mental health issues.
ReplyDeleteI must say I am disgusted by schmucks who take the "ignorance" and "lack of compassion" route. Screw you!
Do you have any idea what other people have dealt with -- and how much easier it would have been for them to have gone the "oh, poor me" route? Do you have any idea how much you are INSULTING them with this stuff?
I am disgusted by people like you -- and YOU are part of the problem. Yes, you want to have a dependent population to justify your jobs and taxpayer-paid largess but you actually are part of the problem.
The middle is not going to hold much longer -- and some of us aren't all that far from the Chinese solution to substance abuse -- China did end its Opium problem, didn't they????
Lynch is at least 60 years old.
ReplyDeleteIf he really was in Vietnam, it was more than 40 years ago. That is four decades to get his act together, to find some cure for "the pain" and the rest.
At this point, I think involuntary commitment to a locked ward is the solution. Clean up your act or we lock you up.
Or euthanasia. That's what we will be seeing a LOT of under Obamacare, lets just start early...
These guys are bums. And the only reason they're here is the shelter. Close it, and they'll follow each other to the next stupid town that allows their bad behavior. You people who make excuses for them embarrass the vets who come back, wounded or not, and are productive citizens. These guys are bums. Give them a one way bus ticket to Springfield.
ReplyDeletea person can be compassionate to addicts and homeless people and still be concerned about being safe downtown and the safety of their children. both problems need to be addressed.
ReplyDeleteAnon 408,
ReplyDeleteRest assured we were told Amherst was the best college town in America. We are just reflecting what we found.
Us students are a product of our environment.
Chris Lynch is NOT a veteran. That is a LIE he tells people to buy him (drum roll) BOOZE!! He actually lost his leg in a motorcyle accident years ago. Dude never served.
ReplyDeleteDont be fooled.
Ed, please do us all (not to mention yourself) a favor, and finally GET A LIFE.
ReplyDeleteAre you serious? You are recommending murdering homeless people (euthanasia) so that you have have your quaint, little sleepy village?
ReplyDeleteMost of you folks seem to be sick, petty, ignorant and selfish. You're the ones who should be "locked up." These bums are the only diversity we have in this whitebread town!
I think he was borrowing from Jonathan Swift.
ReplyDeleteAnon 11:03 And just what does this little piece of diversity contribute to the whole of society?
ReplyDelete12:08 PM,
ReplyDeleteI don't know... real life, perhaps?
I think he was borrowing from Jonathan Swift.
ReplyDeleteOr Sam Kinneson.
Yeah,so according to many of the posters on this site,homeless people are nothing but sub humans. Many of these people had a life at one time. Things happened to them,their mind,etc etc. Can you imagine all of the vitriolic hate that you spew at these people. I volunteered there several times and met some very good people that stayed there. They are not Subhuman "Bums" and Derelicts as you describe. They do not utter poor me,poor me over and over again. Many of the older guys at one time had lives. The poster who said let us put an end to this garbage. What does that mean? Exterminate Homeless People?Are you entertained when you see videos of people beating and burning and killing homeless people on the Internet? Please,explain to me what you mean.
ReplyDeleteTo these posters,you are,in a word,sick and scary people. Because someone does not posess the same things as you do or might have lost their mind does not make them any less human than you are. F----k you. You make me vomit. You are Evil.
LOVE IT WHEN NARCISSCISTIC DECENDENTS OF THOSE WHO MAKE VETS HOMELESS ARE RUDE INSENSITIVE AND CANT USE THEIR REAL NAMES MAKING SUCH STATEMENTS .. WEAK
ReplyDelete