I like trying to think of activist direct action ideas that both raise awareness of the humanitarian crimes we impose on our OWN CITIZENS by stealing their tents and belongings and leaving them stranded on freezing streets in the richest, most “Christian” country in the world AND trying to help these people at the same time.
My Christmas Eve sleep out in support of homeless pregnant women (Mary was a 12-14 year old homeless pregnant woman) does pretty good at that.
SO MANY people stopped by to say hello and bring donations. One person stopped by and brought this $50 bill. (See below) So on Christmas morning I took that $50 and bought tobacco and pop and snacks for my homeless friends. (We have dehumanized these people. So I try doing things for them that remind them that they are, in fact, still very human.)
I have gotten so many donations the last couple years that this year I rented a uhaul trailer to carry them all.
When I pulled up to my homeless friends on Christmas morning, I opened the trailer and a new guy, Vinny, took one look at everything and shouted, “No Fucking Way!”
Yes Vinny. People’s kindness and goodness is very real.
And then I put my friend Tony in charge of handing out these supplies. (I deeply believe in the power of self-run homeless services. It creates an incredible amount of self worth and personal value.) Tony is a homeless veteran and ran our kitchen in the first tent village and day center that the city shut down. He took some pictures of the supplies and people he gave stuff to this Christmas morning.
I have learned that the goodness of humanity FAR out ways the badness. But it is the corporations and political parties that survive on tearing us apart and making us hate each other by only showing us the bad in humanity.
I love you. You are amazing. I am constantly blown away by your goodness and kindness and compassion. All I am doing is trying to live up to the goodness that is in your heart.
I love you. I love you. I love you.
Paid For By The People for Sage Lewis