NIMBY

Ahhhh NIMBY, the ultimate excuse for not wanting something so disgraceful and unbecoming. Not in my backyard or NIMBY is a persons way for trying to pass the buck on someone else. And according to the attached L.A. Times story. NIMBY is going to rear its head in full force from every city in Los Angeles County. Why? According to the Times, Los Angeles County Supervisors are going to place five homeless centers in cities within the county. Now lets get this straight, if a large manufacturing company, with the exception of Walmart, were looking to set up shop in L.A. County cities, you couldn't buy enough space in the newspapers or ticker tape for parades. Everyone wants jobs and the local government always want the tax revenues, but no one wants a homeless person in their neighborhood. And we're all guilty of it, although some of us feel sorry and some sort of compassion for those less fortunate, especially the individuals who are suffering from some sort of mental illness. The one thing I think our federal, state and even local governments should be responsible for is the correct housing of our mentally ill patients who are in the streets. I think it is repulsive that a man, who carried a M16 and ruck sack through the jungle and deserts of foreign places to defend this country and carried out its order to support our allies, are homeless. Its a shame and its downright embarrasing! let alone inexcusable.

And to make matters worse, we have a mayor from Burbank, CA, basically telling the truth on behalf of his constituents, the City of Burbank, does not want a homeless center in its city borders, but does the fact that Burbank, is the home of television studios and news stations or is it because of the demographics of the homeless individuals or the demographics of Burbank.

For that matter, what about the people who live in Watts, Compton and other poor neighborhoods already riddled with low high school graduation rates, low employment but plenty of crime. Do they deserve the burden of this placement of homeless people, despite that there are hard working families living in those areas. Do they deserve better? I guess the question should be, what elected official is going to voice their cry of NIMBY?

Story: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-homeless24mar24,1,7384971.story?coll=la-headlines-california