See –
http://www.firstpeople.us/articles/Black-Elk-Speaks/Black-Elk-Speaks-Index.html
If you’re not familiar with this great work, you can read it here. Or, like me, you can reread it for the sheer pleasure of Black Elk’s spirituality combined with John G. Neihardt’s wordsmithing.
For those who may be wondering: I believe that there is more to homelessness than mere survival, and I intend to focus on both Nature and man’s understanding of it in the coming months.
I hope you'll use your experience at being homless, and your communication skills, to help other homeless people survive better. More positive, less negative. Although you owe no one anything, I personally feel a kinship with other homeless people. We are a family, albeit a REAL disfunctional one. I don't slam my brothers and sisters around "normal" people. Homeless people don't need to be told they're worthless human dirt, it's because they feel that way that they are homeless. They need to hear peace and love and hope and encouragement.
Love AND discipline… one without the other doesn't work. Accountability and responsibility along with the love and acceptance.
Personal accountability is all about living a better life.
Setting yourself apart from so-called normal people is a huge mistake — but a common one among the homeless.
Unfortunately, many homeless people do need to be told to straighten up and act right. That I'm their peer who's doing so makes my message all the more powerful — otherwise I wouldn't get the negative reaction from those who don't want to be decent citizens living in peace with the entire community.
Hi Max,
I enjoy your column very much but have never commented. I think Boulderites can tend toward the bleeding-heart position on homelessness issues and I for one appreciate the dose of reality when you show us the hard truth – several of these people are not innocent victims of society, but in some cases they are sex offenders who are still out trolling. I hope everyone who is voting on the camping issue is reading this column. I've also donated to BSH in the past, but I'll certainly have more dialog with them regarding some of the issues you've brought up before supporting them again. In fact, I doubt I will support them again unless I read from you that they've made changes. Keep up the good work, Max.
Please have that conversation with BSH powers-that-be ASAP.
Please don't confuse Max Weller with fine people like Joy Eckstein, Rider ? and Heather ? (at the Carriage House) or Jim Budd (BOHO) who are actually trying and succeeding in helping the homeless improve their lives and by extension the quality of life for Boulder in general.
He (Max Weller) does not represent or speak for us, he is only promoting his own narrow agenda.
Yes, that's why I give you the opportunity to comment here . . .