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     I read a great article by  Cynthia Griffith  a freelance writer dedicated to social justice and environmental issues. The article is linked  here  for your reference. In this article, Cynthia discusses the framing of the homeless problem when it is discussed by politicians. Her article cites a few specific examples, which I encourage you to read. In this post, I will discuss more societal misconceptions and how politicians and other government officials contribute to the disconnect.      Far too often, when discussing homelessness, political leaders seek to blame the people impacted rather than the actual problem, which is a lack of affordable housing.  Crime is a societal problem and occurs when there is a lack of opportunity and resources. Drug use is a mental health issue that has been around for many years but is more prevalent and visible in communities due to the housing crisis. By trying to associate homeless people with...

     Aggressive homeless encampment sweeps have begun in California following the Supreme Court ruling and Governor Newsom's executive order. You can read the article I am referring to  here . At 2:04 in the YouTube video linked here , the Mayor of San Francisco discusses her plan for the sweeps, which is quoted below.  "This is not just about cleaning and clearing because these are people and they gotta go somewhere but we are going to make them so uncomfortable on the streets of San Francisco that they have to take our offer. That really is the goal of what we are trying to accomplish"       If you are a fan of Game of Thrones you will recognize this quote from Jon Snow "everything before the word but is horseshit." I don't know if you have spent time on the streets of San Francisco, but I wouldn't use the word comfortable to describe them. It is evident to me that this approach, intentionally trying to make a vulnerable population of peopl...