Parents always have solutions for problems they see. Whether reasonable or unreasonable, they make an effort to fix a "wrong". Politicians and people with money think they have to do the same thing.
Is it wrong to suck your thumb?
How about bite your nails?
Whatever the answer, it doesn't matter. Somehow we got past it with or without the folks' help, and grew to be adults only to see other adults doing the same things we were admonished for as children.
As parents it's our "job" to educate our children and care for them the best we can. We tend to make childhood behaviors problems to fix, however, fixing behaviors is only done one way. Education and leadership means everything.
Let's talk about culture for a bit.
Funny word indeed. In the medical world it conjures up visions of grossness of a vial of goo waiting to be tested. Most halfwits think culture is something in Europe. Just saying the word culture is like hocking up a loogie.
Maybe that is why people struggle with it. And, when I say struggle, I mean, ignore it.
Culture walks hand in hand with community. The complexities are immeasurable. Most of us usually only have to worry about our own circle, but when our own circle becomes infected, we tend to panic, and make stupid decisions, based on fear and money. (Fear of what might happen if we don't listen to the people with money.)
If you are a frequent reader of my shit, and you find my words harsh and or "too much" for your tender sensitivities....turn back now. Here we go.
Apparently some people have just figured out that there may be a homeless/drug problem on the harbor. Hey...I'm not perfect, but I call a spade a spade. Are you fucking kidding me? Just now? Geniuses.
One of these people being schooled as far as the doctorate level. Now, I'm no brain surgeon, but I do believe you have to have a marginal amount of brain matter in order to finalize a diploma inked with that of an institution guaranteeing that you might know what the fuck you are talking about. Just sayin.
Another prominent council-woman got to chime in as well. Her remarks were probably political suicide, but that remains to be seen. A gun toting mama in liberal land isn't going to gain a lot of marks in Good old Grays Hawba.
Here is the deal. Grays Harbor, Aberdeen in particular has an immense drug addiction/homeless problem. Many cities can chime in on the same notion, however, per capita, we are stacked. The numbers, and the obviousness, do not lie.
So many levels to address, and I should say that there are a few people that do care. People that understand the complexities of what it actually might take to turn things around. However, Those voice will never be heard. Not really anyway.
The truth is, no one really cared until the "problems" started creeping into their neighborhoods. Now the paper is scrambling for quotes. I'm sure it won't be long and King 5 and or Kiro 7 will be here asking the people with money what their next step might be.
FUCK YOU.
FUCK ALL OF YOU.
In fact, drop to your knees and suck my dick....and then fuck off.
First of all.....all of you bastards have known for some time how the problems were cavalcading and knew exactly what we needed to make amends. Fuck you. You opted for bullshit.
Keep working on tourism and tax breaks for shady ass businesses saying they will come here and then don't. Keep pouring money into tall ships and other bullshit causes that bring NO ONE here...Keep painting houses. Ha! Those houses are empty now. Fuckwads.
First you have to get over yourself and understand what addiction is. Then, you have to come together as a community and make a plan, and move in the same direction, which, as we all know, will never happen with current leadership.
Addiction isn't a word. It's a disease, and needs to be treated as such. Until this community understands this, nothing will change.
Being in the trenches of this culture has made me an expert on the subject. I can tell you, with all confidence, nothing will change until a culture of people change their minds and move together as one in the SAME direction.
I have a lot of ideas. Ideas that perhaps might make a difference. But no one listens to me. I'm not politically correct, nor do I want to be. I'm a realist and a humanist. Actions speak louder than words for me.
I sent a letter to the editor on this subject many years ago, which I will include at the end of this blog. I saw it coming. I knew what it was when it was. So here ya go, you tell me...
Human has a heroin(meth, cocaine, pills) problem. Addiction is daily. Can't just stop doing it, health risks are immeasurable. Options: 1. Keep doing it. 2. get help.
Option 1 is the easy answer. Option 2 is what everyone wants to see happen, but takes NO steps to see it through. Here is the realization.
