tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post553142892974780423..comments2023-10-17T22:56:42.784-04:00Comments on Only in The Republic of Amherst: Too much advocacy?Larry Kelleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02614645831526190536noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-88335116106847371552014-01-20T12:54:13.653-05:002014-01-20T12:54:13.653-05:00Hwei Ling is an advocate for Hwei Ling,plain and s...Hwei Ling is an advocate for Hwei Ling,plain and simple. She likes to get her name and picture on the front page of whichever newspaper will have her. She really cares nothing about "Homeless" people. For the most part the people who stay at the shelter keep a very low profile. The people that you see in Hadley and elsewhere with the signs by and large are not homeless. Many homeless people do all that they can to avoid the "public eye" because of some of the downright hateful attitudes towards them that are sometimes expressed in blogs like this. Many of the homeless,at one time,had families,jobs,homes,cars,etc etc. Things happened to them,something in their minds snapped or some such circumstance and they found themselves at the very,very bottom of societies heap. They get scared of drunken college students who might commit violence against them. They are,for the time being in their life,almost powerless. Some,or many,of the women that stay there have been physically and sexually abused and raped. Sure,some of them are disheveled looking. Some of them suffer from severe illnesses such as schizophrenia. Many of them are just plain scared. Many of them do,however,get back on their feet eventually. Again,many of the people you see on the street asking for money are not homeless. That is a myth perpetrated by media outlets that do not know any better. In some parts of the United States, homeless individuals have been doused with lighter fluid and set ablaze or beaten to death for "entertainment". If anyone thinks that any human being deserves this they are truly,truly sick.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-54504832018253525412011-08-02T16:20:43.062-04:002011-08-02T16:20:43.062-04:00Ed,
What happens to the people UMPD involuntarily...Ed,<br /><br />What happens to the people UMPD involuntarily commit? I assume (though this may be incorrect) that you go into a medical facility for a few days at most, and then what? Maybe UMPD can do it because there are next of kin to take them home, but I wouldn't count on it for the other homeless around here. The hospital would be a short layover until going back onto the street. Not a solution at all. (Not that I think there is a solution--some problems aren't soluble.)Different Anonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-24911882234269526072011-08-02T01:01:32.858-04:002011-08-02T01:01:32.858-04:00Ed: Have you no sense of shame? No sense of decenc...<i>Ed: Have you no sense of shame? No sense of decency? No sense of compassion?</i><br /><br />I believe in the equilibrium of the universe. It is either wrong for the UMass Police (and CCPH) to be doing something to somewhere between 75 and a couple hundred UMass students, or it <b><i>isn't</i></b> wrong, at which point the question becomes why aren't the Amherst Police "helping" the homeless the way that the UMPD "helps" UM students....<br /><br />Beyond that, you anonymous schmuck, I really don't think you ever agreed with me, ever, on anything, and hence I don't really care about your vitriol.<br /><br />But still --- if the UMPD can solve a problem a certain way, why can't/shouldn't the Amherst PD do so as well?????<br /><br />And we all know that most of them have either substance-abuse or mental health issues -- well, lets get them help (and force them to accept it)....<br /><br />After all, they are doing this to the UM kids....Ednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-77414282161817168512011-08-01T09:35:03.019-04:002011-08-01T09:35:03.019-04:00Ed: Have you no sense of shame? No sense of dece...Ed: Have you no sense of shame? No sense of decency? No sense of compassion?<br /><br />Just go away already. Your post at 9:01 am shows just what a schmuck YOU are. I used to just disagree with everything you said. Now I not only disagree with you, I also have no respect for you. Zero!! Nada!!! I am stunned that anyone would say what you said at 9:01. Just stunned.<br /><br />Please, go away and stop spewing out so much hate. You are the one with the problem. Not the homeless folks you so obviously despise.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-5735722015713648492011-08-01T09:01:39.941-04:002011-08-01T09:01:39.941-04:00One more thing -- why can't the Amherst police...One more thing -- why can't the Amherst police do what the UMass police are doing and simply start locking these people up?<br /><br />Under 123 MGL 12 (the civil psych commitment law), police officers can do psych commitments themselves.<br /><br />You can lock someone up under three criteria: threat to self (suicidal), threat to others, or inability to meet ones own basic needs.<br /><br />The homeless clearly meet the third criteria of inability to meet their own basic needs and thus can be locked up. I argue that -- under the criteria UM uses -- they also meet the second criteria of 'threat to others.'