Letter: Homeless deserve better treatment

Friday, July 9, 2004 | 5:26 a.m.

WEEKEND EDITION

July 10 - 11, 2004

This letter is being written from my point of view as an advocate for the homeless, our fellow citizens.

The homeless, every creed, race and nationality, have not been treated equitably, equally or with fairness. There has been an unexpressed bias, which has influenced how we have approached this national disgrace. Our approach has been paternalistic -- we have not done enough to involve the homeless in their rehabilitation. They are not inferiors, to be expected to adhere to arbitrary and self-serving rules of the bureaucracy.

Those of you with relatives, friends and neighbors serving in the military should and must be outraged with the unfair and inhumane treatment of homeless veterans -- there are approximately 2,500 of them in Clark County. There is no guarantee that current members of the military, when their service is ended, won't be treated the same by some politicians and bureaucrats.

Many people have relatives, friends and neighbors who suffer with mental illness. They should be outraged at the inadequate and inhumane treatment of mentally ill homeless people -- there are approximately 3,000 of them in Clark County. And what about the homeless families on the street, families with children?

The homeless must be treated with the same constitutional rights and guarantees that we have. Read the stories about police sweeps and harassment that have occurred locally for the past three years and it will be plain they have been treated as inferiors.

FRANK PERNA