Unless you have health insurance, there is NO help in Grays Harbor County. You can apply through DSHS to get help through their program, however, asking addicted people to jump through hoops is like asking dogs to use the restroom and remember to flush.
Addicted people often have no support from family or friends. Making it to appointments and following through with bureaucratic bullshit is not on the top of their lists.
So with no help, what are your options? Addicts have a huge fear of getting sick. Sick from coming down from their drug of choice. They fear it so much that they will do anything to get the next fix. I can paint a picture for you here...but the reality is, they fear it more than the justice system. In fact, sometimes, the justice system is what some WANT in order to get help.
This is all very cyclical, and not that complicated. What do desperate people do to get what they need. ANYTHING. Enter crime. duh. You can post all the signs you want Aberdeen, to not "give handouts" to the "undesirables" however, that 2 bucks you might push out the window could have saved a crime from occurring. get it?
Follow along here: THERE IS NO DETOX CENTER IN GRAYS HARBOR COUNTY (unless you are pregnant and female and/ or have insurance.)
So when someone wants/needs help....what are the options? Resources aren't large enough in this county to help all that need it. Period.
We have to change the conversation people. Stop pushing money to organizations that you "think" might be able to help. Make a plan to eradicate the problem, with real life solutions that will make a difference.
BTW, these undesirables that you speak of aren't aliens. They were once your co-workers, your neighbors, your children's friends, or perhaps your friends. They didn't arrive hear from planet nowhere.
NOT UNDESIRABLES. People. Humans. Suffering. Stop marginalizing a culture of people that you don't understand.
The following article was written in 2010 and submitted to The Daily World.
My Daily World Article
October 7, 2010 at 8:57pm
Angering the Masses
I’m scared. Scared for the future of this town, this county, this state, this Country. But for this letter, this harbor. Grays Harbor.
Election time. People campaigning, writing letters in support of their candidates, and ignoring the issues that need to be addressed. Soon the newspapers will chime in on who they think will benefit this harbor. It’s all sickening really.
Good intentions in public service have left this harbor in very bleak times. Small town mentality has ruined what is known to many as home. My home. I would like to offer up some alternative thinking in this time of elections, but first, some undeniable facts that no one wants to talk about.
There are no jobs. There aren’t any jobs on the horizon. Families are leaving in droves. Before you disagree that there ARE jobs….I’m talking about family wage jobs. If anyone who disagrees with me can tell me how to raise a family on $8/hr…..I’m listening.
One of the biggest employers on the harbor is Wal Mart. So very sad. I don’t want to hear how you have to shop there….because it isn’t true. I have been unemployed since Sept. of 2006 and haven’t stepped foot inside that building. What is worse than the numbers they employ, is the the numbers that shop there! Yep, keep using self checkout too….eliminates more jobs!
WE as a harbor need to understand it’s time to re-visualize the future of our towns and resources. Fish and Timber are nothing to lean on anymore. I can’t believe I have to say that out loud. Industry either needs to come back, without bureaucratic b.s., or we need to shift gears and find a new way to survive.
WE have resources in this town that we haven’t even begun to utilize. Everyday almost everyone on the harbor drives over the biggest one. It’s called the Chehalis River. For goodness sakes people…..haven’t you not noticed the wetness under the bridge? I hope I don’t need to spell out that this river is full of other resources too. Nope…guess not…it’s probably more important that AHS getting artificial turf! Absurd.
WE have people of every age, race and creed walking the streets of this county with no place to call home. If It helps you sleep at night to donate $5 to the mission, well then I guess that is your choice. It doesn’t even begin to solve the problem. WE should be embarrassed and should expect more from ourselves.
WE have children that need and deserve hope.
WE have teachers that are working without the resources they need.
WE have entrepreneurs that can’t start businesses.
WE have people that want to work.
WE have problems that can’t be ignored any further.
This harbor and the towns on it are surrounded by rich history, natural resources, and very capable people willing to save their community. So why do we remain stagnant?