<br /><br />Now if Bill Newman wants to get the civil commitment statute thrown out, more power to him -- otherwise, lets just start locking these bums up for their own good (and ours)....Ednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-12465448261535142132011-08-01T08:55:30.474-04:002011-08-01T08:55:30.474-04:00The other issue of homelessness and the rest is th...The other issue of homelessness and the rest is the death of shame in this country.<br /><br />I would be mortified to stand out there on South Maple with a cardboard sign begging for money. It would be the same thing as walking stark naked right down the yellow line of Route 9 at high noon -- there are certain things that one just does not do....<br /><br />The issue is that we are tolerating this -- and we should not. We simply should not accept it -- lets start exercising OUR rights of free speech and showing a universal contempt for the schmucks who do this stuff.<br /><br />Imagine if everyone got out of the vehicle and shouted "Get a f*****g job, you low-life looser scum!" at every one of these "homeless" folk. Can we say "B.F. Skinner"? And just a tad of negative reinforcement would reign in a lot of this...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-50244622228378897332011-07-31T18:04:25.131-04:002011-07-31T18:04:25.131-04:00I'd like to belatedly remind people of Hwei-Li...I'd like to belatedly remind people of Hwei-Ling's meddling in the running of the Survival Center when she was on the select board. If I remember correctly, she wrote letters alleging poor treatment of some clients at the Survival Center to some major donors. Please correct this information if it's wrong because I don't want to spread untruths. <br /><br />I think that Hwei-ling has a long list of things she wants done, and little understanding that other people approach social service somewhat differently. If she wants it done differently, she should quit the committee and bid as a service provider, not keep chasing away other providers.<br /><br />I'd imagine that working with this population is hard enough. Little Miss Perfect and Friends don't need to make it even harder.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-76907814582874703592011-07-30T17:02:31.703-04:002011-07-30T17:02:31.703-04:00The businesses owners in Hamp. appreciate Amherst ...<i>The businesses owners in Hamp. appreciate Amherst for the economic growth they have had since the homeless have stopped harassing their customers.</i><br /><br />REALLY????<br /><br />I seem to keep finding those schmucks over there.....ednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-63046614232964968362011-07-30T10:26:49.442-04:002011-07-30T10:26:49.442-04:00Ms. Brewer is showing her strength and her command...Ms. Brewer is showing her strength and her command of the details in this latest controversy. She is not intimidated.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-8142696808789386542011-07-29T09:13:53.597-04:002011-07-29T09:13:53.597-04:00Kum by ya, My lord, Kum by ya!
Kum by ya, My lord,...Kum by ya, My lord, Kum by ya!<br />Kum by ya, My lord, Kum by ya!<br /><br />Everyone together now! <br /><br />Amherst needs help, My lord, Kum by ya!<br /><br />Amherst needs help, My lord, Kum by ya!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-68451482798027840402011-07-29T07:47:16.928-04:002011-07-29T07:47:16.928-04:00Has anyone asked for the police reports concerning...Has anyone asked for the police reports concerning their responses to the Amherst Shelter? I'm told there were quite a few trips to the Church during shelter hours and outside of the operating hours.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-75905149682858773362011-07-29T06:51:54.919-04:002011-07-29T06:51:54.919-04:00The Housing Partnership/Fair Housing Committee has...The Housing Partnership/Fair Housing Committee has<br />long demonstrated its inability to deal with this issue: that's why the Select Board rightly formed the Committee on Homelessness. Unfortunately, Ms. Greeney is now in a conflicted position, as both an public advocate for, and a private provider of, services to the homeless. She could defuse this situation by magnanimously resigning as chair of Committee on Homelessness. Others, like the thoughtful Mr. Noonan or the articulate Mr. Eddings, are certainly in a position to continue the advocacy, while Ms. Greeney would then be free to return to providing the homelessness services directly. In fact, it's too bad she didn't do that at least 6 months before the rebidding process, since winter is only 4 months away!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-77764905504046024702011-07-28T20:59:13.509-04:002011-07-28T20:59:13.509-04:00The more things change, the more Hwei-Ling stays t...The more things change, the more Hwei-Ling stays the same.<br /><br />Once she starts talking and talking and talking, it seems like the right time to take everyone else in the room out for a round, and agree to come back when she allows the oxygen level to return to normal.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-18754703790103823802011-07-28T20:45:25.867-04:002011-07-28T20:45:25.867-04:00Most of the homeless guests of the shelter could n...Most of the homeless guests of the shelter could not maintain an apartment even if given one for free. They have addiction and mental illness problems.<br /><br />IF some of them could give up alcohol and/or drugs, they might be able to live in an apartment or group home.