Letter: Lack of services for homeless is shameful

Friday, Oct. 3, 2003 | 4:38 a.m.

I was shocked to read in the Las Vegas Sun the article by Timothy Pratt about the death of James "Smokey" Casteel, a homeless resident of Las Vegas for many years. His application for Social Security was at first denied and I blame red-tape bureaucracy and inefficiency for not getting aid to him in time to possibly save his life.

Whether a person does or does not obey a doctor's orders should not have any bearing on human rights and the rights of homeless people to have a decent quality of life. How could Smokey's physical or spiritual health improve while living an unstable life on the streets without dependable support, affection and love?

People in government departments have no right to be judge and jury over another person. Any one of us could become homeless at any time. With such a self-centred society and a culture that focuses on me, me, me and with unbalanced values -- the number of homeless people will continue to rise.

In Australia, where I come from, we also have a major problem with homelessness, but the government has more services to aid them. Appropriate services seem to be very much lacking here, and I think our society's leaders should hang their heads in shame.

AMANDA FREY-ROSS