I know there are Civic Groups and Organizations trying to blaze forward and make a difference. However, much like politics, if you don’t get a consensus on what the future needs and holds, it isn’t going to work. This is a fact. And also much like politics, if you don’t involve everyone, from every economic stance, you may as well mow your grass with the vacuum cleaner.
So what does public service mean this year to the future of your town or your county? Well, everything.
I’m still waiting for the right candidates to step up. That single mother that is trying to make ends meet on a minimal budget. That teacher that has to spend his/her own money to make sure all the kids have crayons or materials for school. That blue collar worker who pays outrageous taxes and sees his paycheck get stretched further every month. That unemployed professional that just plain wants to work. Just work. These are the people that I would vote into office.
As you go to the polls, think about the future of this harbor, and the broken promises of the past.
How come we can pull together every year for Food Ball, and Relay for Life, but we can’t pull together to save our own lives?
Casi LaLonde
Cosmopolis
I’m scared. Scared for the future of this town, this county, this state, this Country. But for this letter, this harbor. Grays Harbor.
Election time. People campaigning, writing letters in support of their candidates, and ignoring the issues that need to be addressed. Soon the newspapers will chime in on who they think will benefit this harbor. It’s all sickening really.
Good intentions in public service have left this harbor in very bleak times. Small town mentality has ruined what is known to many as home. My home. I would like to offer up some alternative thinking in this time of elections, but first, some undeniable facts that no one wants to talk about.
There are no jobs. There aren’t any jobs on the horizon. Families are leaving in droves. Before you disagree that there ARE jobs….I’m talking about family wage jobs. If anyone who disagrees with me can tell me how to raise a family on $8/hr…..I’m listening.
One of the biggest employers on the harbor is Wal Mart. So very sad. I don’t want to hear how you have to shop there….because it isn’t true. I have been unemployed since Sept. of 2006 and haven’t stepped foot inside that building. What is worse than the numbers they employ, is the the numbers that shop there! Yep, keep using self checkout too….eliminates more jobs!
WE as a harbor need to understand it’s time to re-visualize the future of our towns and resources. Fish and Timber are nothing to lean on anymore. I can’t believe I have to say that out loud. Industry either needs to come back, without bureaucratic b.s., or we need to shift gears and find a new way to survive.
WE have resources in this town that we haven’t even begun to utilize. Everyday almost everyone on the harbor drives over the biggest one. It’s called the Chehalis River. For goodness sakes people…..haven’t you not noticed the wetness under the bridge? I hope I don’t need to spell out that this river is full of other resources too. Nope…guess not…it’s probably more important that AHS getting artificial turf! Absurd.
WE have people of every age, race and creed walking the streets of this county with no place to call home. If It helps you sleep at night to donate $5 to the mission, well then I guess that is your choice. It doesn’t even begin to solve the problem. WE should be embarrassed and should expect more from ourselves.
WE have children that need and deserve hope.
WE have teachers that are working without the resources they need.
WE have entrepreneurs that can’t start businesses.
WE have people that want to work.
WE have problems that can’t be ignored any further.
This harbor and the towns on it are surrounded by rich history, natural resources, and very capable people willing to save their community. So why do we remain stagnant?
I know there are Civic Groups and Organizations trying to blaze forward and make a difference. However, much like politics, if you don’t get a consensus on what the future needs and holds, it isn’t going to work. This is a fact. And also much like politics, if you don’t involve everyone, from every economic stance, you may as well mow your grass with the vacuum cleaner.
So what does public service mean this year to the future of your town or your county? Well, everything.
I’m still waiting for the right candidates to step up. That single mother that is trying to make ends meet on a minimal budget. That teacher that has to spend his/her own money to make sure all the kids have crayons or materials for school. That blue collar worker who pays outrageous taxes and sees his paycheck get stretched further every month. That unemployed professional that just plain wants to work. Just work. These are the people that I would vote into office.
As you go to the polls, think about the future of this harbor, and the broken promises of the past.
How come we can pull together every year for Food Ball, and Relay for Life, but we can’t pull together to save our own lives?
Casi LaLonde
Cosmopolis
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