Homelessness in America.

Here's a brutal truth. You probably don’t care much about it. It doesn't mean you're a bad person, or that you don’t feel bad about those who are homeless, but homelessness has become such a norm in modern society, that it's become just accepted.

This is unacceptable. Homelessness is maybe the most underrated problem in America. "The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's 5th Annual Homeless Assessment one in every 200 Americans." The number that is there may not actually seem that bad, and one might say, "Well, for every 200, there's bound to be one, right? Take a look at this number. On a single night in January 2014, 578,424 people were experiencing homelessness—meaning they were sleeping outside or in an emergency shelter or transitional housing program. But this still isn't a problem, right?

Wrong. Take a closer look at that second one. There are now over half a million people in America who are homeless, many of whom who do not have a job, or means for food on a daily basis. Recently, I've heard many arguments as to why we shouldn't let Syrian refugees into America, and if we can't take care of our homeless military veterans, why do we think that we can take care of the refugees? There is a point there, but it's likely that many people who are sitting behind that mantra are not doing anything to actually help the homeless.

What’s worse than us not serving our homeless population in America is the fact that we have unfortunately come to vilify them. Many people stay away from helping the homeless because of the harsh realities, and although I think meeting the homeless to learn some lessons is valuable, there's a bigger problem there.

Some people accuse the homeless of living a a life full of crime, of ruining bustling urban areas, and yet, they pay no mind to the institutional disadvantage those who are homeless suffer from. Below is a video of a man named Ronald Davis. Davis was homeless for many years in Chicago, and one day someone called him a "bum." If you don’t know what that means, it's a slur used towards the homeless to accuse them of freeloading.

Davis, who has had some bad luck throughout his life, was shocked. Sure, he had fallen on some hard times, but was he a bum? Absolutely not! Davis fell into homelessness, an issue that is already overlooked in America, and then was pushed down even further when someone had the nerve to tell him that it was his own fault that he was in this situation.

Homelessness shouldn't have become such a common problem in America to the point were people take so little action. This isn't to say that people don't volunteer. Many of my colleagues here at Assumption College work with many organizations to help the homeless. Even more than volunteering, I understand many people just don't have the time to give to the homeless, so I say become aware of the issue at hand, and spread it to others.

We focus on so many problems that have nothing to do with us in this world, and homelessness is one that should be dealt with. Here are three ways to help fight homelessness and reintroduce it as a major problem.

1. Volunteer at your local government or college, and see if there are any local or even non-local opportunities.

2. Spread awareness of the issue. No, you don’t need to bother people a million times a day, but help talk about the issue or spark a debate. Issues like this break away from normal life, and help us take stock in what we have and what others don't have.

3. Say hi to someone you see. Everyone will come across someone who is homeless, and if you're living in an urban city like Worcester, unfortunately, you will see it often. Donate a few dollars if you can, and have a conversation. Remember, everybody at one time or another has fallen down, and someone always picks them up. Be the one that makes their day!