<br /><br />My hope is that we do not find frozen people in the winter.<br /><br />By the way, the Faith Baptist church is providing a lot and the rest of the money is from a CDBG grant. I'm not sure that any taxes fund the shelter.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-11054190545116648592011-07-28T15:08:28.873-04:002011-07-28T15:08:28.873-04:00The Northampton Police Department is very grateful...The Northampton Police Department is very grateful for the Amherst homeless shelter. Officers have said that since Amherst has put so much money and time into helping the homeless their problems in the City have diminished significantly. The businesses owners in Hamp. appreciate Amherst for the economic growth they have had since the homeless have stopped harassing their customers. Way to go Amherst!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-80174291314589583932011-07-28T10:04:57.878-04:002011-07-28T10:04:57.878-04:00did anyone read the gazette article and think that...did anyone read the gazette article and think that the select board members commenting on greeney had taken a page out of the republican/fox tv playbook by repeating the same remarks about their deep concern, etc. -- all the while steps are being taken behind the scenes to remove power from her committee. it seemed orchestrated but maybe not. why not just talk about problems in the open and work them out?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-82284796844484001382011-07-28T06:15:27.888-04:002011-07-28T06:15:27.888-04:00The issue of home ownership is irrelevant.
Rent...The issue of home ownership is irrelevant. <br /> <br />Renters pay property taxes too -- indirectly through the rents that landlords charge.<br /><br />Only public housing is exempt.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-85708811551734166942011-07-27T16:43:14.160-04:002011-07-27T16:43:14.160-04:00I'll answer that, Yes I do and have for many y...I'll answer that, Yes I do and have for many years now.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-14255129845624694712011-07-27T16:35:50.058-04:002011-07-27T16:35:50.058-04:00Why the assumption that anon 11:24 is a he?Why the assumption that anon 11:24 is a he?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-43791461864862949212011-07-27T12:56:52.289-04:002011-07-27T12:56:52.289-04:00Why the assumption that anon 11:24 does not own hi...Why the assumption that anon 11:24 does not own his own home?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-64669066284984673642011-07-27T12:54:26.391-04:002011-07-27T12:54:26.391-04:00Why not do what the state is doing -- take money f...Why not do what the state is doing -- take money for homeless shelters and to pay for apartments for the homeless -- or early money to prevent them from losing their homes. How much would it cost to pay for apts for 14 people for a year? What if all the towns did this? <br /><br /> It's a good point that it's nice, but beyond the call of duty, to provide a bed to people coming from other towns.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-16322179135461266132011-07-27T12:34:01.455-04:002011-07-27T12:34:01.455-04:00Not to get personal, but do you own a home? If no...Not to get personal, but do you own a home? If not, then none of your money is going to support this.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-84181683485099358602011-07-27T11:24:26.085-04:002011-07-27T11:24:26.085-04:00I agree but how many, and from how far away do we ...I agree but how many, and from how far away do we start adopting the homeless? And if anyone complains about a free meal let them go without! I'm sorry if this sounds cold, but I work (2) jobs to keep things together one full time and another almost full time. And if any of my money is going to be used to support this program I'm taking a hardnosed approach to it. It's hard to feel overly sympathetic when several intersections now have people that can stand for hours on end panhandling, but can't work flipping burgers or at one of the big box stores, Lowes is hiring! If the argument is going to be, well their disabled and can't work. Let's pack everyone up take them over to Riverside Industries and show them how a truly disabled person can be a productive member of society. I apoligize for the lengthy post and if it ran a little off topic, but my work ethic boils on this topic!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-13643384099949328272011-07-27T09:48:36.004-04:002011-07-27T09:48:36.004-04:00Believe me, I'm not accusing you of showing co...Believe me, I'm not accusing you of showing concern. But winter's bitterly cold and homeless people can't sleep outdoors.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5035949355013113578.post-21142699706407344952011-07-27T08:02:09.250-04:002011-07-27T08:02:09.250-04:00This importing them topic is the same with the sch...This importing them topic is the same with the schools. People from as far away as Connecticut have been known to move here because they hear the amount of money being spent on the SPED programs in the schools is higher than anywhere else. Same goes with the homeless. Let's do what Oakland and San Francisco used to do. The police in San Francisco used to give the homeless one way bus tickets to Oakland. Lets give them all one way bus tickets to Northampton.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com