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Heard a report today from someone in Burlington whom I have nothing but the deepest of respect for that the police are once again hassling people who are living homeless in encampments in the area, forcing them to move on (to where they are supposed to live, I have not a clue), something I find very disheartening.

Thus it came to mind to post up the following item [cross-posted from the recently reactivated and revamped North American Homeless News Network (NAHNN) blog, here].

During an online search within the archives of the Homeless People’s Network discussion listserv for items from around this time of year back in 2002 concerning people living in homeless encampments within Burlington, Vermont, I managed to stumble upon an old op-ed of mine posted there, one which I had completely forgotten about.

Since I was not blogging until later that same year, I have decided to reprint this particular version of my original The Many Hats of Homelessness essay here:

Sunday, July 14, 2002
Burlington Free Press
[Burlington, Vermont]
Editorial/Opinion section
“It’s My Turn”/Op-Ed segment
Homelessness is having no place to hang your hat

By Morgan W. Brown

If “home is where one hangs one’s hat,” where does a person who is living homeless hang their hat?

When a person hangs their hat someplace temporarily, are they no longer considered truly homeless even if, in fact, it is not really their home?

Being homeless myself, I know well how the smallest items of hope are always held onto very tightly.

Just like one’s own sense of dignity, self-respect, pride — which are equally cherished and held close, such hope can often prove extremely useful and even vital in the long journey being undertaken just in managing to survive as well as living independently.

These core parts of one’s self can also be key to what is needed to help find, obtain and then move into some form of safe, decent and affordable housing of one’s own; which is an essential part of what is needed to end homelessness.

As near as it may be to my becoming housed once again, after being homeless in its various forms for nearly five years this time around, one would think nothing could easily stand in my way.

Yet, there are many moments when it seems too daunting and so very far away to ever be accomplished on one’s own.

There are those days, and even weeks, which do not seem to pass by without a severe and persistent need to find and renew hope, inner strength as well as faith in everything.

Almost constantly, in many different ways, I remind myself that whatever the circumstances or, how they are experienced and felt, there are always other ways of thinking about them and other methods of accomplishing something when it is waited for a little while longer and, what is sought is looked for even deeper than we may believe is possible and, the support needed to do so is received.

Just as crucial though, the value of the smallest or seemingly least important thing to provide inspiration should never be underestimated; often found in what we may perceive to be the most unlikely of places or persons, especially when it is needed the most.

These are among the things which often help me to never, ever, give up on anything or anybody — and, most importantly, never on myself.

When I do find and move into a place of my own, my hat will be hung where it can be grabbed at ease when needed. Then whenever it is off of my head and in its usual resting place, I will know I am home.

Morgan W. Brown is living homeless in Montpelier.

[via HPN archives, here (2nd item posted; Sunday, July 14, 2002)]

The original version of my The Many Hats of Homelessness three-part essay was archived on HPN:

• Part One: The Many Hats of Homelessness (Monday, April 29, 2002)
• Part Two: Just How Bad Is It?
• Part Three: Opportunity Knocks

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[cross-posted from Rover: Riders of Vermont (*Unofficial*) blog, here]

Drew Hudson, one of the bloggers of Vermont’s Voice blog (Updates from the Vermont Public Interest Research Group Staff), blogged up a good report concerning Tuesday evening’s (April 3, 2007) House Transportation Committee public hearing, here (posted on Wednesday, April 4, 2007).

[cross-posted from Rover: Riders of Vermont (*Unofficial*) blog, here]

My name is Morgan W. Brown. I am a Montpelier area resident with disabilities living on a low fixed income these days and I depend on the public transit service offered by Green Mountain Transit Agency (GMTA), namely the City Route between Barre and Montpelier.

Without these services I would not be able to live as independently as I now am able to, nor would I be able to get around to engage in the daily activities I currently am active with.

While it may not appear visibly obvious, seven (7) years ago my feet, ankles and knees were injured to the point that I could barely manage to walk around the small room I was briefly staying in at the time.

My legs never quite healed completely and I no longer can walk too far in order to get to where I need to go like once was possible. Thus I find myself dependent on public transit more than ever.

To cut public transit services in Vermont would not merely harm me however, it would of course harm as well as severely limit many others across the state whom are in even more need of such services than myself.

Therefore I strongly encourage those of you with the political leadership and power to do so, to do everything possible to prevent any and all cuts to public transit within the state. I further implore you to properly fund such services as well as the equipment each of the local public transit agencies require.

Thank you for your time and thank you for listening.

[(edited, with embedded links) testimony as written and spoken by Morgan W. Brown during the public hearing held by the House Transportation Committee in room 11 at the Vermont State House on the evening of Tuesday, April 3, 2007]

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Did you know that state Senator Bill Doyle had a blog? (if not, me neither; had only just came across the Web address for it on his annual town meeting survey form for this year)

His blog is at billdoylevt.com: Senator Bill Doyle’s Official Website.

Read an article about Senator Doyle’s annual Town Meeting Day survey, here [via Barre – Montpelier Times Argus (Wednesday, February 28, 2007)].

fyi: Town Meeting Day

[cross-posted at Norsehorse’s Home Turf, here]

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Yes, Virginia, sadly to say there are people living houseless (i.e., more commonly referred to as homeless) and even some sleeping outside within the state of Vermont during this holiday season.

Unfortunately it appears Santa is not able to manage to carry what these people need within his sleigh in order to help them find and maintain the affordable housing they need.

Nor does there seem to be the will or leadership among any of the major political parties of the state (i.e., Democrats, Republicans or Progressives) to do anything meaningful or lasting other than to pay lip service to this problem faced by those Vermonters who are among the most in need.

When they do talk about a fix of one sort or another, usually it is about placing people who are living homeless in the type of housing that they would probably not choose if they were ever faced with houselessness: i.e., transitional housing or some other form of supported (read: institutional) housing — typically with lots of strings attached most people would never want to agree to in order to have a place of their own to live.

Apparently homeless shelters are about the best the state can seem to manage and, even then they nickle and dime them, mostly because people most in need within our state are too far down the food chain to care enough about when it comes to the making of priorities and then actually doing something about it.

In fact, this morning’s edition of the Barre – Montpelier Times Argus includes a must-read article penned by David Gram, an Associated Press Writer for the Vermont Bureau, which profiles people living homeless within the state that helps to illustrate how [h]omelessness is not just an urban problem, here (Sunday, December 24, 2006).

Yes, Virginia, while you and many others are enjoying this holiday season in one form or another, there are those who are barely getting by and whom do not have much more than dreams of a better future for presents.

Yet, please do not fret my dear Virginia, as when the new year arrives you and nearly everyone else can find comfort in forgetting about such souls since there are more important things to be concerned about as always, so continued deliberate indifference is the best course of (in)action, just like it has been the stock of trade year after year.

So make sure to enjoy the presents, family gatherings, holiday feasting and your nice warm, safe housing that most are conveniently able to take for granted.

Happy Holidays Virginia!