Is America as free as we say we are?
I was watching some news coverage on the homeless in L.A. and was completely appalled at the cost of the shocking solution. Because of the amount of daily homeless and the shelters maxed out they came up with a new invention as a solution to the problem they hope to get rid of. The solution was mobile camp carts that doubled as a cart by day and by night it becomes a camper. This invention is supposed to put a roof over the heads of the homeless unable to go to the shelters because of overcrowding. To manufacture this mobile camp cart (which is nothing more than a oversized shopping cart fitted with a camping tent around it in a way it could fold down by day and be set back up at night) it cost $500 each! Why would there even be a price on something for the penniless or homeless? I could go into my back yard and gather thrown away materials and craft a better more sturdier mobile camp cart for no price at all. Maybe it cost to have the people to manufacture this cart and lets not forget about gas, water, and electricity. Or maybe the parts used to make this cart are expensive. Whatever the case may be I have a solution to both problems. I’m just wondering why didn’t the people behind this new invention use this method. Alright, for one you need people. There are tons of people who volunteer their services for no money at all here in America. I know of some who will even pay there own way across seas just to help paint a church in Africa for no payment nor acknowledgment. So, why wouldn’t these same people volunteer to help build some mobile camp carts for our nation’s homeless? For two you need gas for heat, water for washing, and electricity for the machines and to see. Again, there are tons of resources here in America that will allow you to use them for free for a set time. For a set time you can get a months worth of gas free for heating. The same goes for water and electricity. It can’t take that long to build a few thousand mobile camp carts. So why then was this method not taken? Ok, maybe the building the manufacturing was done in cost for the space or rent. Well, I can show you at least five abandoned buildings in my neighborhood that has been abandoned for over twenty years. Why not right a proposal to the town asking for a limited time to use the property to build a device that will help our homeless. And how about those clubs that pop up out of nowhere in spots where signs once said vacant lot for rent or sale. Have you ever looked into what it would cost to rent those out for a club or promotional party? I have and did. There is no general cost to rent those vacant lots out you just work a deal based on how much you will make. In the plazas they depend on your clubs or promotional parties to bring more recognition and customers to that area. In other words, they don’t have to spend millions in advertisements if they can generate a huge crowd for free. Hence the fairs come to the plaza parking lots every year. What better way than to allow club owners and party promoters to rent the space out free of charge. Just give them a few dollars toward electricity and everyone is happy. Not all plazas do this but there are a lot that do. Now of course a lot in a plaza isn’t sufficient space to conduct the construction of a mobile camp cart. Still, why haven’t these avenues been checked? I am pretty sure they could have found a willing participant of all trades to help them manufacture this new invention free of charge. I kind of think by looking at all other possibilities the reason it cost $500 each is so the people behind the manufacturing can get their fair share or reimbursement. But the thing is America, when you do something for the needy in any case expect not a return of financial gain. The gain you will receive will come at a time you least expect it. So to put a price on equipment that will have better use to the homeless to me is horrifying. We are not as free as we say we are.
