Political Quotes

“one of the most troubling problems for our communities facing the struggle for liability deals with our homeless population. The problem of homelessness, if not worse today, is certainly more complex. As a result of deinstitutionalization, many of these people now live on the streets; and one of the most serious consequences is violence against the homeless. Stories of the abuse of homeless and the mentally ill are appearing with stark and frightening regularity, setting a homeless woman on fire, random beatings, even murders. We know last year there were 18 murders and dozens of assaults on the homeless. These are the stories that were reported to the authorities and found their way into the media. Because of the hidden, often forgotten, world these people inhabit, we know that incidents are underreported and that the known violence is just the tip of the iceberg. I have been appalled at the people who would not just avoid helping but actually are seeking to exploit the homeless, and the worst example I have seen is a recent video entitled ``Bumfights'' that films the abuse and violence against the homeless.”