Submitted by Steven Kaszab

As an adjective “Derelict” can mean abandoned, given up or forsaken by the natural owner or guardian of a product, thing or person.

Harsh words if you are referring to those folks that accost us each day on the sidewalks, alleyways and road intersections of the City. These are those people who sleep on benches in the park, create corrugated or ramshackle shelters in all sorts of weather.

These people may be addicts, homeless, mentally challenged or financially oppressed (they have no money except what the government gives them). They scavenge about, steal products and things that belong to others and often poison themselves with cheap booze or narcotics. They are often treated like garbage, so they will often treat themselves just so.

Am I victim-blaming? Hell no. Am I calling them names, demeaning them in any way? No. They do that to themselves easily enough. Now if you have never dealt with these “derelicts” then what I am writing is outrageous and an attack upon innocents right?

Well I have worked with such “clients” in New York City, Washington DC and Toronto as well as in rural areas where unemployment is rampant. Oh you did not know that? Yes the Midwest of Canada and the US are dotted with small towns and communities suffering from unemployment, misrepresentation and social shaming. The Mountain People of Pennsylvania and Ohio, Tennessee, Kentucky, through Georgia into Missouri know what it is like to live in economically depressed regions.

These communities have those who are wealthy, middle class, working class and those who have nothing at all. The American and Canadian Caste System at work. Many of our “derelicts” come from rural areas only to transport themselves to the big city looking for jobs and opportunity. Some do not find a place in the city, nor employment or family.

Society often attempts to forget or alienate these folks, after all they accomplish little and make no financial contribution to society. They become “derelicts”. abandoned by others, ignored while receiving society’s scraps of privilege and often turn upon themselves. Suicide, self-abuse, addiction all are here.

Society tries to help but in the process does nothing but enable these folks in their troubles. Injection sites disallow “professionals” from counseling these folks while allowing them to continue their addiction practices “in a safe place”.

Do I feel sorry for these people? No, I do not. They are often there because of bad choices made by them, their families or employers. Instead of challenging their situation they often run away both spiritually and personally. They give up. Some die on the streets, or in shelters due to the weather, crime or drug habits. Many prove they’re incapable of caring for themselves let alone their families. Society needs to take direct action and this action needs to be severe but life-affirming.

They are given rooms they often trash, bunk bedded with other “derelicts” allowing for social and personal disagreements to develop. To protect their privacy the authorities do not police them, so drug dealing persists in the shelters and community centers.

***May I suggest a solution? It will not be acceptable to either left or right politically. Mental illness is prevalent everywhere be it in homes, schools, businesses or on the streets. Our public authority does not wish to challenge this particular pandemic of mental illness because the cure will challenge the so called victims’ personal freedoms and place financial burdens upon the public authorities (taxpayers) to do something about it. Cowardly lions who talk the talk but will not walk the walk of public safety.

Anyone who lives outside when it is neg 30-40 degrees and is not in a shelter is mentally ill. Why? Because they are suicidal, and suicide is a criminal practice frowned upon by all of us. So if these people are suicidal in practice the police should be able to carry them off not to jail but to a place of safety.

So apply the “Big Stick”, open society’s hearts and minds to these people and hope for the best while always preparing for the worst.

This program is similar to ones enacted today, in the EU, Israel and China. Society as a whole has to deal with this privacy issue, answering the question, “Should we stop and help someone in need or allow them to work it out for themselves?”

Folks, what is better, a person who can contribute to society or having to uplift someone continually due to unresolved problems and mental injuries? Save a life through a transformational process offered by the public authority or willfully accepting that a person can choose to destroy themselves through addiction, financial mischief and mental illness. Choose wisely.

Now this is where Conservatives and penny pinching Businesses will complain. These derelicts must be sent to prepared social centers (that exist*) where they can be interviewed, medically checked, fed, given a place to bed down. Psychologists, social workers and addiction counsellors employed by the City/Province can assess each individual in turn directing them to rehab, education training, skill training or hospitals should they require medical care.

Often the individual may be in need of severely empathetic public action, strong arming necessary for their own good. Poverty and social exclusion need not be accepted socially as it has been for centuries.